Vlad Guerrero
by raven191 on Feb 24, 2009 2:38 PM PST
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Print"We're witnessing a Hall of Fame career," Scioscia said. "I think he has a lot of baseball left in him. I don't know if anybody takes for granted what Vlad's done. I think you talk about impact players of an era, Vlad' s going to stack up with any of them. When it's all said and done, his numbers are really reflective of the talent he's brought onto the field."
Vlad is also linked with the trainer that was caught with steroids.. I really hope he didn't do them,it would hurt a lot if he did... He seems to be doing ok with the knee surgery,hopefully he gets to 100 % soon,so he can start hitting balls as no one else can..
When you talk of Griffey,Manny Ramirez, and A-Rod...Vlad has numbers to stack up with any of them...
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A few years back
I forgot where I saw this, but Vlad was voted the slugger least likely to be on steroids.
I doubt that…I have his UD Minors card and he’s skinnier than a rail. He looks nearly emaciated-thin.
by Downing Rules on Feb 24, 2009 6:20 PM PST up reply actions
I hear chunky soup is great for bulking up.
Football players mothers make it all the time.
Driven into right-center field, Erstad says he has it...the Angels, world champions!
by teopeht on Feb 24, 2009 7:47 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
You are right. People do not fill out into their late twenties.
They stay the same size the rest of their lives.
I guess I already used my Manny bomb for the month?
Bear-handed Hitter
BEAST
Watching the Halos from Princeton University. The random Halo fan in a sea of Bosux and Skankee fans.
by princeton11loveshalos on Feb 24, 2009 3:47 PM PST reply actions
i meant bare
Watching the Halos from Princeton University. The random Halo fan in a sea of Bosux and Skankee fans.
by princeton11loveshalos on Feb 24, 2009 10:25 PM PST up reply actions
Let’s just assume all MLB’ers are guilty of taking steroids post-1994. If they didn’t, then we would simply have labelled them: “weak hitter” or "only has warning track power.’
Move on with respect to the steroids issue.
by Downing Rules on Feb 24, 2009 6:19 PM PST reply actions 2 recs
I know we've all ventured down the road of arguing about steriods...
but I mean, come on. Steroids should be reserved for Apollo Creed-killing Soviet boxing behemoths. Us Americans train long hours in the snow, do crunches off the hay loft in the barn, and eventually reach the mountaintop the old fashioned way.
"I can change. You can change. We can all change!!!"
And the wall comes down…
by Big Easy Halofan on Feb 24, 2009 6:58 PM PST up reply actions
the russian killed Apollo
you knew he was doomed when he was singing and dancing with James Brown before the “exhibition” bout in vegas.
"if he dies.......he dies"
12/19/08 - Thank you KLJ for coming into my life.
by norcaliangelsfan on Feb 26, 2009 12:02 AM PST up reply actions
VLAD NO JUICE
NO WAY
stay humble in a ferari
by MYSPASCOBAR on Feb 24, 2009 6:52 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Totally going to go out on a limb for Thee Impaler
I say no bloody way.
See comments above about Vlad’s metabolism and the hearty meals made for him.
Personally, I emphasize with Vlad’s physique, even though there are NO parallels to be drawn. I am not nearly half the sexy beast Vlad is. But there was a time, not long ago, when I was skinny as a stick. My friends even said I looked Auschwitz-like.
Then something happened. Mainly, it was that I reached that age, and I was no longer in poverty. And now I dream of the day I’ll be able to fit into the majority of my clothes.
But seriously, it’s almost a cliche, to my mind, to blindly back up the innocence of a beloved athlete you’re a fan of… I’m thinking of many a Laker fan I know a few years ago… But I am without hesitation going to say, by virtue of my instincts, ability to read people, and general intuition, that I think Vlad is clean.
I really believe that. Even though I know that I want to.
"I've got more action than my man John Woo
And I've got mad hits like I was Rod Carew" - Shure Shot, The Beastie Boys
by Zoe Necrosis on Feb 24, 2009 8:09 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Vlad use to
hit bottle caps with a broom stick that his mom threw to him. He also, drank rain water in the Dominica maybe it has some kind of steroid in it. Other than that I highly doubt he ever used them.
Give the young guns a chance...if they suck wellll...
I think you're referring to La Placa
Which so far as I know (thanks Sports Illustrated!) is a game Dominican children play with each other—since they’re (at least were when Vlad was growing up) too poor to have real equipment.
Though I wouldn’t be surprised if Vlad’s mom did help him practice!
Light Up That Halo!
yeah, in before the bigs, they show some kids playing … they try to use a stone to knock down some bottles. The "batter’ has to keep the bottle from getting knocked over by protecting it with a stick. So, he really learned to hit anything that came near that bottle. I imagine a few pitchers with great control might be developed by that game too. The dude who can consistently knock over the bottle is probably just as valuable as a guy who can protect it.
by Downing Rules on Feb 25, 2009 11:58 AM PST up reply actions
That, and
Stones are light enough that they’d probably move around in the air a bit, too, and not hit exact locations….milk bottle caps would definitely do that with all the air resistance they probably get. Hence Vlad’s used to pinpointing tiny objects and smashing them, wherever they are—helps explain all those dirt ball home runs.
Light Up That Halo!
Could be wrong, but
I thought it was “La Plata” meaning “The Plate.” I also don’t remember anything about bottles on the plate, just that the pitcher was trying to land the ball on the plate. But, like I said, I could be wrong.
Welcome Bobby 'Big Bat' Abreu.
by Rally Manatee on Feb 28, 2009 10:09 AM PST up reply actions
I thought Vlad’s mom was mostly out of the picture down in Venezuela or some other country working. She sent money back to DR to take care of Vladdy and his siblings. At least that is all I know according to “before the bigs.”
by Downing Rules on Feb 25, 2009 11:56 AM PST up reply actions
Now that he's finally got the surgery I'd say instead of super Vlad he's Steve Austin
If GA wasn't so lazy the Halos woulda won the 2008 WS by now.
Step right up and get your steaming hot generational gap, folks!
by Higz on Feb 25, 2009 11:32 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
I still remember that “nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh NUH-NUH-NUH-NUH-NUH nuh-nuh-nuh” sound that the six-million-dollar man used to make. Was there a speaker built into his body that emanated that sound of his super-human motions?
by Downing Rules on Feb 25, 2009 11:47 AM PST up reply actions
Did you ever see that IBM commercial
The IBM “road warrior” guys are in an airport, talking about their laptops, and one mentions that it has biometrics. The other guy gets it confused with “bionics”, and tries to make the “bionic sound”. This third guy sitting nearby says, “No, it’s more like this [INSERT BIONIC SOUND HERE].”
The third guy is Lee Majors.
Angels fan since '67
Never saw that… I certainly had hard time pressing the heck out of +V to get the sound across the internet above. Heck, maybe someone has a youtube of the real show?
by Downing Rules on Feb 27, 2009 4:23 PM PST up reply actions
To think GMJ makes more money in one year...
than it cost to rebuild Steve Austin in 1977.
by Downing Rules on Mar 4, 2009 9:03 PM PST up reply actions
Here's the IBM commercial, Downing....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cCAB8x_FwQ
Angels fan since '67
We have the technology. . .
". . .and the young lions will lock horns!" -- Ron Fairly, from an Angels telecast
Bartolo Colon was also linked to that trainer
His batch of ‘roids must’ve been placebos or tic-tacs
No, that makes sense...
…if you take steroids and don’t do the exercise, they will make you fat.
And the idea of Bart hitting the gym? Well… perhaps, perhaps not.
I see red people
That's not true...
Steroids aren’t protein shakes; they’re drugs. You’re right in that if you’re on steroids but don’t exercise, you don’t get many of the “benefits.” There may be some additional muscle mass, but not much.
The main benefit of steroids is it drastically reduces recovery time, allowing you to work out more.
I’m not commenting on whether Colon used anything, I’m just saying the idea that steroids made him fat is preposterous. Eating more calories than he burned made him fat.
I hope Vladdy has a good year......
I just got him in our Halos Heaven Fantasy Baseball league.
12/19/08 - Thank you KLJ for coming into my life.
by norcaliangelsfan on Feb 25, 2009 12:11 AM PST reply actions
Screw winning the division… “DO IT FOR NORCAL, VLADDY!” (I can see me now yelling at my TV!) ;)
by Downing Rules on Feb 25, 2009 11:48 AM PST up reply actions
Vlad
Is my new era Jim Fregosi. Loves baseball, and plays the game like he loves it.
Besides that, he is going to have another phenomenal year. Thanks, Vlad.
Angel Pitching, Angel Defense - get past that.
How comes...
all the best players come from a tiny island in the Caribbean? That’s like all the best players originating from 3 Mile Island.
Something in the water? Does the island have a mysterious smoke-monster guarding an electromagnetic hatch with a big wheel do-hickey? Too many “cousins”?…
My take...
I was in the Dominican Republic only once;
1) They take baseball fanatacism to a whole new level. It is really the only game/sport in town.
2) They play year round.
3) Baseball is about the only way out. Nothing like a little grinding poverty to sharpen the senses. OK…make that a LOT of grinding poverty (still not as bad as Haiti though).
Grinding poverty and a drug culture...
usually go hand in hand.
I’m not even commenting on Vlad directly because I don’t know. Vlad seems to have the power you expect from a “big man” with obvious talent, otherwise, if he were juicing, I would expect him to hit 50 bombs a year.
That said, nothing would surprise me these days.
Yeah,Vlad has gotten considerably bigger then he was in 94-97, before he was a yearly MLB player..As a holder of over 600 Vlad Guerrero cards,I can say he has gained in the neighbourhood of 50 pounds since the 98 season…However,he is not muscle bound,tightly wounded (sp?) his head has not gotten bigger,and he does not fit the characteristics of a juicer,IMO…I can’t say he hasn’t done them,but I like the good guys above,want to think he didn’t do them and believe he didn’t do them.I believe he has acheived his numbers through sheer grit and determination,and a defenite pure skill that not many have ever had in this game…Few players can hit the balls he has hit (Pujols and Manny maybe) but they don’t hit as many as this guy…You look at some of the HR he has hit off guys,and you can’t find another man on the planet that can do it other then Vlad..Pure,natural,raw talent.. But then,every man that has made the majors has those same talents,..Vlad also has numbers that would seem to back up him not doing steroids ,that and playing ina bigger stadium then an A-Rod or a Manny Ramirez.. Magglio Ordonez is another guy who plays in abig stadium,and would prob have another 50 home runs had he played in Texas for a number of years..
As for why Dominicans are better,it was said above…They have to play every day,to get out of the situation they are in,they are driven by there habitat to become the best,and they paid the price to be the best…They love the game and have a great passion for it…A guy like Guerrero drank out of mud puddles,worked 15 hour days since he was 5,got kicked by his donkey,lived in poverty and had an inner drive of hard work and determination to become,what I consider,the best hitter the last 10 years in baseball (98-08).
Long live the Vladiator..Love the man to death..
But as a holder of those cards, do you blindly support the player, even if he might have juiced? I cannot say postively one way or the other that he has or hasn’t. But up until a few days ago, I thought A-Rod was clean. Now, everybody says “Oh, I knew he was.” BS. You did not.
The flood gates have opened. I am assuming everyone has done something.
The real challenge is how to limit this stuff in the future. Of course, scientists will merely develop more secretive ways of improving performance enhancing (genetics/drugs/etc) that will be harder and harder to detect.
by Downing Rules on Feb 25, 2009 11:52 AM PST up reply actions
I said,he has gained weight,that is obvious… I can’t say that he hasn’t,I am not him,or an expert on the subject.. I am only going by what I think, and what it looks to me.. I was in the same boat with A-Rod,woudl neevr of guessed he did them… I can’t say 100% , I would love 2 be able 2,and it would hurt if he did…I am hoping he didn’t..but as A-Rod has proved,every player has shadow of doubt creeping over them,and its sad that you’ll never know certain things,but thats the way it is.. I just think he has gotten bigger through a healthy diet,a workout routine and aging.Maybe I am wrong and he did it… I don’t know
I hope he didn’t, too, my friend. Go Halos and Go Vladdy!
by Downing Rules on Feb 27, 2009 4:24 PM PST up reply actions
I was actually surprised when A-Rod wasn't named in the Mitchell Report
But neither were a lot of people I suspect. I’m not mentioning any names…(Big Head Poppy)… Honestly, I’d guess that 90% of the top 10% were using. There is no Santy Claus, folks. Sorry.
Would they still be “elite” if they were clean? If everybody was clean, Yes.
Still, that assumption leaves a small percentage of the elite players who didn’t use. It’s really not fair to them.
I like to believe Vlad is one of the “elite clean”. But that doesn’t really mean anything. My argument FOR him: He swings SO frickin’ hard and hits everything that if he was on ’roids, every ball should clear the rock pile, in IRWINDALE.
"Still not as bad as Haiti though"
Yeah, Haitians have it really bad. They play soccer.
Welcome Bobby 'Big Bat' Abreu.
by Rally Manatee on Feb 28, 2009 10:15 AM PST up reply actions
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