I really miss Vladimir Guererro

[Richard]

Adding to Chucks post. The moment:

 

http://wapc.mlb.com/play/?content_id=7041201

[stormngt]

I liked Vlad for being a genuine good guy and a kid at heart.  Never striked me as having a mean or arrogant bone in his body.

 

The one thing I didn't like was his power always went missing in the post season.  With the exception of his last year with the Angels, he was really nothing more than a singles hitter come playoff time.

I am not sure what year it was probably 2004 he hit a grand slam game tying HR against boston only to have Washburn give it back up against Ortiz.

 

2007 I believe they walked him a lot.  He really didn't much to hit.  Same thing happened to Teixera.

 

He really wasn't that bad in the post season.  

[Angel Dog and Beer]

I miss having that bona-fide stud MOTO bat in our lineup.  Trout will be there, but its something Morales, Tori, Abreu or Trumbo never was.

[Glen]

 

So who misses Vladimir Guerrero? And who gets happy when they read this while traveling down memory lane:

 

#15 - Oct. 11, 2009: Vlad Finishes Some Business

 

 

By Geoff Bilau - AngelsWin.com Senior Editor

It was a moment almost exactly 23 years in the making and the principle players couldn't have been dreamed up any better:

Angels and Red Sox. Fenway Park and  October. Vladimir Guerrero and Jonathan Papelbon.

So much history between the two teams, almost all of it favoring Boston. Recently it was the ALDS sweeps in 2004 and 2007 and the gut-wrenching walk-off hits in those series and again in 2008. All of those, of course, were merely aftershocks to the debacle that was the 1986 ALCS, specifically Game 5 on Oct. 12, 1986.

Anybody with more than a passing interest in Angels baseball understands that what happened in the ninth inning of Game 3 of the 2009 ALDS wasn't just a clutch hit off a dominant closer. It was the hit many fans had wanted to see for more than two decades — dare I say it was the hit they needed to see.

Though the Angels had already jumped out to a commanding 2-0 series lead on the strength of dominant pitching performances by John Lackey and Jered Weaver in Games 1 and 2 in Anaheim, no Angels fan took a series victory for granted. How could they after all that had happened in the past?

And when the Red Sox, back home in their comfy bandbox, roughed up Scott Kazmir and took a 5-2 lead into the eight inning of Game 3, Angels fans were already fast forwarding to Game 5 and Josh Beckett.

Red Sox reliever Billy Wagner, however, allowed the Angels to mount a threat in the eighth, forcing Boston manager Terry Francona to summon Papelbon for a four-out save. In 26 postseason innings, the Red Sox closer had not allowed a single run. But with runners on second and third, Juan Rivera drove Papelbon's first pitch to right field, drawing the Angels to within one, 5-4.

All hope seemed to die moments later, however, when pinch runner Reggie Willits was picked off first base to end the inning and the Red Sox added an insurance run in the bottom half of the inning.

Papelbon made quick work of Maicer Izturis and pinch hitter Gary Matthews Jr. to start the ninth and Game 4 seemed assured. But Erick Aybar, 2008 ALDS goat, lined an 0-2 Papelbon offering into center field to keep the Angels alive. Chone Figgins, in the midst of a horrible series (0-12) worked a seven-pitch walk.

When Bobby Abreu slapped a 1-2 pitch over left fielder Jason Bay's head, the Fenway crowd grew so quiet the sound of the ball slamming into the Green Monster echoed throughout the stadium. Aybar scored, the Angels trailed, 6-5, and Game 1 hero Torii Hunter was due up.

Francona elected to walk Hunter and load the bases for Guerrero. The face of the Angels franchise for much of the most successful period in team history was no longer the same "Super Vlad," injuries and age sapping much of his power and presence. A likely free agent at season's end, there was every indication this might be Guerrero's last hurrah with the Angels.

To nobody's surprise, Guerrero swung at Papelbon's first pitch, a knee-high 95 mph fastball, and served into into center field, where it dropped in front of a fast-charging Jacoby Ellsbury. Figgins and Abreu scored, giving the Angels a 7-6 lead, and Guerrero stood safe at first base with the biggest hit of his postseason career.

Papelbon walked off the Fenway Park mound to a chorus of boos.

A few minutes later, Brian Fuentes retired Boston in order in the bottom of the ninth and the Angels completed an unbelievable series sweep of the Red Sox.

Though they would succumb to the eventual World Champion Yankees, 4-2, in the ALCS (though not before providing two more memorable victories), there was undoubtedly a sense that the Angels had indeed completed some "unfinished business," thanks in huge part to the ninth inning heroics the man who may one day become the first player enshrined in the Hall of Fame as an Angel.

 

 

 

 

 

Man, that was a magical moment.  Right behind all the WS moments in Angels history for me.  Being at the pub with all the other aw.com people when it happened is one of my favorite sports memories.  It was friggin' awesome.

[CompassRosy]

You can watch his nephew (Gabriel) down in the M's low minors 

 

[Angel Oracle]

I still have my Vlad jersey that my daughter got me for Christmas right after his last season here.

[mulwin444]

The Vlad signing was a magical capper to an eventful offseason that also saw the Angels sign Escobar, Colon, and Guillen.  I remember thikning that the line-up is going to thump when you considered Salmon, Glaus, and GA was part of the mix but injuries robbed us of the chance to really see that line-up in action for more than a few games.  Guererro did struggle in the playoffs though:

 

2004 - 2007: 11/60 .183 with 1 HR 7 RBI

 

He came back stronger in 2008/2009: 21/59 .356 with 1 7 RBI (near 1.000 OPS)

 

WIth him on the downslope of his career, I didn't think it was a big deal that they parted ways after '09.  Playing in Arlington revived his career a bit (.300/.345/.841 w/.315/.354/.881 playing in TEX) but even playing in BALT couldn't save him in '11.  As it was, in '10, Matsui was statistically similar to Guerrero (.274/.367/.820) so I don't imagine it would have made a difference if he styed.

[Angel Oracle]

It's likely real close, if he goes into the HOF, between going in as an Expo or as a Halo.

His stats were better as an Expo, but not that much so.

Plus, all of his post-season play and regular season plaudets (read MVP) came as a Halo.

[stormngt]

 1.  As it was, in '10, Matsui was statistically similar to Guerrero (.274/.367/.820) so I don't imagine it would have made a difference if he styed.

 

It is about loyalty.  You sign a guy who statistically was even with your star.  Contracts probably would have been similar

[mulwin444]

It is about loyalty.  You sign a guy who statistically was even with your star.  Contracts probably would have been similar

No, it's about doing what's best for the team.   At the time Vlad was seeking a multi-year deal, at least two years, while Matsui was happy to sign for one year.  After the offers dried up, Vlad settled for one year in TEX.  Angels paid less for the same performance and actually got someone who could play the OF more then once a month with a DL visit.