Jose Guillen

Guillen's 2009 was a disappointing one as he succumbed to a knee injury and played in only 81 games after his knee flared up in late July and knocked him out for five weeks. He tried to return in September, but had a setback and was shut down for good in an effort to get him rested for 2010. When healthy, Guillen can provide 20-25 home-run power to a lineup and the Royals could definitely use a reliable veteran bat. Lately, there is talk the Royals would entertain a trade for Guillen, however most teams will shy away from the $12 million remaining on his contract. If the Royals decide to keep Guillen and he stays healthy, he could pay dividends to a lineup lacking power.

The Royals’ decision to give Guillen a three-year, $36 million deal may have surprised a lot of people, but his production on the field and distractions off of it should have surprised no one. Guillen showed up to camp out of shape, and it was reflected in his early-season play -- he had a .165/.198/.306 line with three home runs through May 5. He proceeded to become one of the hottest hitters in all of baseball, hitting .380/.391/.659 with 10 home runs and 20 doubles in his next 44 games. He would get hot and cold throughout the season, while occasionally causing flare-ups with both fans and the team, prompting several trade rumors. His .292 BABIP and .300 OBP were both off his career averages, and should rebound. He should switch off between outfield and DH duties while hitting in the heart of the KC order, provided he remains with the Royals.

In an offseason of otherwise head-scratching moves, Seattle's simple one-year contract for Guillen in 2007 was a well-calculated risk. Guillen provided a productive bat in the middle of the lineup, totaling 53 extra-base hits, 41 walks and 99 RBI. Why the Mariners washed their hands off him at season's end is a mystery. Not wanting to be tied to him for three years is understandable, but with the Royals the only team bidding on his services, the Mariners probably could have had Guillen back for less. In any event, Guillen goes to Kansas City with a three-year, $36 million contract where he'll add a veteran, right-handed power bat to a lineup of youngsters. He faces a 15-game suspension at the season's start for allegedly purchasing steroids.

Guillen never seemed to recover from offseason shoulder surgery in 2006, battling through a series of minor bumps and strains while struggling to find his stroke at the plate. If he's healthy he might still be able to put together a 25 HR, 90 RBI campaign, even in Safeco, but the Mariners are risking an awful lot of money on that 'if.'

Guillen proved to be one of Jim Bowden's better acquisitions for the Nationals (which isn't really saying much), supplying the team with its most reliable power source, at least on the road. Guillen's splits were crazy (three HR at home, 21 away from it) but may have also helped keep him on his best behavior, as he could direct his anger at the distant RFK fences rather than at his teammates or manager. Given his track record he could wear out his welcome at any time, but that might just help to keep his price down.

So it turns out, despite his best efforts to behave, Guillen was a clubhouse cancer after all. Hopefully, that didn’t come as a shock to you. On the field, Guillen continued to flash solid power at the plate, but his continued poor plate discipline caused a modest decline in his batting average. He's a good bet for another 25+ home runs, but don't count on a return to a .310 batting average. Let’s just hope that now that he’s back under Jim Bowden’s roof in Washington, he can get his anger under control and play nice.

Last season was a well-timed, financially speaking, season for Guillen to be sure. He signed a two-year, $6 million contract with the Angels and will start in left field. He's a real good bet to disappoint, in part owing to a lack of consistent production in the past, in part due to his uneven temper, and in part due to his lack of plate discipline.

There's not much to recommend here – Guillen's power never really developed, and his plate discipline leaves much to be desired. In 85 games with Arizona and Cincinnati, his on-base percentage dropped to a career-low .287.