ANGELS NOTEBOOK: BEING FRANK WITH ISSUE OF GUILLEN.

Byline: Gabe Lacques Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - Jose Guillen did not require an armed escort Monday when he returned to Angel Stadium for the first time since his dubious exit last September. So he opted for the next best thing alongside him - 69-year-old Hall of Famer Frank Robinson, who issued a booming warning to the media not to badger Guillen with questions about 2004.

``And if you try to backdoor him,'' Robinson said, towel around his neck like a prizefighter, ``the interview's over.''

Robinson, the Washington Nationals' manager, is clearly in Guillen's corner, and the two on Monday professed their love for each other, which was pretty much the state of Guillen's relationship with Mike Scioscia one year ago. That one soured for good last Sept. 25, when Guillen hurled a helmet in disgust toward the Angels manager after he was removed for a pinch-runner in a must-win game and the two had a clubhouse set-to afterward.

Guillen never played another inning for the Angels, receiving an eight-game suspension that extended to the postseason. Now, he's hitting third for the Nationals, bringing a .285 average and 10 home runs - more than any Angel - back to Anaheim.

In a mutual show of disdain, Guillen refrained from any pregame fraternizing with his former teammates, who along with Scioscia made no effort to engage him. They are a first-place team without him, and he is in first place, possibly headed to the All-Star Game, without them.

``I have nothing against Mike,'' said Guillen, who spoke with Scioscia the morning in December he was traded to Washington. ``If I see those guys, I just say 'Hi, hi,' and that's it. I'm not an Anaheim Angel anymore. I don't really care. I'm not worried about them.

--Morales makes jump to Double-A: Kendry Morales is back on the fast track to the major leagues. The Angels promoted the Cuban defector from Single-A Rancho Cucamonga to Double-A Arkansas after just 21 games with the Quakes, in which he hit .360 with five homers, 17 RBI and a .570 slugging percentage.

Morales, 21, could appear on the big-league radar before long.

--Santana set to start again: Ervin Santana threw a shutout in his last big-league start, then posted a 17-2 strikeout-walk ratio in three starts at Triple-A Salt Lake. Now, the 21-year-old top prospect will get at least two more starts in place of the injured Kelvim Escobar, beginning tonight.

--Also: Escobar played catch Monday for the first time since an elbow injury forced him to the disabled list. ... Garret Anderson was the designated hitter Monday and likely won't play left field for several games because of a tender right hamstring.