Vlad or Arod?

by bc56274 on May 26, 2007 5:57 PM PDT

Forget defense.

Forget baserunning.

Forget salary.

Who is the better man at the plate?

Poll

Vlad or Arod?

Vlad

70 votes

Arod

23 votes

93 votes | Poll has closed

This Fan-Post is authored by an independent fan. Tell us what you think and how you feel.

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Comments

The Impaler

it is more difficult to pitch around Vlad and thus he benefits our weaker-hitting lineup better than would Alex (assuming it is our lineup without Vlad and with Alex).

by Rev Halofan on May 26, 2007 5:58 PM PDT reply actions

hmm

vlads a better bad ball hitter and is tougher to strike out so hes better at advancing runners and stuff in our style of play

a-rod is fantastic though and all-around is definitely better overall at this point in his career.

but definitely vlad for us.

by ihearhowie2.0 on May 26, 2007 5:59 PM PDT reply actions

And Vlad is $12 million a year cheaper

So Vlad + Gary Matthews + Casey Kotchman + Howie Kendrick for '07/'08 and '09 = Less than 07-09 of A-Rod...

by Rev Halofan on May 26, 2007 6:07 PM PDT reply actions

Part of the reason I deducted the salary.

by bc56274 on May 26, 2007 6:10 PM PDT up reply actions

oops

i got so excited i didn't finish reading your DIARY ... imagine how little i would hae absorbed had you not used PARAGRAPH breaks!

by Rev Halofan on May 26, 2007 6:14 PM PDT up reply actions

I do it for the lazy readers out there.

Myself, included.

Vlad is definitely the better bargain, I'm just not sure who's the better hitter.

by bc56274 on May 26, 2007 6:19 PM PDT up reply actions

i don't know if you heard the story about right before the redsox almost acquired him, epstein and some of the sox brass met w/arod in his hotel suite at 2:00 or 3:00 a.m. and they were shocked that arod had a perfectly pressed shirt and tie still tightly knotted. aparently they went away with this feeling that this a guy who just can't chill and relax and would be a horrible fit in their clubhouse.

by thejd on May 26, 2007 6:13 PM PDT reply actions

either that

or Texas wouldn't pay enough of his contract.

by thewebb on May 26, 2007 6:24 PM PDT up reply actions

Vlad

A-Rod at 3rd cleaning up behind him would be ok though.

by thewebb on May 26, 2007 6:23 PM PDT reply actions

As a better pure, all around HITTER?

Vlad is a textbook baseball HITTER. Not necessarily batter, but yes to hitter.

He's a free-swinging beast who can make contact with any pitch and put it anywhere in play that he wants. If the bat leaves his shoulder, he's not going to miss the ball. His career batting average is 20 points higher than that of A-Rod, his career slugging percentage 9 points higher. Not only can he turn any pitch into any kind of hit, but for all the talk about his free swinging ways, the man CAN and DOES draw more walks than is probably realized (the .066 differential in BA and OBP is a little above league average).

No one in the game right now has the ability to do what Vladimir Guerrero does at the plate...and it was only a little earlier this year, after 3 1/4 seasons with the Angels, that he recorded his 200th strikeout with the team. Pretty fucking impressive.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on May 26, 2007 7:45 PM PDT reply actions

I do not think his abilities are covered by

any textbook...hitter or batter.

'86 never happened!

by Downing Rules on May 26, 2007 9:41 PM PDT up reply actions

Vlad by a mile

Vlad can hit any pitcher any time and is very clutch. ARod has had a few clutch moments this year, but over the course of his career he hasn't come up big in the tense moments. I also don't think he's worth a damn against the better pitchers in the league except for a few isolated cases. Arod has a better approach at the plate, but Vlad is by far the superior hitter.

by LosAngel on May 26, 2007 9:50 PM PDT reply actions

A-Rod

until the 2004 ALCS, A-Rod was a career .356 (26 for 73) hitter in the playoffs. His playoff struggles are all recent, and all with the Yankees.

He's also a career .309 hitter in extra innings, .301 in tie games, .304 when the game is within a run, .274 with RISP and 2 outs, and a .301 hitter in the regular season between August and October. None of those signs point to the "epic choke artist" that the media has portrayed him as.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on May 26, 2007 9:59 PM PDT up reply actions

I wouldn't say he is a choke artist

but for the most part, the more important the situation, the worse his career numbers. For example RISP with 2 outs and he has one of his worst splits with a .879 OPS compared to a career of .962. Vlad has a 1.024 compared to a career of .975. Don't get me wrong, Arod is a great, great player and I'd take in a second, but I think Vlad is a better pure hitter.

by LosAngel on May 26, 2007 10:19 PM PDT up reply actions

I've already stated my opinion

that Vlad is better. I just hate the conception that A-Rod is some kind of guy only capable of hitting grand slams in 16-0 games in April against Scott Schoenweis.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on May 26, 2007 10:26 PM PDT up reply actions

OH COME ON

that has to count for something.

by Pwn on May 27, 2007 12:07 AM PDT up reply actions

I grant Alex is a little better than that

Schoeny territory!

by Rev Halofan on May 27, 2007 12:20 AM PDT up reply actions

Vlad has better highlights reels.

Watching clips of him going yard when it's high and tight or hitting it over the fence when it's rolling on the ground off the plate. It's priceless.

Also I dig the pinetar on the helmet. And the fact that he doesn't wear batting gloves. It's so panther!

by melvintoast on May 27, 2007 6:51 PM PDT reply actions

Totally agree

What's more is how he always keeps a two hand grip on the bat (except when he's drilling an outside fastball that came in 1 inch off the ground for a double) and you think he's gonna smash his own right heel on that crazy follow-through.

Prissy one-handed swings, elbow pads, and batting gloves are for the birds. Vlad kicks A-Rod's ass.

by Higz on May 29, 2007 5:25 PM PDT up reply actions