Status: San Francisco Giants outfielder.
Ht: 5-11 Wt: 195
DOB: May 17, 1976 In: Santo Domingo, DR
Childhood Heroes: “The truth? I don’t have any heroes right now, inside of my career. When I was little, my hero was – I don’t want to be lyin’ to you – I have a hero when I was 12, 14-years-old – it was Raul Mondesi. And that was it.”
Hobbies/Interests: “I don’t know. I don’t have that many hobbies. I don’t go out, I don’t drink, I’m a family man. I always just stay at home with my family. Hobbies? I like to drive fantasy cars. I have an Aston Martin, A Ferrari. I like to drive, just tryin’ to speed a little bit [smiles].”
Favorite Movies: “The truth? I don’t have any favorite ones.”
Musical Tastes: “I’m weird. I can say I like merengue – I’m not gonna lie to you – I don’t like it. I can say I like salsa – I don’t like it. I don’t know. It all depends on the moment, the type of music I’m hearing, that’s just what I like to go for.”
Early Baseball Memory: “Wow. That is before I signed – I threw maybe from the warning track to third base (age 16). I think that was the moment I knew I was going to sign a professional baseball contract. The scout was so impressed, like, he was pretty shocked.”
Pre-Game Feeling: “Well, I like to go to the cage and get loose. I’m just one of those weird hitters. I don’t like anybody to touch my bat. I just like to get my bat in my hands and just go there. Put all the donuts on the bat, take a few hacks right beforehand, and go in there and swing as hard as I can. See if I can hit it.”
First Job: “It’s a weird one. My father (Arvido) used to work in a company where they make those bottles for Pepsi and Coke down in Dominican. I used to work there when I was 15.”
First Car: “Was a Honda Civic, silver and black.”
Favorite Meal: “Another weird question. I know I should say I like all Latin food. But it all depends on the moment. I don’t like to eat too much rice. I don’t know, it’s all in the moment, what I feel like when I wake up.”
Favorite Breakfast Cereal: “Yes, I like cereals. And every morning I like a waffle. These days I make sure I eat a waffle and the cereal.”
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: “Vanilla.”
Greatest Sports Moment: “Well, it was a few years ago. The playoffs against Boston in 2003. I was with the Oakland A’s, playing with a broken hand. In the seventh inning I came up with two guys on and hit a double to right field against Pedro Martinez. That was my best moment.”
Most Painful Moment: “I got suspended by the Anaheim Angels (2004 for remainder of season due to inappropriate behavior following his removal for a pinch-hitter, also missed playoff series vs. Boston).”
Favorite Ballpark: “Coors Field, Denver.”
Closest Baseball Friends: “Wow, that’s another tough question. I don’t want to be lyin’ to you. I don’t have closest friends in baseball right now.”
Funniest Players Encountered: “Carlos Baerga. You know, the guy, I didn’t used to like him in the beginning but I start to like him because he really shows that he cares. And the stuff he does motivates people. (Why did you dislike him?) I don’t know, I don’t much like the people who talk too much. That’s me, I just don’t like it. But I understand we you need those types of persons on the team, that keeps everybody motivated.”
Toughest Competitors: “Wow. The guy I think is a great competitor, and he’s one of the guys I hate playing against him, I don’t like his pitches – Roy Halladay. He’s tough. He comes out with a sinker, a fastball, all his balls moving. He has a heavy baseball and I just never do well against him. I just hope to never see him again.”
Funny Baseball Memory: “It was when I was with the Pirates in ‘98. I was bobbling the ball for like a minute, trying to catch it, back and forth.”
Embarrassing Baseball Memory: “You want me to answer that one [smiles]? Embarrassing memory was I drop a flyball when I was with the Pirates. I drop it in the last inning or two and we lost the game. Trying to be cool and everything and boom, just dropped it. I was in Tampa. That was like my most embarrassing moment. Like I don’t even know where I was going to put my head [smiles].”
Favorite Players To Watch: “I tell you the truth. I got one guy I like to watch. He plays hard every day. He gives 100% every single day. Albert Pujols. If you look at him, the type of job he’s supposed to do is just hitting baseballs. He goes out there hustling every single ball out and just doing the best he can every day. Just making it happen. Steals a base. Everything.”
People Qualities Most Admired: “I have a few. Brian Schneider and Sean Casey. They are good people. They’re not the kind of people who right now are going to tell me one thing, then tell the other person another thing. Another thing is people telling me the truth. That’s the kind of people I like. And people be fair. And understanding what is a player all about.”
Topics: Aston Martin, Baseball Contract, Childhood Heroes, Family Hobbies, Family Man, Fantasy Cars, First Job, Francisco Giants Outfielder, Hobbies Interests, Honda Civic, Jose Guillen, Latin Food, Musical Tastes, Professional Baseball, Raul Mondesi, San Francisco Giants, Santo Domingo Dr, Warning Track, Weird One, Weird Question
Biofile with Jose Guillen | 