ChiefsPlanet - Royals 2010 Kansas City Royals Repository thread

http://www.kansascity.com/2010/04/15...he-almost.html

Posted on Thu, Apr. 15, 2010
Royals' Guillen says he 'almost died' from blood clots

MINNEAPOLIS | The fire still burns within Royals designated hitter José Guillen, the same fire that has, too often, raged into controversy throughout his 14-year career.

Simply referring to him as a DH is sufficient to bring a glare even though Guillen has served solely this season — so far, anyway — as a designated hitter. Nonetheless, he refuses to think of himself as a DH.

But that is nothing when measured against his reaction to any suggestion that he has somehow, at age 33, rediscovered the quick bat that has always been his trademark — the quality that always attracted interest from teams no matter whatever other baggage came attached.

“My track record is when I’m healthy,” Guillen said, “I do what I know what I can do. And I’m healthy right now. I hear people say things about how my bat was slow and all that. They don’t know. They don’t know what I went through last year.”

Let’s delve into that, because only now is he willing to talk more fully about it. Only now, because his words echo the pop from five homers in his last four games. Only now, when it won’t sound so much like an excuse.

Some of his medical issues last year reached the public, of course.

There was a partial tear in his right hip flexor. A sprained right knee just after the All-Star break knocked him out for more than two months.

And what the Royals described as “right leg injuries” finished him for the season just two games after he returned in September. That led to offseason surgery on his ankle and lower back.

Guillen now reveals much more.

“I almost died last year from blot clots in my legs,” he said. “Both of my legs. I had to stay in St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City for 20 days (in the offseason) just lying in bed.

“My legs were so big, so swollen up. They were purple. I couldn’t even walk on them. I couldn’t feel my legs. That was right after my ankle surgery and the surgery on my lower back.

“I went to the hospital, and I was crying because I couldn’t feel my leg. I was thinking, ‘What’s going on here?’”

Guillen said doctors likened his situation to that of former Chiefs linebacker Derrick Thomas, who died 10 years ago from a blood clot less than a month after being paralyzed in a car crash.

Doctors put Guillen on medication that zapped his strength and muscle. He said his weight plummeted to 180 pounds. His activities were limited.

“The doctor started talking about dying,” he said. “I didn’t even know what a blood clot was. It was so bad that I couldn’t feel my legs. I remember going through an airport and having to use a wheelchair. I could not even walk.

“I lost all of my strength, and I was real skinny. I thought I would never play baseball again. I just got off the medication a week before spring training.”

Guillen speculates the Royals pushed hard last winter to sign free-agent outfielders Scott Podsednik and Rick Ankiel in part because they believed he was finished.

“I understand the business side of the game,” Guillen said. “I know this: I never thought I was going to come back. I swear, I never thought I was going to play this year. I swear on my three kids’ lives, I didn’t think I was going to play.

“I had no strength. There were times when I just fell when I was walking. I left Kansas City around December. People thought I was in the Dominican all that time, but they wouldn’t let me travel because of the pressure on the airplane. It was that bad.”

It is here, perhaps, that his critics did him a favor, however unintended. The general view that he was washed up served to reignite his internal fire.

“That’s what motivates me,” he admitted in a soft and reflective but still forceful tone. “That’s what makes me work hard. I want to prove those people wrong.”

A notoriously slow starter throughout his career, Guillen is off to a blazing run through this season’s first nine games. He is batting .361 with that career-best homer binge. His 403-foot blast in Wednesday’s 7-3 victory at Detroit came when he pulled a 97-mph fastball from Ryan Perry into the left-field seats.

“He’s locked in on every at-bat,” manager Trey Hillman said. “I think anybody who has had any questions about whether José Guillen still has his bat speed should put those to rest.”

Guillen has never before hit homers in four consecutive games. The last Royal to do it was Carlos Beltran from April 14-17, 2004. The franchise record is five by Mike Sweeney from June 25-29, 2002.

Guillen also recently reached two career milestones. He scored his 700th career run in Tuesday’s loss, and his homer Wednesday was No. 200.

“Trust me,” he said, “I didn’t know about those numbers. I realized early in my career that if I was consistent every year, then the numbers would be there. But I’m not one of those players who looks at numbers. I’m not into statistics. But that’s nice to know.”

Nicer still is quieting those who doubt.

“I still haven’t gotten all of my strength back,” Guillen warned. “I’m telling you, bro, this stuff really killed me in the offseason.”

The implication is there’s more to come.

“Just watch,” Guillen said. “That’s all you have to do. Just watch. What you see is what you get.”

To reach Bob Dutton, Royals reporter for The Star, send e-mail to bdutton@kcstar.com. Follow his updates at twitter.com/Royals_Report.