12/21/24
January 11, 2010
Texas Rangers Sign Vladimir Guerrero: Vladimir Guerrero is joining the Texas Rangers, signing a one-year deal with an option for a second. Guerrero, 35, is an eight-time all star whose .321 is the fifth-highest career batting average among active players. Among visiting players with at least 50 games in the Rangers Ballpark, Guerrero has the highest average and slugging percentage and once hit there in 24 straight games.
Vladimir could get out of bed with the flu with a temperature of 102.1 at the age of 63 and still hit over .300 with no problem.
Except for last year, apparently.
posted by holden at 03:15 PM on January 11, 2010
Just as long as he's healthy.
posted by BornIcon at 03:49 PM on January 11, 2010
Texas gets at least one of these every year - a guy getting older (or coming back from injury or other problems) to try to bolster line-up at DH. Then at end of season, player usually leaves (or retires) and they start looking for another one.
2009 - Andruw Jones 2008 - Milton Bradley 2007 - Sammy Sosa 2006 - ? 2005 - Sandy Alomar, Jr. 2004 - Eric Young 2003 - Ruben Sierra (again?) 2002 - Juan Gonzalez 2001 - Ken Caminiti/Andres Galarraga 2000 - Ruben Sierra
Sometimes it works (sort of, maybe trade or get a fair year out of them) and sometimes it doesn't. Hope this one does.
posted by graymatters at 05:06 PM on January 11, 2010
A career .394 (76-193) hitter at Rangers Ballpark, Guerrero has 14 home runs, 18 doubles, 38 runs scored, and 33 RBI in 50 games in Arlington. He had a 24-game hit streak in Arlington from 2004-06 and has hit safely in 44 of his 50 career games at the park. He owns the highest average and slugging pct. (.705), along with the 2nd-highest on-base pct. (.471), of any player with at least 50 games at Rangers Ballpark.
I can see why Daniels took the bait. But as always, they need pitching more than sticks, although last year was better than expected in that category. Second half collapse, here we come again, I'm afraid.
posted by mjkredliner at 05:23 PM on January 11, 2010
I bet Texas got a lot of those guys because Rudy Jaramillo was the hitting coach. That's definitely why Jones signed with the team. Now that he's with the Cubs, the team just has its reputation as a hitter's park as a selling point.
posted by rcade at 05:46 PM on January 11, 2010
Vlad moving to Texas is great news. Anything that furthers the dismantling of the Angels is alright with me.
posted by THX-1138 at 06:41 PM on January 11, 2010
If Vlad can stay healthy then the Rangers got one hell of a deal. Vladimir could get out of bed with the flu with a temperature of 102.1 at the age of 63 and still hit over .300 with no problem.