uninstalling vmplayer and installing the full workstation 9.0.1 bundle (unlicensed) and leaving VIX installed seems to have fixed the issue with basic vmrun functionality:
# vmrun list
Total running VMs: 1
/0data/vmware/virtual_machines/xpp_slp/xp_pro_slp.vmx
so the question now, I guess, is it possible to specify VIX_SERVICEPROVIDER so that it is player and not workstation (and of course, how does one do this)?
service type VIX_SERVICEPROVIDER_VMWARE_WORKSTATION
should be:
service type VIX_SERVICEPROVIDER_VMWARE_PLAYER