Remembering Vladimir Guerrero In The Early 2000’s

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In sports it’s happened many times before where a certain player plays in a city where the team isn’t that good or doesn’t get any media attention. When that superstar talent goes to a team with more exposure and more people begin to find out about him its like discovering treasure. This exactly the case with Vladimir Guerrero in his Montreal Expos days, people say he made his name in Anaheim with the Angels and that he was significantly better but his stats say otherwise. Very few people can remember seeing him let alone witnessing him during his Montreal days but due to the fact that they played in the same division as the then Florida Marlins I had a front row seat to his greatness a few times every season when the Expos came to South Florida.

In the early 2000’s the Marlins were bad so it made it extra easier to get a seat to see the Expos and Vlad. He was one of a kind in those days I saw him with Montreal, from 1999-2002 is when I saw him play the most so we will focus mostly on that part of his career. 1999 was the year that the Dominican born outfielder announced himself to the baseball world as a force to be reckoned with as he posted a .316 batting average with, 42 home runs and 131 runs batted in. That was the first year he was an all-star in the big leagues and it was a sign of things to come.

The turn of the new millennium would bring on a season of epic proportions for Vlad. Often criticized for his free swinging ways the Expos stars would post the 6th highest batting average in the big leagues at .345 with 44 home runs, 123 runs batted in and 11 triples. He was only one of 4 players that year to be top 10 in slugging percentage (.664), batting average (.345) and on-base slugging percentage (1.162) along with Todd Helton, Carlos Delgado and Manny Ramirez. Keep in mind that he is in the same company as Helton in a historically great year and arguably the best hitter the game as he sat on top of many offensive categories. The most interesting facts about that season are that his .345 batting average and 131 runs batted in during the 2000 season are his career highs yet I have heard many people say his best days were in an Angels uniform. At that point in time he may have been more feared than Barry Bonds. You may think I’m crazy but the evidence is in numbers, Barry Bonds drew 22 intentional walks while Guerrero drew 23 intentional walks. That’s right Vlad Guerrero drew more intentional walks than a guy who holds the record for most intentional walks in baseball history (688) and a guy that finished 2nd in MVP voting that season. If that doesn’t convince you that his Expos days were better just keep reading, there’s more.

2 years later in 2002 he had another MVP caliber season in Montreal. He hit .336 with 39 home runs ,111 runs batted in and 40 stolen bases. He was 1 home run short of joining the illustrious “40-40 club” with Barry Bonds, Jose Canseco and Alex Rodriguez. That’s impressive that in the span of 2 years he put himself in a position to do such a thing and I think it’s a travesty that he finished behind Albert Pujols and Lance Berkman that year in the MVP voting. Vlad finished in 4th behind Bonds, Pujols and Berkman and while finishing behind a juiced up Barry Bonds is acceptable finishing behind 2 players with lower batting averages, on-base percentage, slugging, WAR and stolen bases is not. Granted Pujols and Berkman aren’t base-sealers but that’s exactly why Vlad should have finished above them in the MVP voting. He can do everything they can from the standpoint of power hitting and change the game as a base runner.

How They Stack Up

Vladimir Guerrero: 206 hits, .336 batting average, .417 OBP, .593 slugging, 1.010 OPS, 7.0 WAR, 39 home runs, 111 runs batted in

Albert Pujols: 185 hits, .314 batting average, .394 OBP, .561 slugging, .955 OPS, 5.5 WAR, 34 home runs, 127 runs batted in

Lance Berkman: 169 hits, .292 batting average, .405 OBP, .578 slugging, 982 OPS, 4.8 WAR, 42 home runs, 128 runs batted in

Vlad may have been a notch below in the RBI department but he his ahead in most advanced offensive statistics and hits for a higher average while doing. If you were to put an asterisk by Barry Bonds for his steroid usage then based of statistics Vladimir Guerrero is your 2002 NL MVP.

Most people don’t know it but in an era filled with asterisk’s and questions about some of the baseballs elite that was never the case in Montreal from 1999-2002. Vladmir Guerrero was best player in the national league in 2002 and definitely in the top 5 during 2000 and 2001. His team was never that great and he didn’t have the luxury of being over hyped by the media but ask anyone who watched him play during his prime in Montreal and they will tell you all about him.