Vladimir Alvino Guerrero Sr. (born February 9, 1975), nicknamed "Vlad the Impaler", is a
Dominican former
professional baseball player who spent 16 seasons in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...
(MLB) as a
right fielder and
designated hitter
The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. The position is authorized by Major League Baseball Rule 5.11. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and later by t ...
. He played for the
Montreal Expos (–),
Anaheim Angels / Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (–),
Texas Rangers (), and
Baltimore Orioles ().
A nine-time
All-Star, Guerrero was widely recognized for his impressive offensive production — regularly hitting for power and average — as well as his defensive range and strong throwing arm. In 2004, he was voted the
American League (AL)
Most Valuable Player (MVP). Guerrero helped lead the Angels to five
AL West championships between 2004 and 2009 and was voted one of the most feared hitters in baseball in a 2008 poll of all 30 major league
managers.
Regarded as the game's premier "bad-ball hitter", Guerrero consistently hit balls thrown well outside the
strike zone, a skill evident on August 14, 2009, when he hit a pitch after it bounced in front of
home plate.
With his aggressive batting style, he hit more than 30
home runs (HR) in each of 8 seasons and surpassed 100
runs batted in
A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the b ...
(RBI) 10 times, though he had just 2 seasons with at least 65
walks.
In the first pitch of an at-bat, Guerrero hit 126 home runs and put 1,780 balls in play.
On September 26, 2011, Guerrero surpassed
Julio Franco as the all-time MLB leader for hits by a Dominican player, a record since broken by
Adrián Beltré in 2014. He was inducted into the
National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018. In 2021, Guerrero and
his son became the second father-son duo in MLB history to each have a 40-home run season in their careers, joining
Cecil and
Prince Fielder.
Early life
One of nine children, Guerrero is the younger brother of ex-major leaguer
Wilton Guerrero, who also played with the
Montreal Expos (the two were teammates for several seasons). Guerrero was raised in
Don Gregorio, Dominican Republic
Don Gregorio is a town in Nizao County, located in the southeastern corner of Dominican Republic, at . It is the second most populated town in the Nizao County of the Peravia Province, in the estuary of the Nizao River. Don Gregorio was elevated ...
, in a house made of mud and brick and a
palm-leaf roof. Guerrero's mother, Altagracia, made money selling
food on the street until
Hurricane David ravaged the country in 1979. After the hurricane, his mother traveled between the Dominican Republic and Venezuela in order to find work, while Guerrero and his siblings were in the care of a great aunt.
Guerrero and his brothers played baseball using makeshift
gloves assembled from milk cartons and socks filled with plastic bags as
baseballs
A baseball is a ball used in the sport of the same name. The ball consists of a rubber or cork center wrapped in yarn and covered with white natural horsehide or cowhide, or a synthetic composite leather. A regulation baseball is 9 to 9¼ inche ...
. Guerrero did not own a real baseball glove until he was 15 years old, when he received one from his older brother, a minor leaguer.
Guerrero's brothers, Eleazar and Julio Cesar, played in the
farm systems of the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
and
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League West, West division. Established in 1883 i ...
, respectively.
Guerrero is also the cousin of minor leaguers Armando Guerrero and Cristian Guerrero and the uncle of Major Leaguer
Gabriel Guerrero.
Early career
As a teenager, Guerrero worked out for the Dodgers at their baseball complex in the Dominican Republic but he was ultimately sent home after eight months without a contract.
In March 1993, scout
Arturo DeFreites convinced the
Montreal Expos to sign Guerrero for $2,100 ().
During the process he lied about his age, claiming to be born February 9, 1976. It was not until March 2009 that he revealed to Major League Baseball that he was born February 9, 1975.
Career
Montreal Expos
Guerrero was signed by the
Montreal Expos as an
unsigned amateur free agent, on March 1, 1993. He advanced quickly through the Expos’
Minor League Baseball (MiLB)
farm system, making his MLB debut on September 19, 1996. That night, Guerrero went 1 for 5 at the plate; his first big league
hit
Hit means to strike someone or something.
Hit or HIT may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities
* Hit, a fictional character from '' Dragon Ball Super''
* Homicide International Trust, or HIT, a fictional organization ...
, a
single to
center field
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball and softball fielding position between left field and right field. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the ce ...
, came against
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in ...
starting pitcher Steve Avery, in the top of the fourth
inning, at
Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium. Two nights later, on September 21, 1996, Braves
closer Mark Wohlers yielded Guerrero's first career
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
(HR) — a ninth-inning blast that capped Montreal's scoring, in a 5-4 loss. That contest is also significant, in that it marks Guerrero's first multi-hit game.
Guerrero was criticized during his first full season, in 1997 (he had played only 9 games, in 1996), for being too aggressive at the plate. Nonetheless, he put up solid numbers for a
rookie, batting .302, with 11 home runs and 40
runs batted in
A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the b ...
(RBI), in just 325
at bats (AB).
Guerrero led all big league outfielders in
errors
An error (from the Latin ''error'', meaning "wandering") is an action which is inaccurate or incorrect. In some usages, an error is synonymous with a mistake. The etymology derives from the Latin term 'errare', meaning 'to stray'.
In statistics ...
, in 1997 (12; tied), 1998 (17), 1999 (19), 2000 (10; tied), and 2001 (12; tied). He also led all NL outfielders in errors in 2002 (10), and led all AL outfielders in 2006 (11), and 2007 (9).
Scorn for Guerrero's free-swinging ways changed into admiration, in 1998. While he continued to swing at pitches that were clearly
balls, he also continued to hit them with authority. In one instance, Guerrero got a base hit off a pitch that bounced before arriving at home plate. His superior hand-eye coordination and prodigious strength allowed him to be unusually aggressive at the plate, but still put up high batting averages year after year. Despite Guerrero's freeswinging style, he never struck out 100 times in a season.
Guerrero batted .324, with 38 home runs, and 109 RBI, in 1998. Before the end of the 1998 season, he agreed to a $28 million deal. Guerrero represented the Expos at the 1999 All-Star Game. During the 1999 season, he maintained a 31-game
hitting streak‚ the longest in the majors in 12 years.
Guerrero finished 1999 with 131 RBI, and in 2000, he hit 44 home runs; both figures are career highs.
On July 7, 2001, Guerrero threw out
Alberto Castillo in one of the best throws in MLB history. After a
base hit by Toronto, Castillo, then a baserunner on second base, saw an opportunity to score a run, as the batter had hit the ball well into deep right field. Guerrero caught the ball off a bounce and threw it to his
catcher
Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the ( home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the cat ...
, who caught it squarely. Castillo was tagged out short of home plate. The throw's distance has been estimated to have been roughly three hundred feet, with its vertical arch peaking at merely twenty-one feet.
Guerrero posted similar or slightly improved numbers through the 2002 season. He had also developed a running game, stealing 37 bases in 2001. In fact, for the 2001 season, Guerrero led the major leagues in
power-speed number (35.4).
In 2002, Guerrero led the National League with 206 base hits and 364
total bases. He also stole a career-high 40 bases, and fell one home run short of becoming the fourth member of the "
40–40 club
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the 40–40 club is the group of batters who have collected 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a single season. Jose Canseco was the first to achieve this, doing so in 1988 after having predicted the feat in Apr ...
." However, he hit 30+ home runs and stole 30+ bases in both 2001 and 2002 (see
30–30 club
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the 30–30 club is the group of batters who have collected thirty home runs and thirty stolen bases in a single season. Ken Williams was the first to achieve this, doing so in 1922. He remained the sole member ...
).
Guerrero's 2003 season was shortened due to a back injury. In 394 at-bats, he hit .330, with 25 home runs, and 79 RBIs. Because of the injury, some in the media thought signing him would be a risk. While Guerrero was playing injured, though, he still managed to
hit for the cycle, on September 14, 2003.
Throughout his career, Guerrero set single season Expos records in
batting average,
slugging,
on-base plus slugging (OPS), home runs, RBI,
total bases (TB),
hits
Hits or H.I.T.S. may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* '' H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block
* ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998
* ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014 - a British compilation album s ...
,
extra base hits (XBH),
TOB,
IBB, as well as several other records. He is the all time Expos career leader in batting (.323), homers (234), slugging (.588), and OPS (.978). Guerrero won the
Montreal Expos Player of the Year award in 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2002.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Guerrero was a
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who i ...
for the first time after the 2003 season, and signed a five-year, $70 million deal with the Anaheim Angels on January 14, 2004 after being courted by several teams. The owner of the Angels,
Arte Moreno, was the first
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
controlling owner of a Major League ballclub, and Guerrero cited Moreno's heritage as a motivating factor for choosing the Angels over other teams.
2004 MVP season
During his first season with Angels, Guerrero led his club, and in some cases the American League (AL), in several offensive categories, including 124 runs (set new club record and led the AL), 13 outfield assists (Tied for 1st in AL), 366 total bases (tied club record and led AL), and a season ending batting average of .337 (3rd in AL). He was the second player in club history with .300/30/100 numbers. Among AL leaders, he finished in the top 10 of 20 major offensive categories,
which led to Guerrero being voted the Gene Autry Trophy (Team MVP) by his teammates. Making his fifth MLB All-Star game appearance in July, he led AL outfielders with 3,024,870 votes and was the first Angel outfielder to be a starter since Reggie Jackson in 1984.
Guerrero continued his offensive dominance in September, earning American League Player of the Month after batting .371 with 24 runs scored, six doubles, a triple, 10 home runs and 23 RBI. Guerrero was clutch down the stretch. Over the final seven games of the season, his 10 runs, six home runs and 11 RBI helped the Angels overcome a 3-game deficit, which ultimately led to an American League West Division Crown.
Down the stretch of the
2004 MLB season
The 2004 Major League Baseball season ended when the Boston Red Sox defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in a four-game World Series sweep. The Red Sox championship ended an 86-year-long drought known as the Curse of the Bambino. The Red Sox were al ...
, Guerrero was impressive.
Mike Scioscia
Michael Lorri Scioscia (, ; born November 27, 1958), nicknamed "Sosh" and "El Jefe", is an American former Major League Baseball catcher and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). He managed the Anaheim / Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim / Los An ...
, the Angels manager, said that Guerrero "really carried us on his back" in the last month of the season, as the Angels overtook first place from the faltering
Oakland Athletics who finished the season one game behind in the standings. Guerrero leading the Angels to their first Western Division title since 1986 (The Angels won the
2002 World Series as the
American League Wild Card). These late-season heroics led to Guerrero being chosen as the second Angel to win the AL
MVP in franchise history. He finished with 354 points, 100 more than second-place finisher Gary Sheffield.
In the opening best-of-5 round of the playoffs, the Angels were swept by the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
, and Guerrero had an odd batting line: just a .167 average, but six RBIs in three games. He would also have a grand slam in Game 3.
2005 season
The Angels won the Western Division again in 2005, with Guerrero batting .317 with 32 home runs and 108 RBIs in 520 at bats. Late in the season, Guerrero became the 12th player to hit his 300th home run before the age of 30 (along with
Hank Aaron,
Jimmie Foxx,
Mickey Mantle
Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 – August 13, 1995), nicknamed "the Commerce Comet" and "the Mick", was an American professional baseball player. Mantle played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career (1951–1968) with the New York ...
,
Eddie Mathews
Edwin Lee Mathews (October 13, 1931 – February 18, 2001) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) third baseman. He played 17 seasons for Boston / Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves (1952–1966); Houston Astros (1967) and Detroit Tigers (1967� ...
,
Harmon Killebrew
Harmon Clayton Killebrew Jr. (; June 29, 1936May 17, 2011), nicknamed "The Killer" and "Hammerin' Harmon", was an American professional baseball first baseman, third baseman, and left fielder. He was a prolific power hitter who spent most of hi ...
,
Mel Ott,
Frank Robinson,
Alex Rodriguez,
Ken Griffey Jr.
George Kenneth Griffey Jr. (born November 21, 1969), nicknamed "Junior" and "the Kid", is an American former professional baseball outfielder who played 22 years in Major League Baseball (MLB). He spent most of his career with the Seattle M ...
,
Juan González, and
Andruw Jones
Andruw Rudolf Jones (; born April 23, 1977) is a Curaçaoan former baseball outfielder and designated hitter who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), most notably for the Atlanta Braves. Jones also played for the Los Angeles Dodg ...
, who achieved the mark about the same time as Guerrero).
Guerrero had an up-and-down 2005 postseason, batting .389 in
ALDS
In Major League Baseball, the American League Division Series (ALDS) determines which two teams from the American League will advance to the American League Championship Series. The Division Series consists of two best-of-five series, featuring e ...
victory over the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one ...
, but just .050 in the
ALCS
The American League Championship Series (ALCS) is a best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) postseason. It is contested by the two winners of the American ...
against the eventual world champion
Chicago White Sox. He fared better in a national TV ad for
Pepsi with the
Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one ...
' third baseman
Alex Rodriguez; the two engaged in a personal home run competition that ended up with the moon being broken. Guerrero also appeared at Game Four of the 2005 World Series, where he was introduced as a member of Major League Baseball's
Latino Legends Team.
Guerrero recorded his 1,000th career RBI on July 15, 2006 at home against the
Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Making his 8th
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual professional baseball game sanctioned by Major League Baseball (MLB) and contested between the all-stars from the American League (AL) and Nationa ...
appearance, Guerrero subsequently won his first career
Home Run Derby in the
2007 season, highlighted by a home run. He is the third Angel to win the Derby (after
Wally Joyner in 1986, and
Garret Anderson
Garret Joseph Anderson (born June 30, 1972) is an American former professional baseball left fielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the California / Anaheim Angels / Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Atlanta Braves, and Los Angele ...
in 2003). Guerrero was chosen for the All-Star Game in each of his first four seasons with the Angels (2004–2007). Guerrero's stellar fielding talent dwindled in the later 2000s due to age and injuries, prompting the long-time
outfielder to be reassigned as a
designated hitter
The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. The position is authorized by Major League Baseball Rule 5.11. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and later by t ...
at the start of the
2009 season.
2009 season
In 2009, Guerrero was named number 37 on the ''
Sporting News list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball. A panel of 100 baseball people, many of them members of the
Baseball Hall of Fame and winners of major baseball awards, was polled to arrive at the list.
On August 10, Guerrero hit his 400th career home run off
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or dr ...
Russ Springer
Russell Paul Springer (born November 7, 1968) is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Springer made his major league debut on April 17, , with the New York Yankees. He also pitched for the California Angels, Philadelphia Phillies, Arizon ...
. On August 26, he recorded his 1,000th career
hit
Hit means to strike someone or something.
Hit or HIT may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Fictional entities
* Hit, a fictional character from '' Dragon Ball Super''
* Homicide International Trust, or HIT, a fictional organization ...
as an Angel, a
single off
Detroit Tigers pitcher
Edwin Jackson. This hit made Guerrero only the fourth player (following
Frank Robinson,
Dave Winfield, and
Fred McGriff
Frederick Stanley McGriff (born October 31, 1963) is an American former first baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played for six teams from 1986 through 2004. He was one of the most consistently productive powers hitters of the 1990s, po ...
) to record 1,000 hits as both a National League player ''and'' as an American League player.
On October 11, in the ninth inning, Guerrero delivered a two-run single, off
Jonathan Papelbon
Jonathan Robert Papelbon (; born November 23, 1980) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), most notably for the Boston Red Sox, with whom he was an All-Star in four con ...
of the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
, scoring
Bobby Abreu
Bob Kelly Abreu (; ; born March 11, 1974), nicknamed "El Comedulce" and also "La Leche", is a Venezuelan former professional baseball outfielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, New Y ...
and
Chone Figgins. The clutch base knock gave the Angels a 7–6 lead and eventually the win to finally advance to the ALCS, beating the Red Sox for the first time ever in the postseason. It was called "the biggest hit in Vlad's career."
2009 was the first time that Guerrero had a
batting average below .300 (.295), an
OPS
In ancient Roman religion, Ops or ''Opis'' (Latin: "Plenty") was a fertility deity and earth goddess of Sabine origin. Her equivalent in Greek mythology was Rhea.
Iconography
In Ops' statues and coins, she is figured sitting down, as Chthon ...
below .800 (.794), or a
doubles
Men's doubles, Women's doubles or Mixed doubles are sports having two players per side, including;
* Beach volleyball
* Doubles badminton
* Doubles curling
* Footvolley
* Doubles pickleball
* Doubles squash
* Doubles table tennis
* Doubles te ...
total less than 20 (16).
Texas Rangers
On January 11, 2010, Guerrero signed a one-year, $5.5 million deal with incentives and a 2011 option with the
Texas Rangers.
He broke up a no-hitter by
Shaun Marcum in the seventh inning of the
Opening Day game against the
Toronto Blue Jays on April 5, 2010.
On May 6, 2010 Guerrero hit two home runs versus the
Kansas City Royals to secure a 13–12 win. On May 13, 2010, Guerrero's walk off line drive to left field won the final game of a three-game series against the Oakland Athletics in the bottom of the 12th. On May 25, 2010 he hit two more home runs to secure another win over the
Kansas City Royals. On June 30, 2010, against his former team, the
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Guerrero hit two home runs and went 4-for-4 with 5 RBIs.
Guerrero wound up appearing in 152 games with a batting average of .300, 29 home runs and 115 RBIs. He earned a
Silver Slugger Award
The Silver Slugger Award has been awarded annually since 1980 to the best offensive player at each position in both the American League and the National League, as determined by the coaches and managers of Major League Baseball.
These voters ...
in the regular season for a Texas Rangers club that wound up winning its
division and ultimately,
the first pennant in Rangers history. He also won the
Edgar Martínez Award
The Edgar Martínez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award, commonly referred to as the Edgar Martínez Award and originally known as the Outstanding Designated Hitter Award, has been presented annually to the most outstanding designated hitter (DH) ...
and earned his ninth invitation to the All-Star Game.
On October 22, 2010, Guerrero drove in 3 runs during game 6 of the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees, capturing the first American League pennant for the Texas Rangers. The Rangers would go on to lose the
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the Worl ...
to the
San Francisco Giants in five games. On November 3 the Rangers declined to pick up Guerrero's 2011 option making him a free agent.
Baltimore Orioles
Guerrero signed a one-year, $8 million
contract with the
Baltimore Orioles on February 18, 2011. He became the all-time MLB hits leader among
Dominican-born players when he
singled off
Josh Beckett
Joshua Patrick Beckett (born May 15, 1980) is an American former professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). A three-time MLB All-Star, he played for the Florida Marlins, the Boston Red Sox, and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
A ...
in the sixth
inning of a 6–3 victory over the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
at
Camden Yards on September 26, 2011. In 2011, Guerrero hit .290, his lowest batting average since his rookie year with the
Montreal Expos in 1996. He also had 13 home runs and 63 RBIs on a struggling Orioles team. Though it seemed like an unproductive year for him, Guerrero still hit in the top 20 and had 163 base hits.
Toronto Blue Jays
Guerrero remained unsigned by any team going into the
2012 Major League Baseball season, leading to much speculation about his potential retirement, though Guerrero insisted that he would not retire.
On May 10, 2012, Guerrero signed a minor league contract with the
Toronto Blue Jays. During his first game for the Class-A
Dunedin Blue Jays
The Dunedin Blue Jays are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and are the Single-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball club. They are located in Dunedin, Florida, and play their home games at TD Ballpark, ...
on Sunday May 27, 2012, Guerrero hit a home run. Guerrero played in 4 games for Dunedin, with 9 hits in 20 at bats, including 4 home runs and was then promoted to the Triple-A
Las Vegas 51s. With the 51s he played in 8 games, with 10 hits in 33 at-bats (.303 avg). He asked for, and was granted, his release on June 12, 2012.
Dominican Professional Baseball League
He started playing in the Dominican Professional Baseball League with the San Pedro de Macorís team
Estrellas Orientales. On November 4, 2012 Guerrero came back to the
Liga de Béisbol Profesional de la República Dominicana with
Tigres del Licey. He played only eight games with Tigres logging a batting average of .188 without a home run. On November 20, 2012, Guerrero quit the team after he was informed by team management that he would be used only as a pinch hitter.
[Vladimir Guerrero confirma abandonó los Tigres del Licey](_blank)
by José Peguero; at EnSegundo.do; published November 21, 2012; retrieved September 23, 2018
Long Island Ducks
On April 4, 2013, Guerrero signed with the
Long Island Ducks of the
Atlantic League. He informed the team that he had family issues to attend to and would not be joining them to start the season. He never appeared with the team in the 2013 season.
Retirement
On March 31, 2014, Guerrero signed a one-day contract with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and officially retired from professional baseball. Having played his last game in 2011, he became eligible for induction to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2017.
On January 24, 2018, Guerrero, along with
Chipper Jones
Larry Wayne "Chipper" Jones Jr. (born April 24, 1972) is an American former professional baseball third baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves from 1993 to 2012. The Braves chose Jones with the List of first ov ...
,
Jim Thome, and
Trevor Hoffman, were announced as having over 75% of the votes needed to be inducted into the
National Baseball Hall of Fame. He was formally inducted on July 29, becoming the first member of the Hall to be depicted with an Angels cap, even though he appeared in more games (1004-846) and played in more seasons (8-6) as a Montreal Expo.
Career statistics
In 2,147 games over 16 seasons, Guerrero posted a .318
batting average (2,590-for-8,155) with 1,328
runs, 477
doubles
Men's doubles, Women's doubles or Mixed doubles are sports having two players per side, including;
* Beach volleyball
* Doubles badminton
* Doubles curling
* Footvolley
* Doubles pickleball
* Doubles squash
* Doubles table tennis
* Doubles te ...
, 46
triples, 449
home runs, 1,496
RBI, 181
stolen bases, 737
bases on balls, .379
on-base percentage and .553
slugging percentage. Defensively, he finished his career with a .963
fielding percentage. In 44 postseason games, he hit .263 (45-for-171) with 17 runs, 7 doubles, 2 home runs, 20 RBI, 2 stolen bases and 14 walks.
Batting style
Guerrero batted without wearing
batting gloves
Batting gloves are a component in bat-and-ball games sportswear. Typically consisting of a leather palm and back made of nylon or another synthetic fabric, the glove covers one or both hands of a batter, providing comfort, prevention of blisters ...
, a custom rarely seen in modern baseball. In an interview with
Yahoo! Sports, he attributed this to helping his grandfather pull cows home barehanded as a young boy in the Dominican Republic. To improve his grip on the bat, Guerrero coated his helmet with
pine tar and rubbed his helmet before going to the on-deck circle. As the season progressed, his batting helmet would become covered in the substance.
Guerrero batted over .300 from 1997 to 2008. He drove in over 100 runs every season between 1998 and 2007, except for 2003. Along with his 2004 MVP season, he finished 6th (2000), 4th (2002), 3rd (2005), 9th (2006), and 3rd (2007) in MVP voting.
In 2008, Guerrero swung at a higher percentage of pitches outside the strike zone, 45.5%, than any other hitter in major league baseball up to that time.
Guerrero had a 44-game hitting streak exclusively against the Texas Rangers, from 2004 to 2006, the longest such player-vs.-team streak in MLB history, since 1969.
The streak occurred over his first 44 appearances against the Rangers. The streak finally came to an end in August 2006 in a game in which Guerrero was intentionally walked three times, walked four times overall, and finished 0-for-1. He decimated Ranger pitching over the course of his major league career, putting up a career batting line of .395/.461/.661/1.122, with 25 home runs, 34
doubles
Men's doubles, Women's doubles or Mixed doubles are sports having two players per side, including;
* Beach volleyball
* Doubles badminton
* Doubles curling
* Footvolley
* Doubles pickleball
* Doubles squash
* Doubles table tennis
* Doubles te ...
, and 70 RBI, in 108
games played. During the 2009 postseason,
Cal Ripken Jr. commented during a TBS postgame report that Guerrero was "the best bad-ball hitter I've ever seen." On one occasion in a game against the Baltimore Orioles, Guerrero hit a pitch that bounced in the dirt before home plate. Even more unusual, his bat struck the ground as well before hitting the ball.
World Baseball Classic
Guerrero was named to the
Dominican Republic's roster for the
2006 World Baseball Classic, although he eventually withdrew due to the death of three cousins in a car accident immediately before the tournament. He has provided job opportunities in his hometown in the
Dominican Republic through his business ventures: a concrete-block factory, a propane distribution company, a supermarket, a livestock and vegetable farm, and a women's clothing store.
Personal life
His son,
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Vladimir Guerrero Ramos Jr. (born March 16, 1999) is a Canadian-Dominican professional baseball first baseman and designated hitter for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB). He is the son of former MLB player and Hall of Famer V ...
, was born in
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple- ...
in 1999 during the elder Guerrero's time with the Expos.
Vladimir Jr. signed with the Toronto Blue Jays on July 2, 2015, made his major league debut on April 26, 2019, and won the All-Star Game MVP on July 13, 2021.
In a 2012 paternity suit it was revealed that Guerrero has eight children with five different women and is obligated to spend $25,621 a month in child support.
Awards and honors
* Inducted into the
Baseball Hall of Fame (2018)
* American League Most Valuable Player (2004)
* Edgar Martínez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award (2010)
* 9× MLB All-Star (1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010)
* 8× Silver Slugger Award winner (1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010)
* 2× Montreal Expos Minor League Player of the Year (1995, 1996)
* 4×
Montreal Expos Player of the Year (1998, 1999, 2000, 2002)
* 4× Los Angeles Angels Player of the Year (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
* 2× Baseball America First-Team Major League All-Star OF (2000, 2004)
* 3× Baseball America Second-Team Major League All-Star OF (1998, 1999, 2005)
* South Atlantic League All-Star OF (1995)
* Eastern League MVP (1996)
* Double-A Player of the Year (1996)
* Baseball America 1st team Minor League All-Star OF (1996)
* Double-A All-Star OF (1996)
* Eastern League All-Star OF (1996)
*
Eastern League Rookie of the Year (1996)
Career statistical highlights
League top ten
* Top 10 in MVP voting (2000, 2002, 2004(won), 2005, 2006, 2007)
* Top 10 in AVG (1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
* Top 10 in home runs (1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2010)
* Top 10 in RBI (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010)
* Top 10 in slugging percentage (1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
* Top 10 in OBA (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007)
* Top 10 in OPS (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
* Top 10 in hits (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006)
* Top 10 in runs (2002, 2004)
* Top 10 in stolen bases (2001, 2002)
See also
*
List of Major League Baseball annual runs scored leaders
*
List of Major League Baseball career batting average leaders
*
List of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders
*
List of Major League Baseball career extra base hits leaders
In baseball, an extra base hit (EB, EBH or XBH), also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire anot ...
*
List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
*
List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
*
List of Major League Baseball career slugging percentage leaders
*
List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
*
List of Major League Baseball career total bases leaders
*
List of Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic
*
List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
*
List of Washington Nationals team records
The Washington Nationals are a United States Major League Baseball franchise based in Washington, D.C.
Franchise records
What follows are the Washington Nationals/Montreal Expos team records. Records before 2005 are by Montreal Expos, records from ...
*
Los Angeles Angels award winners and league leaders
References
External links
Vladimir Guerreroat th
Baseball Hall of FameVladimir Guerreroat SABR (Baseball BioProject)
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Guerrero, Vladimir
1975 births
People from Nizao
Albany Polecats players
American League All-Stars
American League Most Valuable Player Award winners
Anaheim Angels players
Baltimore Orioles players
Brevard County Manatees players
Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in Canada
Dominican Republic expatriate baseball players in the United States
Dunedin Blue Jays players
Gulf Coast Expos players
Harrisburg Senators players
Las Vegas 51s players
Living people
Los Angeles Angels players
Major League Baseball players from the Dominican Republic
Major League Baseball right fielders
Montreal Expos players
National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
National League All-Stars
Rancho Cucamonga Quakes players
Silver Slugger Award winners
Texas Rangers players
West Palm Beach Expos players