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Guiel makes strong start
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In a nine-year minor-league odyssey that stretched across 935 games in two countries, Aaron Guiel played every position but pitcher and shortstop.
It's a journey the 31-year-old Kansas City Royals left fielder was proud to make.
twice cutting down runners at second who were trying to stretch singles into doubles.
"All my experiences have made me as hungry as I am," Guiel said. "If I was a 21-year-old rookie who got $3 million to sign, I don't know if I'd be as good a player as I am. I wouldn't realize what kind of price you have to pay."
The blond, stocky Canadian has driven in seven runs with six hits this season, including two home runs and the go-ahead RBI double in a 3-1 victory over the Indians on Friday night. He's also made three great defensive plays,
And without him, the Royals just might have half as many wins this year.
"We're 4.2 and without Aaron
"We're 4-2 and Guiel, we would probably be about 2-4," said third baseman Joe Randa.
He came within an hour or so of never making it to Kansas City. At 27, Guiel had been
released by Oakland and was stranded in the Mexican leagues. He called his fiance and told her he'd finally decided to give up. He was returning home to Vancouver to begin a new career in the family's commercial real estate business.
The call from the Royals came an hour later. Two years after that, at 29, he finally made his debut in the majors. This year, at 31, he went to the Royals' spring training camp assured for the first time
in his career of a job in the major leagues.
"I look at it like this," he said.
"There's a reason why I went down to Mexico. There's a reason why I played three years of winter ball. There's a reason why I had to go through the many things I did. It shapes you as a person."
One thing he learned was plate discipline. It was Gueli's two-run double in the seventh inning that broke a scoreless tie against the Indians on Friday night.
In Saturday's 7-6 victory over Cleveland, his left-handed stroke produced a two-run home run and a two-out, game-winning single in the 10th — against a left-handed reliever.
"People are going to be talking about how well he's swinging the bat, and he really has been hitting the ball," said Royals general manager Allard Baird. "But his defense is equally important, as is his presence in the clubhouse."
Increase the value of your KU degree.
Vote YES for Study Abroad! April 14-15,2004
It costs $2,000-$4,000 more to study abroad at selected sites than to study on campus.
A $4.00 per semester required campus fee ($2.00 in the summer) will create a scholarship fund for study abroad.
Scholarship allocation will be based on academic merit, financial need and underrepresentation in study abroad.
Approximately $190,000 will be available for distribution. All funds will be returned to students who are participating in credit-bearing academic programs and research.
Don't leave KU without a passport. Your country needs you to be more savvy about the world.-Ambassador Kenton Keith,KU grad
For more information, visit www.ku.edu/~osa/scholarships/gesp.shtml Sponsored by the International Affairs Subcommittee.
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