Jose Guillen-tined

It’s weird how certain players just come into discussions all of the sudden.

This time it is Jose Guillen.

The Anaheim Angels….who are currently fighting for their playoff lives in the final week of the season…has suspended Guillen for the rest of the season and the playoffs if Anaheim gets there. The straw that broke the camel’s back came Sunday night, on ESPN2, when Guillen was going to be pinch ran for. Guillen stood on 1st base and threw his arms in the air….threw his helmet at manager Mike Scocia and slammed his glove in the wall.

There is nothing that shocking there. Yeah, I can see fines and suspension. And “the rest of the season” is only one week. But, still, it is the most important week of the season….an Guillen has been one of the best players on that team. There is obviously some underlying current here.

Some speculate that there have been other, behind the scenes, incidents this year. He’s had them every where else he goes. But, he can swing the stick….so someone takes him on every year.

In 1999.…when he was a PIRATE….he showed up for spring training late, without permission. In 2003...when he was a RED….he threw several bats against a wall after finding out that he was not in the lineup. Later that season….when he was an ATHLETIC….he complained in the media that manager Ken Macha didn’t tell him he would get a day off. Earlier this year….when he was an ANGEL….he publicly criticized his team for not “having his back” after he was hit by a pitch in Toronto.

And those are just things we know about.

Just like what happened Sunday night. We all saw it….but what haven’t we seen? Obviously something happened behind closed doors this year that the entire franchise decided it was cool to have their 100+ RBI man sitting at home while they were chasing the A’s with a week left.

And, this isn’t final. There will be a grievance filed thru the MLB Players Association. After that…I’m sure he’ll be reinstated to a team that really doesn’t want him around. By the time that happens…the Angels may be in the playoffs. If so, do the Angels activate Guillen?? Or, to prove their point, leave him off the playoff roster??

What about next year? I mean, do you think he’ll want to come back [he is signed thru next season] to a team that threw him out smack dab in the middle of a pennant chase?? Does anyone want him back??

To be continued….for sure.