Guillen denies desire to be traded from Royals

Left fielder Jose Guillen wants out of Kansas City pronto, according to a source who spoke to ESPNdeportes.com on condition of anonymity. Jose Guillen

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2008 Season StatsGMHRRBIROBPAVG100146943.287.260

Guillen feels the Royals have not kept the promises made when he signed for three years and $36 million during the offseason, said the source. But the main reason he is in "living hell in Kansas City" is a foul relationship with manager Trey Hillman.

"Guillen and Hillman are not on speaking terms, they don't talk," said the source. "Guillen is definitely not happy, he's not comfortable and he would do anything he can in economic terms to ease his way out of Kansas City."

Guillen, however, denied he wants out.

"This is completely catching me by surprise," Guillen told The Kansas City Star. "This isn't coming from me. Trey and I are fine right now, and I've never said I wanted out of Kansas City.

"This is the team that is paying me a lot of money, and this is where I want to be. I don't know where all of this stuff is coming from. I hate to be put in this situation, and now I look like a bad guy again."

Team general manager Dayton Moore seemed just as shocked.

"This is puzzling to me because I tried to stay tuned in," Moore told the newspaper. "Unless he's telling me one thing and saying another, I've been under the understanding that he and Trey are getting along well."

When Guillen signed with Kansas City he knew the team wouldn't be a contender in 2008, but he was promised that moves would be made to build a winning team in 2009, said the source.

The 32-year-old is leading the Royals with 14 home runs and 69 RBIs, but he has been nursing a groin injury that kept him out of the lineup on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Guillen's bat could help a number of teams in the race for the postseason, but Kansas City has not shown any interest in trading him. The source said Guillen is ready to defer his salary for 2009 and 2010 if it helps increase his value on the trading block.


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