COOL STORY, VLAD JR - BUT I'M NOT BUYING IT!

"Yo! I know you saw what Vladimir Guerrero Jr. said. You think he's gonna wear pinstripes next season?"

That is the text message I woke up to the other morning. A buddy of mine back on Long Island is holding out hope that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has a big change of heart and is indeed open to wearing pinstripes even though in the past he has said "I would never sign with the Yankees, not even (when I'm) dead." 

It all goes back to his dad Vladimir Guerrero's playing days. He spent 16 years in the big leagues and was never a Yankee. Clearly Vlad Jr. has deep feelings about how the Yankees treated his father back in the day. He has never given an explanation, all he's said about it was "It's a family thing" and that he made a promise to his father, read more HERE.

So cool, Vlad Jr. is going to carry around daddy's chip on his shoulder. Now suddenly, with one more season before he becomes a free agent, he has had a change of heart and is willing to talk to all 30 teams about a deal, including the Yankees. Suddenly the family diss doesn't matter. 

Or does it? Look, I don't think Vlad Jr. has changed his opinion on the Yankees. It's still the same. He's just approaching this smartly. He's right, this is a business. How smart would it be for him to just completely cut off a team with deep pockets and a storied franchise? It's not smart at all. It limits some of his market value. If he tells the Yankees, it isn't a possibility, and the Yankees don't pursue, he limits his market. That's not a smart business move.

So, I just don't buy this at all. He's got a chip on his shoulder, and it is going to stay there. He did say "I like to play in New York. I like to kill the Yankees. I would never sign with the Yankees, not even (when I'm) dead," and he is alive and kicking. They say perception is reality, and his perception is the Yankees did his daddy wrong and he's not about to let that go. I don't see Vlad Jr. as being ready to 'forgive and forget' as he has been saying lately. He's felt this way for most of his 36-year-old life.... he's not just suddenly going to have a change of heart.

He's approaching this in a business manner. He's not going to publicly cut the Yankees off again so close to free agency. He wants as much money bidding on him as possible. The Yankees have a lot of that, so he's not stupid. If he really wants to stick it to the Yankees, he's going to look for the big dollar offers from Yankee rivals like the Red Sox or even the Mets now.

It's a cool story you are trying to sell bro, but I ain't buying it. We need someone who is going to focus their energy into helping this team win, not someone who wants to avenge his daddy. I couldn't care less about Vlad Jr. Just my two cents.... but he's not moving on like he says he is.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj

Like This? READ THESE:

IS THE GUERRERO-YANKEE MARRIAGE REAL?

DOES VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR HAVE A FUTURE IN PINSTRIPES?

IS THE GUERRERO-YANKEE MARRIAGE REAL?

You gotta wonder if all this recent talk about Vladimir Guerrero Jr. opening his mind about wanted to potentially come to the Yankees is a real thing or is every sportswriter either looking for clicks for are fans and are manifesting it so it eventually happens.  Who knows but damn it's a great story.  Remember, Vlad hated the Yankees and it was Vlad Guerrero Sr. who said that he needed to have an open mind because that may be the only team to show him the money.  Maybe that's stuck in the back of his mind.

Guerrero Jr. is officially keeping his options open as he heads into free agency this winter—and yes, that even includes the Yanks. That’s right, the very team he once swore off with the kind of conviction usually reserved for bad exes and overcooked steak.

“If I go to free agency, every team—all 30 teams—are going to have the opportunity to sit down with [me], to talk to me,” Guerrero told the New York Post through an interpreter. “I’m OK with everything. It’s in the past.” But are the Yankees OK with it? We will have to see.

Remember when he declared, “I like to play in New York. I like to kill the Yankees. I would never sign with the Yankees, not even (when I’m) dead.” He had often pointed to a family-related grudge as the reason, once saying, “That’s my decision, and I will never change that.”

Recently Guerrero is singing a different tune, acknowledging that “this is a business” and he’d play for whoever paid him. It’s a savvy move, considering the Yankees have deep pockets—and even the illusion of interest from them could send his market value soaring.

The Yankees, meanwhile, will have Paul Goldschmidt at first base this season but lack a long-term plan. Guerrero could solve that problem, he's young, a stud and if the Yankees forgive him, what a great marriage it could be.  Whether or not he actually dons pinstripes, Guerrero’s free agency is shaping up to be as dramatic as a ninth-inning, bases-loaded showdown. 

Grab your popcorn, folks—this one’s going to be a show.

COULD THE YANKEES REALLY BE IN ON VLAD GUERRERO JR?

The Toronto Blue Jays and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. couldn’t come to terms on a long-term contract before Monday night’s deadline, which means the door is now wide open for other teams to make their pitches when he hits free agency next offseason."We didn’t get to an agreement," Guerrero says, through club translator Hector Lebron, "and now they’re going to have to compete with 29 other teams."

Once news broke that Guerrero Jr. and the Jays failed to reach a deal, MLB insider Jon Heyman wasted no time weighing in on the top contenders to land the slugger. His top three? The Boston Red Sox in the lead, followed by the New York Mets and then the New York Yankees—three franchises with deep pockets and a hunger for star power. It’s no shock that they’d be the biggest players in the mix.

Now, as much as Yankees fans might dream of Guerrero Jr. mashing home runs in pinstripes, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. A while back, Vlad Jr. made it crystal clear that he has zero interest in playing for the Bronx Bombers, famously saying, “Not even (when I’m) dead.” Talk about shutting the door with authority. He’s hinted at personal reasons behind his distaste for the Yankees, though he’s never gone into detail. However, one theory floating around is that it traces back to the 2003 offseason, when New York chose to sign Gary Sheffield instead of his Hall of Fame father, Vladimir Guerrero Sr. Whether that’s the actual reason for his grudge or just a fun piece of baseball lore, who knows?

One thing’s for sure—wherever Guerrero Jr. ends up, the bidding war is going to be intense, and the drama will be worth every second.

DOES VLADIMIR GUERRERO JR HAVE A FUTURE IN PINSTRIPES?

As the Yankees regroup after missing out on Juan Soto, the Toronto Blue Jays are facing some big questions about their own superstar slugger, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Fresh off a career-best season, Vladdy Jr. finds himself at the center of speculation. With his contract set to expire at the end of 2025, Toronto has to decide: Do they trade him now for a king’s ransom of prospects or hold on tight and risk losing him for nothing?

Oh, and lurking in the shadows like a cartoon villain? The Yankees. Of course.

Let’s not forget, Guerrero once emphatically declared he’d never play for the Yankees. Bold, right? It’s almost adorable how much conviction he had—until recently. Turns out, the allure of a potential $500 million contract can soften even the firmest anti-Yankee sentiments. Imagine that.

In today’s market, Guerrero’s next deal is projected to eclipse the half-billion mark, and while the Yankees spent heavily this offseason, missing out on Soto leaves a convenient opening for another big-money superstar. 

Stephen Parello of Rising Apple predicts a Yankees-Mets bidding war come 2025, with Vladdy taking center stage. Like Soto, Guerrero is poised to hit free agency right in his prime, with a tantalizing combination of power, discipline, and swagger that makes MLB executives salivate.

But before we get ahead of ourselves with the New York drama, there’s still the chance that Toronto could extend Guerrero and keep him in Canada. The problem? The Blue Jays haven’t exactly given him a lot to smile about lately. Sure, they’ve built a competitive team, but not competitive enough. Frustration is setting in, and even the most optimistic Toronto fan can’t ignore the elephant in the room: Can they really afford to keep Vlad happy?

The funniest part of all this? Guerrero’s dad, Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr., publicly threw some shade at his son’s earlier anti-Yankees stance. When Jr. said he’d never sign with the Bronx Bombers, Dad stepped in with the ultimate parental reality check: “I told him not to say that because he doesn’t know if that is the team that is going to give him the money.” Translation? Never say never when there’s a half-billion dollars on the table, son.

So here we are, with Vladdy Jr.’s future as murky as ever. Whether he stays a Blue Jay, joins the Evil Empire, or sparks a bidding war between the Yankees and Mets, one thing is clear: the saga is going to be highly entertaining—especially for everyone outside of Toronto. 

Stay tuned, folks. The only thing better than baseball drama is baseball drama with $500 million at stake.

YOU DON'T LIKE THE YANKEES, VLAD? WE DON'T LIKE YOU EITHER

It was great to see Vlad Guerrero Jr. plunked last night by Greg Weissert in the Yankees loss to them.  Was it calculated? Was it an accident? Either way, the problem we all have with Vlad Guerrero is that he's literally obsessed with our team.  This is a guy that made his own problems, and pissed off the entire Yankee fan base, not the mention the Yankees.  No one cares about you, Vlad. Your father was a true baseball professional. You however are not. You're trash... and you're obsessed.  You don't want to be a Yankee? You would never sign with the Yankees you say?  Have you thought about how ridiculous your ego is? We don't want you!

Fansided writes a great article on last night's events, and it involved one true Yankee leader... Anthony Rizzo!

Anthony Rizzo on what he said to Vlad: “Just walk to first base. I just took exception. I’m just going to back my teammate up. He was just staring him down. It was obviously an accident. I get Vlad’s side of being pissed. I’ve been hit many times.” pic.twitter.com/SL5fcm5cq9

— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) April 22, 2023

"Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reiterated his point that he really doesn't like the New York Yankees, and that he will never sign with them. The reason why is something he cites as "personal," and he has let the world know on numerous occasions in the past year that he likes to "kill" the Yankees. He certainly did that earlier in the series-opening game, crushing a two-run homer in the top of the first inning, and had some fun on his trot around the bases.

Well, things got a bit more chippy later on in the game.

In the top of the ninth inning, Guerrero was hit in the left elbow guard by Yankees relief pitcher Greg Weissert. Guerrero took exception to this, seemingly thinking there was intent behind the throw, and stared down Weissert. As he continued to stare him down, Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo began jawing with Guerrero, telling him to take his base.

Rizzo said that "I'm just going to back my teammate up" and that the plunking was an accident.

Weissert said that he didn't intentionally hit Guerrero, telling reporters, "you guys watched the game, I didn't have my best stuff." 

It just shows the ego of Vlad to think that we were out to get him.  But more to this... this reminds me of the rivalry in the past of Yankees and George Brett and the Royals, of when things ran hot with the Red Sox.  Trust me, if that's what Vlad wants to accomplish, he has... we all can't stand him.

I have no doubt the Blue Jays will plunk one of our guys today at the Stadium.  All because Vlad's obsessed.  He needs to really just shut up and play. That's the bottom line.

GREAT PICKS FOR THE HALL OF FAME!

I love this Hall of Fame class!

There will be some great players named to the Hall of Fame this year, and these guys deserve it! Honestly.

The Associated Press simply writes the following:

Photo: Tim Umphrey 

"Chipper Jones, Vladimir Guerrero, Jim Thome and Trevor Hoffman elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame."

Now, I am not lucky enough to vote for the actual Hall of Fame. But myself and the BYB writers are members of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America, and we do vote every year for who we think should be in the Hall of Fame.  Here is my ballot:

It also should be noted that Vladimir Guerrero and Edgar Martinez had already been honored in previous IBWAA elections, which is why you don’t see their names listed here. 

And if I was thinking clearly at the time, I would have marked Vlad on my ballot.  That's my bad.  It's good to see that I was in line with the baseball writers on the others.

Photo: CBS Sports

And yeah, I voted for guys like Matsui and Huff in my picks.  Those were guys I respected as players, maybe they don't necessarily deserve the honor right now, but still, it's my vote, I can do what I want with it.

Anyway... congrats to the winners this year.  It's pretty damn exciting.

NO HALL OF FAME FOR YOU!

There were 34 players on the Hall of Fame ballot this year, and 19 of them were newcomers but The Baseball Writers Association of America only voted three new ballplayers in last night. I applauded some, was shocked by some and as insensitive as this will sound I have to admit I laughed my ass off at some of them! To sum it up, this ballot just had some good, a little bad, and a whole lot of ugly!

Tom DiPace / The Associated Press file photo

The good part was finally getting Tim Raines into the Hall of Fame on his tenth and final year of eligibility. He was a staple and an icon of the dynasty Yankee teams from 1996-1998. It feels like a long time coming because back in 2009 he had a mere 26% of the vote....which usually means slim chances of getting into Cooperstown but he made it. The odds were stacked against him so this definitely feels like a victory so this belongs in the "good" column.

Mike Mussina also seems to be gaining momentum. He has steadily gained a higher voter percentage in his last four years on the ballot. He ended with 51.8% of the vote this year which is a lot better than his 20.3% back in 2014. Maybe he can pull a Tim Raines too and get to the needed 75% within the next six years. He at least has momentum on his side, so I will go with the good vibes and chalk that up to a spot in the "good" column also.

There are always some "bad" surprises in these ballots....and this one was surprising and close for destined future Hall of Famers Vladimir Guerrero and Trevor Hoffman. I know I was especially pulling for Hoffman this year, but he fell just 5 votes shy of getting in and Guerrero missed it by 15. If I were a betting woman I would've put money down on both. Good thing I didn't. I guess the good news here is that next year they should both get their spots. Mariano Rivera will always be my favorite closer but Hoffman is not only talented, but a class act.

Photo: SI.com

The real "bad" surprise here was the lack of support or "one and done" appearance for Jorge Posada on this year's ballot. Posada only received 3.8% of the vote and will not be eligible on future ballots. It's a shame. I always knew Posada was a long shot to get in. He played an important role for the Yankees during their championship years but the numbers just weren't there. I was at least hoping he would get enough votes to stay on the ballot for a couple of years. I wish he had fared better with the BBWAA but, he will always score high with the BYB staff.

The best part for me was the hilarity and the "ugly" meltdown for Curt Schilling that has been ongoing or months now. Many news sources have covered it, but THIS one gives a good timeline. Maybe karma is catching up to Schilling and he is having another meltdown. In 2016, Schilling appeared on the ballot for his sixth year and ended with 52.3% of the votes. His numbers had been increasing over the years so it seemed like 2017 was the year for him to get in.....

But it seems as though too many writers still remember the bridges he burned. Maybe tweeting about how "awesome" it would be to lynch journalists wasn't such a good idea when you want these same people to vote you into baseball mortality. Before anyone says "well you are a writer, you are just being sensitive" it's not just about that. Schilling also made controversial Anti-Transgender comments and made comments comparing Muslims to Nazis that ultimately caused ESPN to fire him from his analyst gig. He tried to defend himself later but the damage was done and myself like many other people just didn't care to hear it anymore. Open mouth....Schilling inserts foot. Not so bright.

Photo of the real Sidney Ponson

And of course, even as I sit and laugh others are too. In fact, it appears that Schilling has been "trolled" on Twitter by what may or may not be a fake Sidney Ponson account because it is not "verified" by Twitter. Someone saw an opportunity to have some fun and Schilling once again opened his mouth and inserted foot. He just doesn't know when to stop.

So clearly, he hasn't learned that words have consequences no matter how stupid or misguided he sounds and people aren't overlooking it.  Schilling has fallen victim to the dreaded "character clause" that states: "Voting shall be based upon the player's record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played."

Based on this, he is one of the best postseason pitchers in history.

He ranks 15th in career strikeouts and third in strike-out to walk rate so the numbers are there....but clearly his integrity, sportsmanship and character suck so that overshadows his great accomplishments. Is it fair? Maybe not....but he is representing more than just himself otherwise he would still be an analyst for ESPN and he may have made the Hall of Fame this year.

The best part of all of this for me was when other Twitter users tried to tell him they thought the account was fake he responded with this:

Wait, let me get this straight....HIS tweets are about as stupid as the stuff he said in real life? Hmmmm....HEY SCHILLING are you the pot or the kettle because if anyone can relate to stupid tweets and remarks it would have to be YOU.

 --Jeana Bellezza
BYB Managing Editor
Follow me on Twitter: @NYPrincessJ

HALL OF FAME NEWS!

(Photo: Otto Greule Jr, Getty Images)

Now look, we will have a much more comprehensive piece about the Hall of Fame reaction with Jeana Bellezza soon, but for now, I just wanted to fill the BYB audience in on the results for who was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Several top publications have reported this, but we'll go with USA Today on this one:

"Iconic Houston Astros first baseman Jeff Bagwell, base-stealer extraordinaire Tim Raines and 13-time Gold Glove winner Ivan “Pudge’’ Rodriguez earned baseball’s most coveted distinction when they were named on more than 75% of the ballots cast by eligible members of the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Raines (86%) was on his 10th and final year of eligibility, while Bagwell (86.2%) made it on his seventh attempt and Rodriguez (76%) on his first one, earning 336 of 442 votes - four more than necessary. Closer Trevor Hoffman fell five votes short. Vladimir Guerrero was named on 317 ballots (71.1%), 15 votes shy of induction in his first year."

I'm alittle surprised the Pudge got in so quickly but that clearly has to be writers still turning their backs on accused or possibly dabblers of PEDs in the steroid era. I am also alittle shocked Trevor Hoffman did get his day, although, next year for sure... don't you think?

OK. That's the news on that. More reaction and opinion from Jeana Bellezza. Keep checking back on BYB for that.

MY IBWAA VOTE & WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

Every year (since 2010), registered Internet baseball writers are sent their own version of a Hall of Fame ballot to be completed and returned. Once tallied, the IBWAA announces the inductees into its virtual Hall of Fame. No bronze plaques are created, and no official player speeches are given, but it’s still interesting and fun. We often see that the Internet writers induct players into their Hall of Fame that have yet to be inducted into the more well-known counterpart located in Cooperstown. 

Lately, the baseball writers who vote for the Cooperstown Hall are being challenged to be transparent with their ballots. Players who seemingly should be on everyone’s ballot are being left off or ignored, and fans (along with other writers) have called upon the voting participants to be accountable for what they’ve cast.

With that in mind, I’ve just completed my IBWAA ballot and will gladly share it with you. 

The names I highlighted in yellow are the players I am voting for. Don Mattingly is a write-in with the clear understanding that the IBWAA does not accept write-in candidates.

I did it as a matter of principal. 

Anyway, you’ll notice that some stat-worthy names have not been selected. Guys like Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Magglio Ordonez, Manny Ramirez and Ivan Rodriguez did not get my vote, and probably never will. 
 

(Paul Kitagaki Jr/Sacramento Bee/MCT)

They are names commonly associated with the Steroid Era of baseball. Bonds in particular could be considered the poster child of the era – with Clemens not far behind. Other writers may look at it differently; the argument being that “everyone” during that time was using one form of PED or another. I simply don’t buy it. 

(Courtesy: MLB.com)

I cannot believe that Cal Ripken, Mattingly, or even Fred McGriff – all of which played during the height of that dark period – used anything more than their God-given talents to put up their numbers. None of them had dramatic spikes in their numbers, and none of them had dramatic physical changes. I refuse to make them collateral damage of the cheaters.

(Sept. 20, 2011 - Source: Jim Rogash/Getty Images North America)

Anyway, who did I vote for? For starters, wild-swinging Vladimir Guerrero. “Vlad the impaler” had one of the longest reaches in baseball, and used it to crush balls well outside of the strike zone. In 16 seasons he hit 449 home runs and batted .318. Most amazing to me is the fact that, in spite of being such a free-swinger at the plate, he never struck out more than 95 times in any season. Not once did he crack the 100 strikeout mark. If he was going to swing, the man made sure he connected.

(March 4, 2013 - Source: J. Meric/Getty Images North America)

Next, I voted for the “Crime Dog”, Fred McGriff. He is one of those being held accountable for the sins of his brethren by the Baseball Writers Association. How else can you explain someone with 19 years of service, 493 home runs (he missed a season due to the baseball players’ strike), a .280 batting average, and who hit 20 or more home runs in 15 of those 19 seasons being left outside the doors of the Hall of Fame? In the post season, McGriff hit .303 – including .438 in the 1995 NLCS against Cincinnati which eventually led to Atlanta’s World Championship over the Indians. During his prime, Fred McGriff was truly one of the most feared hitters in baseball. The BBWAA might ignore him, but we won’t.

(Sept. 18, 2008 - Source: Chris McGrath/Getty Images North America)

Someone else that I feel has been overlooked is “the Moose”, Mike Mussina. While pitcher Tom Glavine has his plaque hanging on the wall in upstate NY, Mussina has been given the cold shoulder. Let’s take a look at their numbers:

While Glavine played 4 more years than “Moose”, he actually averaged less wins, had fewer strikeouts, had a higher WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched), had less complete games, less seasons of 17 or more wins, and for the stat geeks, had a lower WAR. Mussina managed to either put up comparable or better numbers on worse teams and in a shorter time span than Glavine, yet he remains on the outside of Cooperstown. It is my hope that we can give him some consolation with a virtual plaque in our Hall of Fame.

My last two choices are both career-long Yankees, and some of you will certainly consider them to be “homer” picks by this author, I assure you that both have very good arguments for residing alongside the immortals of baseball.

Jorge Posada was the primary backstop for one of the Yankees most “golden” of eras. He was known as one of the “Core four” that brought multiple championships back to the Bronx. Posada owns 4 rings, and put up numbers well worth consideration for entrance into Cooperstown. I’ll be writing an article later in the week explaining my reasoning. Just be aware that when placed alongside some who have already gained entrance, Posada’s numbers don’t back down. In addition, there are some intangibles like grit and heart that can’t be put into a spreadsheet. His importance to the great teams he played on is primarily why he has my vote.

Don Mattingly is one of the greatest players I have ever seen play. During the peak of his career, he was the best player in the game. I’ve written an article in the past explaining why he belongs in the Hall. If players like Kirby Puckett, Robin Yount and Paul Molitor have been voted in, then it is a crime that Mattingly has not. I’ll write his name on every one of my ballots, always.

So there you have it. I’ve voted for five players I consider worthy of baseball immortality. What do you think? Do you discount the PED users like I do, or do you think their numbers are deserving of induction – regardless of how they were achieved? We’d love to hear from you! 

By the way, if you haven't seen it already, be sure to check out a great piece about the Hall of Fame vote by newbie BYB writer Barry Millman.  Check out PLEASE DON'T BLOW THIS YEAR'S HOF VOTE. It's terrific.

 
    
--Steve Skinner
BYB Senior Writer
Twitter: @oswegos1