Guillen expects to heal by spring

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Washington Nationals right fielder Jose Guillen vowed yesterday to be 100 percent once spring training starts in February. But what uniform he will wear remains uncertain. Guillen will become a free agent in October.

"These people [Nationals] already know me, I've already talked to [general manager] Jim [Bowden] and we've had some good conversations, and I'm pretty confident that I'm going to come back here," Guillen said.

Guillen was in town yesterday for the first time since undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery July25. Guillen returned to the District to collect his personal belongings and then head back to his Miami home and continue rehab on his right elbow.

"It's not only the tear, it was all the muscles around there was torn, everything was broken in half and I don't even know how I was playing like that," Guillen said of hitting a career-low .216 this season. "I knew something was wrong the way I was swinging. At times, I felt my right arm was giving up on me and I didn't have the full extension. Knowing myself and talking to my trainer, I'll be hitting in three months, and I'll be 100 percent next year by spring training."

Harper makes debut

When Nationals bench coach Eddie Rodriguez informed Brandon Harper that he would catch last night's game against Florida, Harper nearly tripped up the steps in the tunnel leading to the Nationals clubhouse at RFK Stadium.

"[Rodriguez] said, 'Hey relax, don't get too excited,'" Harper recalled. "I've been waiting for it forever."

Harper had toiled for 10 years in the minors without ever getting called up. Just like Rick Short with the Nationals last season, Harper got a hit in his first at-bat when he blooped a double down the right-field line off Dontrelle Willis in the second inning. For the game, Harper went 1-for-2 with a double and was hit on the right shoulder by a Willis pitch.

"There'll be a mark there tomorrow, I'll guarantee that," Harper said.

The Nationals purchased the contract of Harper, 30, from Class AAA New Orleans to replace injured backup catcher Robert Fick.