Being Guillen

SURPRISE, Ariz. – New Royals outfielder Jose Guillen has gained quite a reputation for his offensive output during his 11-year career.

He’s also been known to hit the ball out of the ballpark and drive in runs.

“People are going to think what they want to think about me but a lot more people are finding out who I am and what I am about,” Guillen said. “People see me being serious or quiet and they think I’m always upset. That’s not true.”

What is true is the perception that the Royals’ new $36 million man is a hot head, a malcontent, a bad guy and a bad teammate because of past confrontations with managers and teammates. He didn’t help matters after signing the three-year deal with the Royals in the offseason and insisting to play right field despite the fact Kansas City already had a right fielder. Being suspended for the first 15 days of the season for violating baseball’s drug policy doesn’t help, either. He is appealing the suspension and might get to play come Opening Day.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen yet,” he said. “We will see what happens and go from there.”

Perception is not reality, Guillen says. He has a passion for winning and sometimes that passion boils over on the field or in the clubhouse. He wonders when caring about winning and refusing to lose became a crime?

He shakes his head when he thinks about how he is being portrayed in the media and how his fans here and back home in the Dominican Republic are hearing him negatively described.

“That (image) is from the media,” Guillen said. “A few things happen early in your career and it sticks with you and the more you change, the more that reputation stays with you. It’s easier to think of me as some bad guy than get to know me and see what type of man I am. I don’t know why people are afraid to come talk to me, but I can’t worry about that.”

Royals manager Trey Hillman says he has had no problems with Guillen and likes the fact the outfielder is constantly reminding the manager that he wants to be in the lineup everyday at any position. “My answer to that is ‘I hope so. You are making a lot of money,’” Hillman said.

“He has not been shy at all about expressing his opinions,” the manager added. “I don’t have a problem with that because when he expresses, he is very respectful. I have a problem with people expressing opinions and not being respectful to the person or the position that they are making suggestions or offering opinions to.”

Guillen’s thoughts on Hillman? So far, so good, but ask him again at the end of the season. His opinion of Hillman could change. It might not.

“I don’t know him yet,” Guillen said. “I know him to talk here and there. ‘Hellos’ and those things. You have to spend a season with a guy to know what kind of manager a guy is. He’s the boss and we’ll do what he says. I respect him as our manager.”

Last season with the Mariners, Guillen hit .290 with 23 home runs and 99 RBIs. For his career, he has a .274 batting average with 166 home runs and 673 RBIs with eight other teams starting with Pittsburgh in 1997. His job with the Royals during the season is simple: hit home runs and drive in runs.

His top priority for now is staying healthy and staying in good shape. Guillen has fully recovered from shoulder surgery and Tommy John surgery on his elbow that slowed him the past few years and said getting to know his teammates during Spring Training is also on the top of his to-do list.

“The reality is I still don’t know a lot about this team because it’s a new team for me and I’m getting adjusted to being here,” he said. “We have some good young players, but not like it was in Seattle where we had a bunch of veteran players. We are producing players, developing them.”

“I’m here to do my job but to also help these young guys if they need help,” he continued. “I’ve gone a long time without being with one team for a long time and now that I can be here for three years, I feel like I finally have a home.”

Guillen already sounds comfortable with his new team and he definitely looks the part. He addressed the media on his first day of workouts wearing an Afro-style wig and a smile from ear-to-ear. This can’t be the malcontent everybody talks about, right?

Right.

“He actually has a great sense of humor,” Hillman said. “I think he is going to add some very good things not only to the club on the field but in the clubhouse house as well. That’s been a balance issue for people in the past, too. I know some of the things that have happened. I know sometimes he goes off. He goes off because he has passion and wants to win. Obviously, in recent history we need a little more of that around here.”