Vlad Guerrero experiment ends. Vlad released

Brinbe · Post #21 » by **Brinbe** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 6:26 pm

That sucks, was looking forward to seeing Vlad in a Jays uni.

Randle McMurphy · Post #22 » by **Randle McMurphy** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 6:52 pm

Sounds like the Jays told him he’d be up by a certain date when they signed the contract, the date passed, and Vlad opted out of it.

Hard to find fault with what either party did here. Although the Jays may not have kept their initial word to him, there’s no reason for them to bring a poor-swinging Vlad up into MLB.

A pity, though, because this means we’re going to keep playing guys like Cooper and Davis in the starting lineup (until whenever the team decides Snider, Thames, and Lind can come back…who may not be all that much better, anyway). I know the Jays wrote off the season before it began, but do they have to make it so obvious?

polo007 · Post #23 » by **polo007** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 8:15 pm

http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?secti ... id=8042600

The Toronto Blue Jays have parted ways with Vladimir Guerrero , granting the slugger's request to be released from his minor league contract Tuesday.

Guerrero asked to be released when the Blue Jays decided against promoting the former American League MVP to the majors, his agent told ESPNdeportesLosAngeles.com.

"Toronto informed us that it had no space in the majors for Guerrero, so now we move forward," said Jesus Alou, one of Guerrero's representatives.

Alou said Guerrero, who signed with Toronto on May 10, still intends to return to the majors with another team.

"Vladdy did all he could do to show that he is ready to play in the major leagues," Alou told ESPNdeportesLosAngeles.com. "We believe that another team will appreciate that."

Guerrero gave the Blue Jays an ultimatum earlier Tuesday, a soft deadline that had been extended one day because he missed a game after being hit by a pitch on his hand Saturday.

After going 4-for-5 with a triple and two RBIs for Triple-A Las Vegas on Monday, Guerrero gathered his belongings and went to his home in Anaheim, Calif.

"Guerrero is ready to play today in the big leagues," a source close to the nine-time All-Star said.

Guerrero, 37, batted .358 with four homers and 12 RBIs in 12 minor league games with the Blue Jays' organization. He agreed to a pro-rated deal last month with a base salary of $1.3 million.

Post #24 » by **Schad** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 8:17 pm

All due respect to Vlad and his agent, this seems foolish. The Jays represented one of the best paths imaginable for him to return to a regular role. Someone else might scoop him up as a bench bat, but I doubt that offers to be a full-time DH will be forthcoming after that stint in AAA.

Post #25 » by **Geddy** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 8:49 pm

From the sounds of it there was a deadline that was set for him to join the team. I don't see what was so hard to just call him up and let him take a few hacks to see where he stands. Instead we've got guys who aren't going to amount to anything taking up roster spots.

I have a feeling he will join some other team, do well and we'll be left wondering 'what if'.

Raps in 4 · Post #26 » by **Raps in 4** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 9:37 pm

Geddy wrote:From the sounds of it there was a deadline that was set for him to join the team. I don't see what was so hard to just call him up and let him take a few hacks to see where he stands. Instead we've got guys who aren't going to amount to anything taking up roster spots.

I have a feeling he will join some other team, do well and we'll be left wondering 'what if'.

+1

BigLeagueChew · Post #27 » by **BigLeagueChew** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 10:45 pm

Sounds like it's Davis, Snider or the trade route for a left fielder this season. I was hopeful for Guerrero making it but I'm not surprised that he didn't.

Post #28 » by **OldNo7** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 2:02 am

So they signed him to get some publicity and excitement? I mean he hit over .300 with some power in AAA, and that wasn't good enough for a test on the big club over the likes of Cooper/Yan Gomes? Really? Eff you Rogers/AA/Blue Jays.

Post #29 » by **OldNo7** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 2:04 am

Schadenfreude wrote:All due respect to Vlad and his agent, this seems foolish. The Jays represented one of the best paths imaginable for him to return to a regular role. Someone else might scoop him up as a bench bat, but I doubt that offers to be a full-time DH will be forthcoming after that stint in AAA.

The Jays promised him a date (Sunday, which was pushed to Monday). He said, "OK date is passed, I am going home or you call me up" and they released him.

Post #30 » by **Schad** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 2:22 am

OldNo7 wrote:
Schadenfreude wrote:All due respect to Vlad and his agent, this seems foolish. The Jays represented one of the best paths imaginable for him to return to a regular role. Someone else might scoop him up as a bench bat, but I doubt that offers to be a full-time DH will be forthcoming after that stint in AAA.

The Jays promised him a date (Sunday, which was pushed to Monday). He said, "OK date is passed, I am going home or you call me up" and they released him.

I understand that. But I'm saying that sticking to that deadline was not in Vlad's interest, given that he's not going to be getting a better opportunity elsewhere. Had he stuck around and put together a good two weeks with the Jays, he'd have a good chance of ending up as our starting DH...now he's looking for another team to sign with, likely as a bench bat or a AAA player once more.

Hamyltowne · Post #31 » by **Hamyltowne** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 2:50 am

Schadenfreude wrote:... I'm saying that sticking to that deadline was not in Vlad's interest, given that he's not going to be getting a better opportunity elsewhere. Had he stuck around and put together a good two weeks with the Jays, he'd have a good chance of ending up as our starting DH...now he's looking for another team to sign with, likely as a bench bat or a AAA player once more.

Exactly. Now, he's looking at Japan, or maybe a pinch-hitter in the NL.

Baseball is not always friendly to hard dates for call ups. Vlad should know that his bat sets its own timeline.

J-Roc · Post #32 » by **J-Roc** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 11:21 am

Wow, did this ever blow up in our faces. We were all looking forward to Vladdy on the Jays. But either Vlad was a total jerkoff or AA didn't have enough of an ability to deal with a superstar ego....whatever the case, I can't believe this whole thing just ended. I'm expecting to hear that Vlad left the team for some other personal reason, but he's back.

Natural11 · Post #33 » by **Natural11** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 3:06 pm

Not enough room in our scrub line-up for one of baseball's all-time best hitters who was hitting over .300 in the minors? Yeah right. There's more to this story, or the Jays front office is even more incompetent than I already think it is.

James_Raptors · Post #34 » by **James_Raptors** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 4:52 pm

The news surprised me.

flatjacket1 · Post #35 » by **flatjacket1** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 10:27 pm

Natural11 wrote:Not enough room in our scrub line-up for one of baseball's all-time best hitters who was hitting over .300 in the minors? Yeah right. There's more to this story, or the Jays front office is even more incompetent than I already think it is.

Gomes hit for more average and power than Vlad over a SSS.

Vlad also batting runs above average was negative. His wOBA was only .330. d'Arnaud (the CATCHER on the other hand was wOBAing .432, and ADAM LIND was wOBAing .474)

Overall Vlad couldn't even provide positive value in AAA and AA wasn't willing to call him up until he proved over a decent SS that he could play.

Everybody hits above .300 in Vegas. Lind is hitting .400 should we call him up? Batting average also isn't a great statistics for overall evaluation.

Post #36 » by **OldNo7** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 12:31 am

Do we still have Mike McCoy on the roster? That he has even been up in the bigs at all (and not as a middle infielder) is reason enough for Vlad to have been promoted.

flatjacket1 · Post #37 » by **flatjacket1** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 12:40 am

OldNo7 wrote:Do we still have Mike McCoy on the roster? That he has even been up in the bigs at all (and not as a middle infielder) is reason enough for Vlad to have been promoted.

Well their wOBA is within .001 of each other so they are really the same player offensively, and since McCoy can play like 8 positions (I'm stretching to include pitcher) and is decent defensively and is a better base runner.

I think Vlad is a bit past his prime. I was neutral on the signing but if he is demanding a call up then I don't see the problem is releasing him. He was worth 0 fWAR last season in the MLB, and I doubt that goes up.

BigLeagueChew · Post #38 » by **BigLeagueChew** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 1:48 am

Guerrero and McCoy are equal offensively? :lol:

He only plays 7 positions because he's not particularly good at any of them.

flatjacket1 · Post #39 » by **flatjacket1** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 2:00 am

BigLeagueChew wrote:Guerrero and McCoy are equal offensively?

He only plays 7 positions because he's not particularly good at any of them.

According to a SSS in MiLB yes. Also, in 2011, McCoy posted a higher fWAR than Vlad, despite playing in MUCH fewer games (only 80). A DH with a .317 OBP isn't all that valuable.

Hamyltowne · Post #40 » by **Hamyltowne** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 10:02 pm

Tigers said to have “lukewarm” interest in Vladimir Guerrero.

This is hardly a report or even a rumor, but we’ll pass it along anyway. From FOX Sports’ Jon Paul Morosi:

#Tigers interest in free agent Vladimir Guerrero is lukewarm, source says. Not clear if they will pursue him at this point.

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) June 13, 2012

The Tigers have stuck with their plan of starting Miguel Cabrera at third base and could maybe fit Vlad into the lineup as a part-time DH. But he’s doubtful to be a significant upgrade over Detroit’s current roster options.

Guerrero was granted his release by the Blue Jays earlier this week after registering an underwhelming .739 OPS and no home runs across 35 plate appearances at Triple-A Las Vegas. The 37-year-old veteran owns a stellar .318/.379/.553 career major league batting line, but he’s barely capable of playing the outfield at this point in his career and could struggle to latch on with another organization.