ANGELS UPDATE: GUILLEN SIGNS TO BE FULL-TIME OUTFIELDER.

Byline: Gabe Lacques Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - Jose Guillen has reached the point in his career where terms like ``well-traveled'' and ``journeyman outfielder'' precede almost any mention of his name.

The Angels are offering him an opportunity to change that.

Guillen is just 27, but when he accepted an Angels cap from general manager Bill Stoneman after finalizing a two-year, $6 million deal Friday, the strong-armed right fielder joined his seventh organization. Edison Field is the latest stop in a journey that began when the Pittsburgh Pirates signed him out of the Dominican Republic at 16, then jumped him from Single-A to the major leagues at 20.

Since then, he's made pit stops with Tampa Bay, Arizona, Colorado, Cincinnati and Oakland. An injury to Ken Griffey Jr. last April gave Guillen the opening he needed, and he responded to hit .311 with 31 homers and 86 RBI with the Reds and, after a July trade, Oakland.

To the Angels, it was an indication the five-tool prodigy had finally come of age. They are paying him $2.2 million next season and $3.5 million in '05, with a $4 million club option or $300,000 buyout in '06.

What's more, they are willing to nudge Tim Salmon, their right fielder and career leader in several offensive categories, to designated hitter on a nearly full-time basis to make room for Guillen.

``This is the beginning of my new career,'' Guillen said. ``It's something I was looking for. From now on, I'm going to prove to everybody the kind of player I am.''

Guillen and manager Mike Scioscia have already discussed that there will be times Guillen sits, but Scioscia made it clear Friday that Guillen will be the full-time right fielder.

Guillen is a lifetime .270 hitter who's averaged 95 strikeouts per 500 at-bats, but his strong arm (59 career assists) and mobility will be an upgrade in the field over Salmon, who will turn 36 in August and is signed through 2005.

Guillen's signing means the Angels have committed $86 million to 13 players for 2004. Today, the team must decide whether to offer contracts to arbitration-eligible pitchers Jarrod Washburn and Ben Weber and infielders David Eckstein and Shawn Wooten.

Stoneman said he will continue seeking trade outlets for one of their six starting pitchers, with Washburn and Ramon Ortiz the likeliest candidates. A trade would provide payroll relief to sign a free-agent first baseman, which would be the club's last major acquisition of the winter.

Gabe Lacques, [phone]

gabe.lacques(at)sgvn.com