Vladimir Guerrero
Vladimir Guerrero is one of the victims of the hypocrisy of the Baseball Writers. They have taken it upon themselves not only to decide who should enter Cooperstown but when it is appropriate for them to enter.
Guerrero was a nine-time all-star, eight-time Silver Slugger Award winner and a former American League Most Valuable Player. He was a remarkable hitter, batting .318 with 449 home runs, 1,496 RBI and over 2,500 hits.
Defensively, his skills diminished late in his career, which led to him becoming a designated hitter primarily. During his prime, however, he had an incredible arm and led the American League in assists during his 2004 MVP season.
Looking at the numbers, he should have been a lock for the Hall of Fame, and that’s even before the eye test. If you watched Vlad Guerrero at bat, you would see one of the most feared hitters in the history of the game. A player who never met a pitch he didn’t like; he would swing at balls well outside of the strike zone and either homer or crush them into the gap.
Guerrero should have been a no-brainer, yet this mystique of who belongs in Cooperstown on the first ballot will make him wait another year.
Hall of Fame Moment: On Oct. 11, 2009, Guerrero collected a two-run RBI single in the ninth inning against the Boston Red Sox to advance the Angels to the ALCS. It was the club’s first ever post-season series win against the Red Sox.