An apprecication of Vlad

[yk9001]

I just started reading this, and even the first story is good.

What a fun player he was.

 

http://deadspin.com/vladimir-guerrero-had-hubris-and-he-had-balls-1689124654

 

 

On a side note, one of the things I liked about him is that we didn't know a lot about him.  No social media, he barely spoke english, he appeared to be shy.

 

Whether by design or not, the "Lesser is better" off the field was the way with this guy. 

[Adam]

Doinks

 

 

 

 

 

 

Loved Vlad!

[red321]

One of my favorite players to watch...much like Trout is now, whatever I was doing I would stop to watch him at the plate.

 

I loved watching him warm up as well, he'd be on the 3rd base line and effortlessly toss balls over the wall in right field.

[Brandon]

Started reading as well. Was fortunate to hang out with him and his family a few times. Truly great and humble guy.

He was always shy speaking English, but I actually remember the one pregame interview he did in English. I thought it would become the norm, but that was the only one.

[Bobster7587]

Damn, I miss watching Vlad. As others have said, I had to stop what I was doing to watch every time he came up. Good read with some awesome quotes, thanks for posting. 

[shellback]

how about the hit when the pitch bounced 3 feet in front of the plate!

[Erstad Grit]

I'm still so bitter we chose Matsui over Vlad on one year deals. 

[TroutCron]

I have seen all the great ones at bat in my 55 years of watching baseball. No one was more fun to watch than Vlad. Also, when he would unload a throw from right field only Roberto Clemente could match his arm.

[yk9001]

how about the hit when the pitch bounced 3 feet in front of the plate!

 

 

http://rabbithole.deadspin.com/vlad-guerrero-could-hit-anything-1689198926/+barryap

[nate]

Awesome, thanks for posting YK.  He was so electric to watch, you always felt like something amazing was going to happen when he was up to bat.

[Richard]

Vlad was one of a kind. The 2000's will always be remembered as the time when the Angels won their first World Series and the time when you had to watch to see what Vlad was going to do. 

[Punk]

Good times.

[Glen]

Of all the big free agent signings the Angels ever made, Vlad was by far my favorite. When I heard we signed him I about crapped my pants.

[tdawg87]

That hit he got against Boston in game 3 of the ALDS to give the Angels the lead tho.

[ten ocho recon scout]

Trout likely goes on to become the better hitter (still needs years to do it, but he will), but as good as he is, i dont think he or anyone else is ever as fun to watch as vlad was.

Guys like trout, mcab etc are great because they are professional hitters. Vlad was great because he was too, but also so much of a freak. So unorthodox. My favorite swing of all time becausw it was so ugly (always 2 hands and violent).

He was a lot more clutch with the bat than people remember. Yeah he looked poor in a few short playoff series', but he was the go to guy for years when we trailed a game, and that was knowing he was never getting good pitches to drive. I still say the biggest mistake this team made over the last decade was not hetting a second hitter to compliment him. It should have been GA but he got arthritis and fell off. With the 2000's pitching we had, we should have done a lot more damage, but vlad was the lone big bat in otherwise decent lineups (especially considering the bosox and yanks of that era).

And that arm....

[RallyMo]

I loved watching Vlad.

 

I really hope he goes into the HOF wearing an Angels hat.

 

He was such a joy to have on the team.

[NJHalo]

I miss Vlad. What a fun guy to watch. He was one of the few guys that you stopped what you were doing when he came to the plate, and paid attention.

 

Also, Vladdy was universally liked. I have never heard a bad word spoken about him.............except for his #1 fan: RMunkee 

[Section517]

The Angels acquired Teixeira for the second half of 2008.

Too bad Scioscia had an epic brain fart calling for the suicide squeeze in Game 4 with a lefthanded batter which allowed Varitek a clear line of signt at Willits crashing down the 3rd base line.  

Trout likely goes on to become the better hitter (still needs years to do it, but he will), but as good as he is, i dont think he or anyone else is ever as fun to watch as vlad was.

Guys like trout, mcab etc are great because they are professional hitters. Vlad was great because he was too, but also so much of a freak. So unorthodox. My favorite swing of all time becausw it was so ugly (always 2 hands and violent).

He was a lot more clutch with the bat than people remember. Yeah he looked poor in a few short playoff series', but he was the go to guy for years when we trailed a game, and that was knowing he was never getting good pitches to drive. I still say the biggest mistake this team made over the last decade was not hetting a second hitter to compliment him. It should have been GA but he got arthritis and fell off. With the 2000's pitching we had, we should have done a lot more damage, but vlad was the lone big bat in otherwise decent lineups (especially considering the bosox and yanks of that era).

And that arm....

[Angels_Make_Me_Drink]

My favorite player of all time.

[Angelsfirst]

The man. Most naturally gifted hitter Ive ever seen. Something about those #27s. Even though we lost that game and series, his slam against Boston in the 2004 ALDS to tie it was unbelievable.

[ABC]

Doinks

 

[Oz27]

Where's Munkee when you need him? I want him to explain again how Vlad's career success was "an anomaly, a peculiarity in the stats".

[ABC]

[notherhalo]

his worst season with us, he it .295

 

Will Pujols ever hit .295 in an Angel uniform?

[Hollyw00d]

He did some things on the baseball field no one has ever done. Dude was a freakish talent. He could hit a beebee with a fishing pole.

He had the plate discipline of a little leaguer but he was so damn talented and his plate coverage was so incredible that it truly didn't matter.

I'll never forget that HR he hit in the all star game. That was truly unbelievable and didn't get nearly enough props by the media. If jeets had done that, people would have shit their pants and still be talking about it