NewsGuillen says he may be back by Sept. 1
Kansas City (47-75) vs. Minnesota (60-63), 1:10 p.m. CT
By Dick Kaegel / MLB.com
08/22/09 10:48 PM ET
KANSAS CITY -- Since Jose Guillen was stopped by a knee injury on July 23, who'll be in right field for the Royals has been something of a guessing game.For a while, it was mostly Mark Teahen who started 13 games in right field. But now Teahen is involved at third base, taking over for the demoted Alex Gordon. Ryan Freel, a short-time acquisition, started three games in right and Willie Bloomquist started there five times.
Newcomer Josh Anderson has been manager Trey Hillman's choice seven times and he'd be the likely candidate again on Sunday against Twins right-hander Carl Pavano.
Anderson and Bloomquist, a late substitution, split the right-field duty on Friday night and both misplayed triples that proved crucial in the Twins' 10-inning win. Anyway, it's been hit-and-miss but it appears help is on the way.
His name is Jose Guillen, who figured to be back late next month if at all this season.
"I will be a September callup," Guillen announced on Saturday as he pulled on a knee brace in the Royals' clubhouse. "I'll see you at the second game in Oakland."
That would be Sept. 1 on the next road trip to the West Coast. Hillman said that Guillen would accompany the Royals on the entire trip to continue working himself into playing shape.
Guillen said that no surgery was required for the ligament tear in his right knee.
"It's pretty much healing on its own," he said. "It's a minor tear, nothing to worry about."
Guillen has not played since July 22 when, while preparing for his first at-bat against the Angels, he felt a pop in his knee and was taken to a hospital with severe pain. He went on the disabled list the next day.
He's been taking batting practice with the Royals, running and working out during this homestand.
Guillen, bothered by sore legs earlier this season, had nine home runs and 40 RBIs in 79 games with a .245 average.
"I'm anxious to come to work and earn my money," Guillen said. "I'm excited about it."
Meantime, Hillman's most recent right-field choice has been Anderson, although he's primarily a center fielder. Bloomquist has been slowed by a sore left knee.
"Once again, we're trying to make sure we don't run somebody on the disabled list unnecessarily," Hillman said.
The Royals have seen enough of that list this season and Guillen, Coco Crisp, Mike Aviles, Juan Cruz and Doug Waechter are still on it.
Crisp and Aviles, although out for the season, are also with the club this week.
Pitching matchupKC: RHP Brian Bannister (7-9, 4.44 ERA)
For the third consecutive game, Bannister surrendered seven runs in a contest. Unlike his previous two outings, however, Bannister did not take the loss, as a Mike Jacobs pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning allowed Bannister a no-decision. Bannister was by no means good against the White Sox, but he certainly didn't pitch as poorly as he had in two outings before that, when he gave up 14 earned runs over 10 innings. He lasted seven innings, allowing seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits with six strikeouts and three walks. Bannister noted that his pitches were not sinking to his liking, which was something he wanted to work on as the season progressed. Lifetime against the Twins, he is 3-3 with a 4.03 ERA in nine starts. MIN: RHP Carl Pavano (10-9, 5.32 ERA)
Pavano was the latest Twins starter to deliver a short outing, as he lasted just four innings against the Rangers in his previous start. The right-hander threw 99 pitches in his outing while allowing five runs on seven hits and walking three. The Twins hope that Pavano can get back to the form he had in his first start for the club against Detroit, when he pitched seven scoreless innings. He'll next face the Royals, who he struggled against in a start at the Metrodome on Aug. 13. He allowed five runs on five hits over seven innings. Crown points
Hallmark's animated characters, hoops&yoyo, will be on key chains given to the first 10,000 kids 14 and under along with $5 Hallmark coupons at Sunday's game. FYI, hoops is the pink cat and yoyo is the green bunny that star in e-cards and print cards, online animations, interactive games and so on. The characters are supposed to perform during the seventh-inning stretch. ... Head groundskeeper Trevor Vance will host children who have a parent deployed overseas by the U.S. military as part of his "Trevor's Troopers" program. The kids will help the crew prepare the field before Sunday's game. ... The Maranatha Academy girls relay team -- Allison Bailey, Bethany Zarda, Mallory Keith and Christa Courtney -- were the Buck O'Neil Legacy Seat honorees on Saturday night. They won the Class 2A 4x800 relay at the Kansas high school championships in Wichita, but gave their medals to the team from St. Mary's-Colgan after that team was disqualified when one of their runners collapsed during the race. Tickets
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• Monday: Royals (Gil Meche, 6-9, 4.73) vs. Indians (Jeremy Sowers, 4-9, 4.82), 7:10 p.m. CT
• Tuesday: Royals (Zack Greinke, 11-8, 2.44) vs. Indians (Justin Masterson, 4-4, 4.36), 7:10 p.m. CT
• Wednesday: Royals (Luke Hochevar, 6-6, 5.60) vs. Indians (David Huff, 7-7, 6.80), 1:10 p.m. CT
Dick Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
