Having acquired Lance Berkman and Austin Kearns this past weekend it would appear the Yankees wouldn’t have room for Jose Guillen.
Nevertheless, the Yankees aren’t shutting the door on acquiring the much-traveled 34-year-old outfielder who was designated for assignment yesterday by the Royals. They have 10 days to deal Guillen or release him.
The Giants reportedly also are interested.
Two weeks ago a Yankees official said the team had no interest in Guillen, who told teammates at Yankee Stadium that he was close to becoming a Yankee. Now, the Yankees will track Guillen, who is expected to clear waivers because he is owed roughly $3.9 million for the remainder of this season.
Guillen, whose next team will be his 10th, has a reputation as a malcontent. Nevertheless, a person who knows him believes a seven-week stint in The Bronx wouldn’t be a problem.
“If he is playing, all you have to do is leave him alone,” the person said. “He has enough power and bat speed to get through. He has always been able to hit the fastball but has been injury prone in the outfield.”
Guillen has been bothered by a hamstring problem this year. In a recent series at the Stadium, he played one game in the outfield and looked limited running.
Guillen, who is in the final season of a three-year, $36 million deal, has 16 homers, 62 RBIs and is hitting .255.
With switch-hitting Berkman struggling against lefties it’s likely he will DH against right-handed pitchers. That leaves Marcus Thames and Kearns from the right side and the question the Yankees have to ask themselves is Guillen better than either one of them because the hamstring problem has turned him into a DH. He has 80 at-bats as an outfielder this year; 216 as the DH.
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Alfredo Aceves threw batting practice in Tampa yesterday, and the Yankees hope the versatile reliever is on his way back after two false starts.
“He has gotten past the points where he had the setbacks,” general manager Brian Cashman said of Aceves, who has been on the DL since May.
If he came through yesterday’s program without a problem, the next step would be a rehab assignment.
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Andy Pettitte will test his left groin problem today in a full bullpen session at the Stadium. Pettitte has done two half-pen workouts.
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From a distance, Kearns has heard about the intensity that smothers the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry. Tonight he gets his first taste.
“Looking forward to it. Just try to treat it like any other day,” said Kearns, who with Lance Berkman and Kerry Wood will experience the rivalry live for the first time. “I’m sure obviously it will be a different feel, but try to just do what you always do.”
“It’s hard not to know about it [the rivalry],” he said. “I’m sure once you’re in uniform, you have a better sense and feel for it. Outside looking in, you always hear about it or see it.”