Aaron Guiel
Encyclopedia
Aaron Colin Guiel (ˈɡaɪl; born October 5, 1972 in Vancouver, British Columbia) is a professional baseball
outfielder
for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows
of Japan
's Nippon Professional Baseball. He has also played in Major League Baseball
for the Kansas City Royals
(-) and New York Yankees
(2006).
by the California Angels
in the 21st round of the 1992 Major League Baseball Draft
. He began his professional career in with the Low-A Boise Hawks
as a second baseman
and outfielder, and hit
.298 in 35 games. With Single-A Cedar Rapids
in , he hit 18 home run
s and drove in 82 runs
. In , Guiel played for High-A Lake Elsinore
and for Double-A Midland
in . In his first year with Midland, he played mostly third base
and hit .269 for the third consecutive season.
Guiel had a breakout season with Midland in as he was converted to a fulltime outfielder and batted .329 with 22 home runs and 85 RBI. On August 23, 1997, the Angels traded him to the San Diego Padres
for catcher
Angelo Encarnación
. Guiel began with Triple-A Las Vegas
and hit .311 in 60 games. He started in Las Vegas again, but hit just .245 and became a minor league free agent at the end of the season.
On March 18, , Guiel signed with the Oakland Athletics
, but was released twelve days later on March 30. He then spent two months playing for the Oaxaca Warriors
in the Mexican League before being signed by the Kansas City Royals on June 13.
. He spent all of with Omaha and hit 21 home runs and had 73 RBI and became a minor league free agent again. After re-signing with the Royals and hitting .353 with Omaha, he was called up to the major leagues and made his debut on June 22, striking out
in his only at-bat. He began in the minors again, but was called up in May. He stayed in the majors for the rest of the season and hit .277 in 99 games. He missed part of the season with an eye injury, but hit only .156 when he was healthy.
In , Guiel played most of the season with Triple-A Omaha until an August call-up. With Omaha, he hit .276 with a career-high 30 home runs and 95 RBI. He also hit .294 in the majors after being called up. Before the regular season began, Guiel played for Canada
in the 2006 World Baseball Classic
. In the tournament, he went 2-9 as Team Canada was eliminated in the first round. On July 5, , after having spent most of the season with Omaha, he was claimed off waivers by the New York Yankees.
and 3 runs scored
. Overall with the Yankees, he hit .256 with 4 home runs and 11 RBI while playing right field and first base.
's Central League
, hitting 35 home runs with 79 RBI. In , he hit only .200 was limited to 79 games due to an elbow injury. After the 2008 season, he re-signed with the Swallows for .
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows
Tokyo Yakult Swallows
is a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League.The Swallows are named after their corporate owners, the Yakult Corporation. From 1950 to 1965, the team was owned by the former Japanese National Railways and called the Kokutetsu Swallows; the team was then owned by the newspaper Sankei...
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
's Nippon Professional Baseball. He has also played in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
for the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
(-) and New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
(2006).
Minor leagues and Mexico
Guiel was drafted out of Kwantlen CollegeKwantlen Polytechnic University
Kwantlen Polytechnic University is a public degree-granting undergraduate polytechnic university with four campuses located in the South Fraser region of British Columbia’s Lower Mainland...
by the California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
in the 21st round of the 1992 Major League Baseball Draft
1992 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1992 Major League Baseball draft.-Other notable players:*Raúl Ibáñez, 36th round, Seattle Mariners...
. He began his professional career in with the Low-A Boise Hawks
Boise Hawks
The Boise Hawks are a minor league baseball team, located in Boise, Idaho. The team is currently a farm team for the Chicago Cubs and play in the Short-Season Class A Northwest League.-History:...
as a second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
and outfielder, and hit
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.298 in 35 games. With Single-A Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids Kernels
The Cedar Rapids Kernels are a Class A minor league baseball team based in Iowa. It is affiliated with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and plays in the Midwest League.-Franchise history:...
in , he hit 18 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and drove in 82 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
. In , Guiel played for High-A Lake Elsinore
Lake Elsinore Storm
The Lake Elsinore Storm is a minor league baseball team in Lake Elsinore, California, USA. It is a Class A - Advanced team in the California League, and is a farm team of the San Diego Padres. The Storm plays its home games at Lake Elsinore Diamond...
and for Double-A Midland
Midland RockHounds
The Midland RockHounds are a minor league baseball team based in Midland, Texas, USA. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics major league club. The RockHounds play in Citibank Ballpark, located in Midland. Opened in 2002, the stadium seats...
in . In his first year with Midland, he played mostly third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
and hit .269 for the third consecutive season.
Guiel had a breakout season with Midland in as he was converted to a fulltime outfielder and batted .329 with 22 home runs and 85 RBI. On August 23, 1997, the Angels traded him to the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
for catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
Angelo Encarnación
Angelo Encarnación
Eleutero Benjamin "Angelo" Encarnación is a former professional baseball player who played three seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Anaheim Angels of Major League Baseball....
. Guiel began with Triple-A Las Vegas
Las Vegas 51s
The Las Vegas 51s, formerly known as the Las Vegas Stars, are a minor league baseball team. They are the Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. They play at Cashman Field in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team competes in the Pacific Coast League...
and hit .311 in 60 games. He started in Las Vegas again, but hit just .245 and became a minor league free agent at the end of the season.
On March 18, , Guiel signed with the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
, but was released twelve days later on March 30. He then spent two months playing for the Oaxaca Warriors
Oaxaca Guerreros
The Guerreros de Oaxaca are a AAA-level baseball team playing in the Mexican League in Oaxaca de Juarez, Oaxaca, Mexico. Their home field is the Eduardo Vasconcelos Stadium.- History :...
in the Mexican League before being signed by the Kansas City Royals on June 13.
Kansas City Royals
Guiel spent the rest of the season with the Triple-A Omaha Golden SpikesOmaha Royals
The Omaha Storm Chasers are a United States minor league baseball team currently based in the Omaha suburb of Papillion, Nebraska. The team is the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals major league club and has been a member of the expanded Pacific Coast League since 1998. From 1969 to 1997,...
. He spent all of with Omaha and hit 21 home runs and had 73 RBI and became a minor league free agent again. After re-signing with the Royals and hitting .353 with Omaha, he was called up to the major leagues and made his debut on June 22, striking out
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
in his only at-bat. He began in the minors again, but was called up in May. He stayed in the majors for the rest of the season and hit .277 in 99 games. He missed part of the season with an eye injury, but hit only .156 when he was healthy.
In , Guiel played most of the season with Triple-A Omaha until an August call-up. With Omaha, he hit .276 with a career-high 30 home runs and 95 RBI. He also hit .294 in the majors after being called up. Before the regular season began, Guiel played for Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in the 2006 World Baseball Classic
2006 World Baseball Classic
---------Pool B:-------------Pool C:-------------Pool D:-------------Pool 1:-----------------Pool 2:-------------Finals:-Semifinals:-Final:-Final standings:...
. In the tournament, he went 2-9 as Team Canada was eliminated in the first round. On July 5, , after having spent most of the season with Omaha, he was claimed off waivers by the New York Yankees.
New York Yankees
In his first game as a Yankee, Guiel went 1-3 with a walkBase on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
and 3 runs scored
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
. Overall with the Yankees, he hit .256 with 4 home runs and 11 RBI while playing right field and first base.
Tokyo Yakult Swallows
For the season, Guiel signed with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
's Central League
Central League
The or is one the two professional baseball leagues that constitute Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. The winner of the league championship plays against the winner of the Pacific League in the annual Japan Series. It currently consists of six teams from around the country,The Central League...
, hitting 35 home runs with 79 RBI. In , he hit only .200 was limited to 79 games due to an elbow injury. After the 2008 season, he re-signed with the Swallows for .