Vladimir Guerrero: Hall or Not?

Fangraphs says probably not, given that Jim Edmonds and Larry Walker were clearly superior, yet nobody’s heart would be broken if he got in.

I personally liked him quite a bit. He was fun to watch. He’s got good, not great, numbers. Unlike the other two important guys on the HOF ballot next year, Ivan Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez, there’s never been a hint of PEDs on him. For the record: both would be first ballot HOFers in my view. I think the electorate will give Pudge the nod on the first ballot, but maybe not. After all, as I grudgingly accepted, Piazza was better than Pudge, and Piazza didn’t get in on the first ballot. Then again, maybe Piazza didn’t make it because of the one time he called a press conference to say he wasn’t gay. Or maybe the fact that he secretly thought Hispanic players were conspiring against him, personally? (Piazza was a weird dude, is what I’m trying to get across.)

If I had to put 10 guys on my ballot, there’s no way Vlad makes the cut. Especially when he was a really bad baserunner, maybe the worst of all time. (See the Fangraphs article.) He was also bad defensively except for having a really good arm.

Still, I enjoyed thinking about Vlad as a candidate, almost as much as remembering how hilarious Piazza was. Mickey Pizza, you rascal you.