Mets have wary eye on Guillen
Saturday, July 05, 2003
BY DAVID WALDSTEIN
Star-Ledger Staff
CINCINNATI -- If you watch the Mets game tonight or tomorrow and see manager Art Howe ask the umpires to check one of the Cincinnati bats, here's why:
Some of the Mets were quietly wondering after yesterday's 7-2 victory over the Reds if Jose Guillen was up to his old tricks. Guillen was once caught using a corked bat, and the red flags went up when he hit two home runs yesterday, including one off the end of the bat on an outside pitch to the opposite field.
"We might have to look into that," one Met said to another. "He's done it before."
Guillen has nine hits in his past 18 at-bats, including a double and three home runs.
The strategy might not be to check the bats. It might be to get the word out that the Mets are suspicious. If Guillen is using an altered bat, then he might be motivated to stop, at least as long as the Mets are in town.
Apparently, Guillen's past transgression was the talk in the Mets dugout, with several players chiming in on the matter.
In 2001, when Guillen was on a minor-league rehab stint with the Devil Rays' Triple-A Durham affiliate, he was caught using the corked bat and it cost him a 10-day suspension. The Mets were also suspicious that Guillen, who hit his 16th and 17th homers of the year, had never hit more than 14 in a season, and the last time he did that was 1998 with the Pirates.
Guillen had left the Reds' clubhouse by the time the Mets' suspicions were reveled, so he was unavailable for comment. But when he was busted in the past he was forthcoming and took responsibility.
"It was my bat," he told reporters at the time. "I have paid for my mistake. I wasn't the first one and I probably won't be the last one. It's over, I've paid my fine, I've gotten my suspension, now I think I have to get over that stuff."
Rule 6.06, section D of the baseball rule book states: "A batter is out for illegal action when ... he uses or attempts to use a bat that, in the umpire's judgment, has been altered or tampered with."
It's almost inconceivable Guillen would take such a risk, considering his history.
The most home runs he has hit since the 14 in 1998 was 10 for the Devil Rays in 2000. He was released by the Devil Rays after the 2001 season, signed and released by the Diamondbacks the following year, and signed by the Reds last August.
I didn't know Guillen used or got caught with a juiced bat,however Guillen is a hella alot more buff than he was earlier in his career!so i'm not buyin' it for now!
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