Can the Angels Count on Vladimir Guerrero?

by Rev Halofan on Oct 13, 2009 10:38 PM PDT in Pregame

The Angels are facing two lefties in the ALCS - CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte in the first three games. This makes our Designated Hitter Vladimir Guerrero even more potent of a weapon than before.

A base hit off of Jonathan Paelbon on Sunday has made the belief in this once-great player arise from the Anaheim ashes... and yet his tentative limp makes us all wonder at times what luck's got to do with it. Save for a Francona mental bona', we might right now be arguing whether or not Vlad should be in the lineup for Wednesday's ALDS Game 5. Instead, one rip to center and he reaps his former greatness.

Has Vlad seen his last moment of glory or will he be a factor against the Yankees in the American League Championship Series?

Poll

Is Vlad Done?

Yes, he got a lucky hit but will revert to flailing in the ALCS

194 votes

No, Vlad will be a factor as the postseason continues

896 votes

1090 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

I would argue that Vlad is definitely going to become more of a factor

due almost entirely to his now proven willingness to take a walk in clutch situations in the postseason. He did it twice last series and I’m convinced that’s why Papelbon threw him the fastball down the middle—he couldn’t be sure that Vlad would just flail away like usual, and in that situation, could not take the chance Vlad would just watch four pitches out of the zone.

As long as Vlad keeps the opposing pitcher uncertain of whether or not he will swing at their junkballs, he should show more success.

~Till the Halo burns out...

by Zu Long on Oct 13, 2009 10:45 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

I think Paps threw a fastball... because that's what Paps does...

Vlad will be a factor. His presence alone is a factor.

by BruinHalo on Oct 13, 2009 10:47 PM PDT up reply actions

Agreed. I think he threw 80+% fastballs

That is also the knock on him all year.

Play Wood already. Willits sucks.

by hauldog on Oct 14, 2009 9:34 AM PDT up reply actions

I like your take

I think Vlad’s presence is far less imposing as it used to be. I tend to fall on the side that he is getting old, and losing bad speed. Not to mention those rubber knees. However if Vlad remakes his approach, a-la Bobby Abreu and stops swinging at pitches 3 feet out of the zone he very well could reenergize his offensive threat. It will be interesting to see how a more patient Vlad would fare.

by UCIHalo on Oct 13, 2009 10:57 PM PDT up reply actions

The Hype from the Red Sox series ...

alone makes the Yanks think twice. Hence, he is already a factor.

Can you see the Yanks walking Hunter to get to Vlad now??

Check out these games:

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by matthiasstephan on Oct 14, 2009 5:22 AM PDT up reply actions

That still makes me laugh. We sat there in shock when they walked Hunter, knowing there was the potential,

knowing how Vlad has responded to “insult” in the past.

THIS… IS… ANAHEIM!!

by opiejeanne on Oct 14, 2009 9:04 AM PDT up reply actions

Game 1, 3rd inning

Vladimir can still flail with the best of them. But, the lefties in this series might give Vlad a better chance to contribute an extra base hit or three.

Where is his power? That’s what I am noticing is missing.

RIP Nick...

Jim Scully
Jim Scully Home

by jimmuscomp on Oct 14, 2009 8:55 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions

Those walks were huge IMO

Play Wood already. Willits sucks.

by hauldog on Oct 14, 2009 9:34 AM PDT up reply actions

You know what?

I don’t care if he’s “done”. That hit was so amazing…it makes up for it

"Figgins' OBP is still over 40!" -Steve Physioc

by Figgi4life on Oct 13, 2009 11:05 PM PDT via mobile reply actions 1 recs

That hit was pretty amazing

I say we decide in the off season what to do with Vlad. Until then lets just pull for him and hope for the best.

by UCIHalo on Oct 13, 2009 11:10 PM PDT up reply actions

Does anyone really know?

We all know he can still annihilate the ball. We, also, all still know that Vlad can turn a ball out of the strike zone into a base hit. So the potential is still there. I mean he still is, for the most part, a .300 hitter. Yet, even though we know all of this, we also know his knack for swinging at horrible pitches and grounding into double plays.

Its a tough call. All I can say is that with as easy as it is to hit a homerun in Yankee stadium, its hard not to imagine Vlad getting ahold of one on Friday and putting us over the top for a win.

Go Big Daddy…once last hurrah, eh?

Do it for Nick '09

by BryanHarvey'sMoustache on Oct 13, 2009 11:25 PM PDT reply actions

I can pray that

the best impact of Vlad’s Conquest of the Fen could be that he realizes the leveraging power of what he still has in his bat. In critical situations such as an ALCS, he can ply what remains available of his once-formidable skills to simply hit the ball. He can do that with ease. HR’s, less so.

You too can be a baseball media analyst! Just don't allow your need to be wrong in public to get in the way of your ignorance.

by Stirrups on Oct 13, 2009 11:26 PM PDT reply actions

Vlad will factor in, good or bad.

we can only hope it’s for the good.

Thank you, Nick Adenhart. You will always be remembered. #34

by howiestheman on Oct 13, 2009 11:26 PM PDT reply actions

My thoughts exactly

He bats in the 4 spot – there is no doubt he will play a factor in multiple games this series. My hope is that we see the patient (Game 2) and the clutch (Game 3) rather then the flail at the down and in pitches side.

Free Brandon Wood!

by gorams77 on Oct 14, 2009 11:13 AM PDT up reply actions

Even if we do see the flaily Vlad, the Yankees may not pick up on it for a game or two.

I suspect they will be very careful with him after seeing what he did in the ALDS.

THIS… IS… ANAHEIM!!

by opiejeanne on Oct 14, 2009 10:37 PM PDT up reply actions

you overestimate

their thinking.

"This is a guy who is a combination of great courage and, nuts!"- Steve Physioc

by Brian S (brianguy) on Oct 19, 2009 11:53 AM PDT up reply actions

I sure hope he isn't done.

The fan in me, continues to hope that Vlad will instantaneously revert to ‘05 form, but the analytical baseball mind tells me that it might not have been nothing more than luck, plain and simple at Fenway this Sunday. If this sounds like a negative post, that isn’t my intention at all, nothing more than my honest feelings. Whatever the case may be we’ll soon find out. Here’s to hoping that Vladdy has at least 12 clutch hits left in him this ALCS. And,The fan in me believes it, Go Halos!!

YOU DON'T KNOW THE POWER OF THE DARKSIDE.....

by halofolife on Oct 14, 2009 12:21 AM PDT reply actions

I trust in Big Daddy Vladdy

The Big Red Machine V.2 is coming this Fall 2009. Go Halos!

by Slyintine on Oct 14, 2009 1:05 AM PDT reply actions

sometimes

I trust him against LHP and Mariano (since his pitch breaks like a lefty), but we may need to count on someone else when facing someone who throws the right way.

by elricsi on Oct 14, 2009 1:09 AM PDT reply actions

I predict he hits at least one HR to right field in Bankee Stadium

by mattwelch on Oct 14, 2009 6:18 AM PDT reply actions

Willits will as well

RIP #34

by linkbruin on Oct 15, 2009 1:08 AM PDT up reply actions

don't forget

Alfredo Amezegua

"This is a guy who is a combination of great courage and, nuts!"- Steve Physioc

by Brian S (brianguy) on Oct 19, 2009 11:53 AM PDT up reply actions

Vlad is as streaky as they come nowadays

July/August = .341/.392/.629 with 11 HR’s in 132 AB’s. The rest of the year? Not so much.

But his hot streak DID happen, and shows he can still crank it up at times. IF he gets hot…wow. But I won’t be convinced until he rips CC’s first pitch about 435 feet, sending shivers up and down the Hudson River.

"There's nothing that cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you." - Woody Hayes

by johnnyangel101 on Oct 14, 2009 7:01 AM PDT reply actions

Add to Vlad comment

He was 3 for 4 in his only Yankee Stadium appearance, with a HR. Not that that matters much, but it might mean something…

"There's nothing that cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you." - Woody Hayes

by johnnyangel101 on Oct 14, 2009 7:05 AM PDT up reply actions

i was there

moondoggy, cath619, and I were there. Sucks they lost that game. Their bullpen has really turned it around

Aybar is a nowhere man, Sitting in his Nowhere Land, Making all his nowhere plans for nobody.

by princeton11loveshalos on Oct 14, 2009 9:16 AM PDT up reply actions

Let's hope they walk Vlad

to get to K-Mo or Juan and make them pay that way

by SocalAngelFaninOC on Oct 14, 2009 8:10 AM PDT reply actions

i think vlad still has some magic left in the tank.

it would be a mistake to underestimate him. again.

"it's mind-bottling."

by retrohalo on Oct 14, 2009 3:03 PM PDT reply actions

I'd be more worried about Figgins

He has had all of one good postseason series in his life.

Play Wood already. Willits sucks.

by hauldog on Oct 14, 2009 4:33 PM PDT reply actions

I’m thinking that Vlad likes the way he felt after getting that line to center that won us the game so therefore i feel he will have one more post season to relive the glory he once had before he fades away due to age and injuries

by peteyweestro on Oct 14, 2009 6:03 PM PDT reply actions