Vladimir Guerrero's MVP Season

Lore & Background

Guerrero was raised in Don Gregorio, Dominican Republic, in a house made of mud and brick and a palm-leaf roof. One of nine children, he is the younger brother of former MLB player Wilton Guerrero. Guerrero did not own a real baseball glove until he was 15 years old. In 1993, scout Arturo DeFreites convinced the Montreal Expos to sign Guerrero for $2,100. During the process, he lied about his age, claiming to be born February 9, 1976; it was not until March 2009 that he inadvertently revealed he was born in 1975.

In Their Own Story

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the infield at Edison International Field. Vladimir Guerrero stood near home plate, adjusting his batting gloves before stepping into the warm-up cage. The crowd was already buzzing, a low hum of anticipation rising from the stands as the first pitch approached. He tapped the dirt with the bat, eyes locked on the pitcher's mound, embodying the calm focus that defined his best years.

Reader's Guide

Guerrero signed a five-year, $70 million deal with the Anaheim Angels on January 14, 2004. During his first season with the Angels, he led his club in several offensive categories, including 124 runs (set new club record and led the AL), 13 outfield assists (tied for first in AL), 366 total bases (tied club record and led AL), and a season-ending batting average of .337 (third in AL). He was the second player in club history with .300/30/100 statistics. Making his fifth MLB All-Star game appearance in July, he led AL outfielders with 3,024,870 votes and was the first Angel outfielder to be a starter since Reggie Jackson in 1984. Guerrero helped lead the Angels to five AL West championships between 2004 and 2009.

Did You Know?

• Guerrero is regarded as the game's premier "bad-ball hitter" and once hit a pitch after it bounced in front of home plate on August 14, 2009.
• On September 26, 2011, Guerrero surpassed Julio Franco as the all-time MLB leader for hits by a Dominican player, a record since broken by Adrián Beltré in 2014.
• In 2021, Guerrero and his son Vladimir Jr. became the second father-son duo in MLB history to each have a 40-home run season in their careers, joining Cecil and Prince Fielder.
• Guerrero's .318 career batting average is the highest of any player who primarily played in the 21st century.