Glass Guillen
Last year: .276/.359/.394
3-year averages: .265/.338/381
Trend: consistently up, but he is 28, so that’s not really that special
Plays about 130 games/year.
Rich Aurilia
Last year: .277/.325/.410
3-year averages: .288/.335/.472
Trend: down, but only because his 2001 was spectacular
Playes about 140 games/year
Both players, statistically and scouting-wise, are average defenders at their position. Carlos, injury-hampered, has been adding power, then OBP, then power, and at 28 if he’s healthy (yes, I know) there’s a fair chance he’ll put together a full season where he hits really well. Like .285/.370/.420 or better. And that’s probably going to beat what Aurilia puts up here.
What’s the upgrade? Why make this move?
I’m not a big fan of Guillen, but Guillen’s young, and cheap, and he’s not the problem. If the team is determined to flush money down the toilet when they’re not lighting cigars with it, couldn’t they have splurged all at once and signed Vlad, then followed that up with a bunch of smaller, sensible decisions? Why this determination to take a hit from the crack pipe every week or so and make another bizarre, barely defensible move?
Bill Bavasi wants to bring in one of his old Angels players. Gillick tells him that the team only signs good clubhouse guys who can play the game the right way, which they figure out through standardized testing… and Gillick’s heard this guy isn’t too bright. Bavasi insists they give him a chance, so Gillick allows an interview and brings the guy in.
“What’s one plus one?” Gillick asks the guy.
“Uh…” the guy says, and looks around. “Two.”
“See, I told you, smart as a whip,” Bavasi says.
“What’s two plus two?”
The guy scratches his head, swallows. “Um… four.”
“Good job, kid,” Bavasi says. “You can do it.”
“What’s four plus four?” Gillick asks.
The guy shifts in his seat, sweats, looks around the room from Gillick to Bavasi… sweat pours down his face as he chews his lip and finally, he sighs. “Eight, I guess,” he says. Bavasi screams and drops to his knees.
“Come on Pat, give him one more chance,” Bavasi begs.
Happy New Year, everybody!