Player Name: Jose Guillen
Sets From: 1996 Bowman and Bowman’s Best
Card Numbers: 116 and 162
Why are these cards a must have?: Jose is a classic example of hitting your peak at 26 or 27. He started his career out in Pittsburgh and was rushed up to the majors by 1997 when he was 21. He struggled a bit, was a 0.250/14/50 guy until he moved on to Cincinnati in 2003 and suddenly become a 0.311/31/86 hitter. He has put up great seasons every year (except one). Every year he finds himself on a new team. If he ever had roots he could have probably developed into a better hitter. He is currently on the Royals, last year he went 0.264/20/97. This year he will probably do the same. He is a very consistent hitter and in the Royal environment, should do very well. He’s not a threat to ever make the Hall of Fame with a career mark of 0.273/186/770 with 1388 hits and 663 runs. He turns 33 years old this year so we are looking at 4 – 5 years left in his career. I put him on this list because, I always felt that if he had some consistency in his career he would excel, but I guess he is past that point in his career. If he can plant some roots in KC he’ll have a nice end to his career.
On a scale of 1 – 10, how must have are these cards: 2, mainly because he isn’t a superstar, or a go to guy on the field. I put him on this list just because I find him to be very underrated. His Bowman card run $3.00 and Bowman’s Best card runs $2.50, both should be sub $1 on eBay.
I have to agree on his underrated status. If it wasn’t for his well known bad temper it could have been a total different story. I remember him fighting with Scioscia. The’re is a weird remembrance between Guillen and Dodger ROY can’t miss star prospect Raul Mondesi cause both look alike and were born in the same town, San Cristobal DR. Talent going down the drain.