It was great to hear Jose Guillen strolled into camp with nothing but smiles on his face. I would be smiling too if I got to start another major league baseball season after being given $500,000 by my formal club…for nothing. Where I come from that is called “winning the lottery.” If your beef with baseball stems from salary, well, here you go. More fuel for your fire. Seattle decided not to take any risks, and activated the buyout, even though Guillen made it very clear that he would not exercise the option to remain a Mariner, and enter free agency.
Well, what do “normal” people do when they win the lottery? Buy things. Expensive things. Homes, cars, and awesome toys. Guillen is no different. After a public “thank you” to the Mariner’s General Manager, Bill Bavasi, expressing his content for being given $500,000 for nothing, he expressed his interest in nice cars. When recently asked about his money spending decisions, Guillen said that it is going to be held a secret for a couple more weeks, until it is delivered. He also added that it was going to impress. So we will have to wait and see if it lives up to its hype. I must admit, I don’t have people handing me large sums of money for nothing. You must really be “somebody” (a high roller, if you will) when someone will give you $500,000 just in case you want to talk with them, even though you have made it crystal clear that you don’t.
“Mr. Guillen, sir, here is $500,000 to NOT talk to us. Thank You, Mr. Guillen…Sir….(long awkward pause)… ..anything else then Mr. Guillen, Sir?” Wow.
Ahhh…the big leagues. Nothing else like it on Planet Earth. Nothing.