LMU Posted September 27, 2004 Share Posted September 27, 2004 Sunday, September 26, 2004Associated PressANAHEIM, Calif. -- Angels left fielder Jose Guillen was suspended for the rest of the season and possibly the playoffs Sunday for his outburst after being lifted for a pinch runner a day earlier.Guillen was informed of the club's decision after batting practice, when the Angels closed their clubhouse for 75 minutes. Anaheim said he was being suspended without pay."He was obviously not happy with the decision," Anaheim general manager Bill Stoneman said. "Unfortunately, this was not the first time something has cropped up with Jose."Guillen was hit by a pitch to open the eighth inning of Saturday's 5-3 victory over Oakland. Angels manager Mike Scioscia sent Alfredo Amezaga in to pinch run.Guillen walked off the field as the A's changed pitchers, tossed his helmet toward the side of the dugout Scioscia was standing in and walked to the opposite side of the dugout before entering. He tossed his glove against the wall.Scioscia downplayed the incident, as did Guillen after the game.Stoneman said the club advised the commissioner's office of Guillen's punishment and send a fax to the players' association. Stoneman said the decision was based on the team's opinion that Guillen violated the conduct provision in the uniform player's contract.Guillen's agent, Adam Katz, declined comment."It's certainly not conduct that we would expect," said Stoneman, who reached the decision with Scioscia.Guillen will not be allowed to be with the team the rest of the regular season, which ends next Sunday. Stoneman said the decision was "very difficult" because the Angels are chasing division-leading Oakland in the AL West."This is something we considered very carefully," he said.Guillen, who signed a $6 million, two-year contract during the offseason, went on a profanity-laced tirade after being beaned in a game at Toronto in May, complaining that his teammates weren't retaliating on his behalf. Anaheim pitcher Jarrod Washburn was annoyed Guillen went public with his complaint.Adam Riggs started in place of Guillen.Guillen had just three RBI this month after driving in 20 runs in August. He hit .294 with 27 homers and a career-high 104 RBI in 148 games. What were they thinking? Problem or not, you don't suspend a productive hitter and excellent fielder in the middle of a tight pennent race! Just hope they put DaVanon in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Korkie Posted September 27, 2004 Share Posted September 27, 2004 Good to see the GM sticking up for his manager and his authority to make decisions. I do think the punishment is a little harsh and I am sure the players union will appeal, but I still like the show of support for the manager. I think sports needs alot more of that in all leagues. The players need to realize that they are there to play and listen to the manager/coach and if he makes a move you don't like you shouldn't act like a 5 year old child. Besides Scoscia has a ring as a manager, I think he knows what he's doing and the players should realize that, but this the perfect example of the fact that as the paychecks rise so does the egos and down goes the maturity level. "The views expressed here are mine and do not reflect the official opinion of my employer or the organization through which the Internet was accessed."Dr. Kelso: My son is a big baseball fan. Not so much playing it, but more the designing and sewing of uniforms.Tyler: That's neat.Dr. Kelso: No, it's not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJTank Posted September 27, 2004 Share Posted September 27, 2004 Ouch thats no good what a jerk, if the Angels win though it will teach a lesson. www.sportsecyclopedia.com For the best in sports history go to the Sports E-Cyclopedia at http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMU Posted September 27, 2004 Author Share Posted September 27, 2004 Ouch thats no good what a jerk, if the Angels win though it will teach a lesson. If they win, it'll teach him a lesson. If they don't make the playoffs, fingers will be pointed squarely at Scoscia and Stoneman. The question is if it's worth punishing a player with an attitude in a race this tight with only a week left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CC97 Posted September 27, 2004 Share Posted September 27, 2004 Ouch thats no good what a jerk, if the Angels win though it will teach a lesson. If they win, it'll teach him a lesson. If they don't make the playoffs, fingers will be pointed squarely at Scoscia and Stoneman. The question is if it's worth punishing a player with an attitude in a race this tight with only a week left. Don't point the finger at them... it's Guillen's fault for acting the way he did.The team has a responsibility to punish players for doing things like that, and I applaud them for having the cahones to do so in such a race. --- Chris Creamer Founder/Editor, SportsLogos.Net  "The Mothership" • News • Facebook • X/Twitter • Instagram Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shizznick Posted September 27, 2004 Share Posted September 27, 2004 Seems pretty harsh to me for what he did. We will see what kind of effect it has on the rest of the team. realclearpolitics.com "Political tags - such as royalist, communist, democrat, populist, fascist, liberal, conservative, and so forth - are never basic criteria. The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire." - Robert A. Heinlein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CC97 Posted September 27, 2004 Share Posted September 27, 2004 Seems pretty harsh to me for what he did. We will see what kind of effect it has on the rest of the team. I think it was severe because of past behaviour, including one incident where he blasted his pitcher to the media because he didn't bean a blue jay --- Chris Creamer Founder/Editor, SportsLogos.Net  "The Mothership" • News • Facebook • X/Twitter • Instagram Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMU Posted September 27, 2004 Author Share Posted September 27, 2004 Don't point the finger at them... it's Guillen's fault for acting the way he did.The team has a responsibility to punish players for doing things like that, and I applaud them for having the cahones to do so in such a race. Just treating this from the standpoint of a die-hard Halo fan, which I am. Bottom line is that if the Angels don't make the playoffs, fans and the media will find a scapegoat, and Stoneman and Scoscia will have to fill that role. The timing of this whole thing is pretty much going all in on a hand of poker, and if they lose, heads will roll, I'm afraid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclopsis Joe Posted September 27, 2004 Share Posted September 27, 2004 Well, Angles fans need to put a sock in it, if worse comes to worse..It's not the GM's fault that the player has the attitude of a two-year old."ME! I WANNA!!! WAAAAA!" I don't speak for democrats, democrats don't speak for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMU Posted September 27, 2004 Author Share Posted September 27, 2004 The only real problem I have with this whole thing is that all of these tirades have been blown completely out of proportion. The Toronto fit about his pitchers not sticking up for him was probably the worse that this whole situation has come to, and he apologized to the club the next day in a closed door clubhouse meeting. Recently, besides the incident that got him suspended, all he was involved with was that he needed to be restrained by the 1st base coach after the umpire called him out at first, when he was clearly safe. I've seen almost every Angel game this year, and I really haven't noticed that much of an attitude problem with him minus a few outbursts, and he is certainly not the biggest hothead in the game, which makes this whole suspension completely out of the blue. Granted, there could be more to it inside the clubhouse, but from what I have seen, everything has been kinda blown out of proportion. I would like to see the team just feed off of this, but I have to worry, because there is a solid core of Dominican players who are very close (Guillen, Guerrero, Colon), and you have to wonder if this will especially shake up Vlad and Bartolo. Bottom line is that the Angels are going to need a few guys to step up, with Kennedy out for the year and Guillen suspended. Hopefully McPherson and DaVanon can fill the void left there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shizznick Posted September 27, 2004 Share Posted September 27, 2004 If my pitcher did not have my back, I'd have to take a bat to his locker. realclearpolitics.com "Political tags - such as royalist, communist, democrat, populist, fascist, liberal, conservative, and so forth - are never basic criteria. The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire." - Robert A. Heinlein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMU Posted September 28, 2004 Author Share Posted September 28, 2004 If my pitcher did not have my back, I'd have to take a bat to his locker. Yeah, especially with Guillen ranking near the top in HBP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LMU Posted September 28, 2004 Author Share Posted September 28, 2004 Well, the plot thickens:Union files Guillen grievanceHearing to be held Friday in OaklandARLINGTON -- The Major League Baseball Players Association on Monday filed a grievance to reverse the Angels' decision to suspend outfielder Jose Guillen for the remainder of the season and the postseason. Arbitrator Shyam Das will hear the case in the Bay Area on Friday, when the Angels arrive to play the Oakland Athletics for a three-game series that will end the regular season. The Angels' decision came after Guillen's third public incident of misconduct this season took place Saturday in the win over the Oakland A's before a sellout crowd of 43,197. Guillen was hit by a pitch to lead off the eighth inning but was pulled in favor of pinch-runner Alfredo Amezaga. Guillen threw up his arms in disgust, walked deliberately back to the dugout, then threw his glove against the wall of the dugout. Guillen, who signed a two-year, $6 million deal with the Angels in the offseason, would stand to lose about $110,000 if the suspension was upheld. Angels general manager Bill Stoneman said he didn't want to get specific about the team's discussions regarding the matter but that the Angels would defend their decision. "It's something that's going to all be brought out in front of an arbitrator, and that's the appropriate setting," Stoneman said on the field before Monday night's game against the Texas Rangers at Ameriquest Field. "Jose's conduct that followed [being taken out of the game], that's the bulk of it. ... There was stuff seen publicly and stuff that wasn't." Although Angels manager Mike Scioscia said Guillen did not "initiate an apology" while at the ballpark Sunday, Scioscia said he spoke with Guillen on Sunday night after the Angels beat the A's and that Guillen expressed an understanding of "the magnitude of his actions." "After he understood the ramifications, I think there was remorse," Scioscia said. Guillen, who was the second-leading run producer on the Angels with a .294 batting average, 27 home runs and 104 RBIs, was not available to comment. Stoneman and Scioscia declined to discuss what could happen in the hearing and wouldn't speculate on the possibility of Guillen being reinstated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puckguy14 Posted September 28, 2004 Share Posted September 28, 2004 Guillen should know better. Kudos for the Angels management for taking a stand on a baby whining about getting out of the game. It's idiots like this that make pro sports look bad. Take it like a man! 2004 San Jose Sharks 7th Man Fan of the Year San Jose Gold Miners - 4x Lombardi Cup Champions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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