I love Jose Guillen

[AT]

When I added this guy to my roster in early 2003 when he was fighting for playing time in Cincinatti and ultimately went to Oakland and combined for a 31HR, 86RBI campaign where he hit .337 with Cincinatti and .265 for Oakland in 485 AB's combined I was loving his production and couldn't wait to draft him in '04. I got him at a valuable draft spot in most leagues and he put up 27, 104 and hit .294 and this year I've either drafted him or traded for him in every league I'm in. I was even on the horn with Mike and the Mad Dog telling them that he would've been a perfect fit for the Mets in the OF before they signed Beltran and the Nationals ended up getting him for Juan Rivera and a bag of beans.

I don't think he's a clubhouse cancer at all, he's just competitive, loves to play the game, and doesn't like to be disrespected combined with the fact that Scoscia is an ego-maniac and I pretty much sided with him over that fiasco in Anaheim. Now he fights through several injuries this year and is putting up .299 with 19HR and 54RBI in a huge pitcher's park...

Now today I get this in my email box from rotowire...

Vowing "not going to let the people in Washington D.C. down", Guillen said on Monday that his wrist injury wouldn't keep him out of this week's series against the Braves entirely, the Nationals website reports.

ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: "I played with a broken hamate bone in the past. I should be able to play with [the wrist injury]," Guillen said. He's hoping to be back in action Thursday afternoon.

This guy plays 100 MPH, fights through several injuries, begs for more playing time, when he gets it he produces, mocks his old team for talking trash about him (When he hit that bomb against Anaheim in Interleague and shouted at Scoscia from across the field during that on-field incident) and now he's vowing to not let the fans down during a pennant race? What a beast... The guy is a competitor and he plays old-school ball. It's really great to see and he's exactly what that team needs.

[tareed1979]

Isn't this the same guy thats been complaining about how far the fences are at RFK and wants them to change them or he may not stay.

[Drunken Rhino]

How many of those 19 HR are at home? 1? So he's Brian Giles w/ more power and less OBP.

I'd still want him on my team.

[AT]

Isn't this the same guy thats been complaining about how far the fences are at RFK and wants them to change them or he may not stay.

I'd be complaining too. Look at his splits. That park is detrimental to power hitters and will probably hurt his contract negotiations in the future and it's probably not in his best interest to stay there if he can go to a bandbox and put up better numbers. Most players probably feel that way, but we're supposed to crucify him for being honest and saying it to the media? I like my players blunt and to the point. What's he supposed to do, say he's happy about it and it makes him look like a better player?

It's a similar thing to what Sheffield does. Sheff has controversial opinions much like a lot of players but he speaks his mind about them instead of giving everyone a line of BS. Look how Sheff is with his teammates.

A lot of guys he's played with love him because he's a warrior, plays hurt, lays it on the line, he's a fantastic talent, and he won't BS you. Some of his teammates hated him because he would bitch and complain, dog it when he was frustrated and generally wore his emotion on his sleeve but at least you know where he stands.

I look at Guillen the same way. I like guys who have tremendous talent, are honest (whether it's good or bad), to the point, leave it on the field, and wear their emotion on their sleeve. That's my kind of ballplayer. Noone wants a BS artist who's overly PC. Sometimes I even get annoyed that Jeter is too PC and he's my favorite player.

[tareed1979]

I'm sure he will be changing his tune when they fall out of the race.

[uucrook3d]

Isn't this the same guy thats been complaining about how far the fences are at RFK and wants them to change them or he may not stay.

he was complaining because the fences were actally about 15-20 further out thenn they were listed. that is why he was complaining/

[ChoneJohn]

I totally admire his game, no doubt, but I think it's a stretch to say that he's liked by his teammates. I've read reports in the last two weeks that say that Guillen is starting to get on the nerves of the rest of the Nationals. Yes, he's competitive as hell, which is awesome, but it's often a fine line between competitor and complainer.

[Box]

He needs to rub off a little on Nick "I cut myself shaving so I need a 2 week DL trip" Johnson.

I agree about moving the fences in at RFK, too.

[Phatferd]

He's not a team player. I was at the game last year that lead to him being kicked off the Angels. It was a tie game and he was on 1st with I believe 1 out. They took him out to bring in a pinch runner with speed. He wouldn't get off the bag because he was pissed. He finally gets off and walks to the back of the dugout away from the coaches, but he throws his helmet in Scoscias direction....

Earlier in the year he was yelling at pitchers for not hitting other batters when he gets hit.

Total punk.

[AT]

It makes me like him more that he yelled at his pitchers for not hitting other batters in retaliation. That's good stuff