KIRKLAND, Wash. -- Seattle Mariners shortstop Carlos Guillen pleaded guilty Thursday to a charge of negligent driving in a plea agreement with prosecutors who dropped a drunken driving charge.

	Guillen

Guillen, who lives in Redmond during baseball season, was stopped by Clyde Hill police on June 13, driving 89 mph on Washington 520 -- 29 miles over the speed limit.

Guillen's lawyer Douglas Cowan of Bellevue appeared with him in Kirkland Municipal Court.

Cowan said the evidence was insufficient to support the original charge.

Although Guillen submitted to a portable breath test, it was borderline at .093 percent -- the legal intoxication threshold in Washington is .08 percent -- and portable breath test results cannot be admitted in court.

Guillen, 27, also submitted to a field sobriety test, and was then arrested. But after trying to telephone club officials, his agent and two teammates for advice, he refused to take a breath test at the Clyde Hill police station.

After the court hearing, Cowan said the traffic stop was complicated by a language barrier. A citizen and resident of Venezuela, Guillen said he didn't understand the officer's commands or his rights.

Guillen could face a maximum 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine when he is sentenced March 5 but Cowan said, "I don't expect him to see any jail time."

Guillen was acquired by the Mariners in July 1998 in a trade that sent ace pitcher Randy Johnson to the Houston Astros. Seattle also got right-hander Freddy Garcia and left-hander John Halama in the deal.