What's Happening to Vladimir Guerrero?

By Richie Whitt Wed., Aug. 18 2010 at 9:50 AM

Categories: Texas Rangers

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Out of gas? At 35, just plain old? Nothing more than a slump? My heat, my God he's wilting in the heat?

Whatever the reason, something's going on with Texas Rangers' designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero. And it ain't good.

While the Rangers meander around - despite last night's 10-1 loss in Tampa they still have an 8-game lead in baseball's worst, smallest division - Vlad is struggling like at no time this season.

Once upon a time Guerrero was hitting around .340 and leading all of baseball in RBI. Since the All-Star break, however, he's hitting more like Vladimir Putin.

As always, Guerrero is swinging at everything. But his back looks slow. He's been forced to "cheat" on fastballs, that is, to start his swing early in order to catch up to the ball. When fooled by a breaking ball, he's looking downright silly. Seems like the last two weeks - despite a hit last night - he's getting no lift, only spraying a variety of hard-hit grounders around the infield.

Manager Ron Washington is trying. He gave him a day off after a day off. Tuesday he put him in right field. Nothing really working, as Vlad is hitting .207 since July 1 and has seen his average dip to .297.

A week of struggling is a funk. Six weeks is a legit slump.

The Rangers may survive to win the American League West without his Guerrero's, but they're going nowhere in October if they're dragging him instead of him pushing them.

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baseball, Ron Washington, Vladimir Guerrero

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Dear P1 Jerry (formely Jeremy), Sheesh, beaten by the O's....hmmmmm, methinks we need to TAP TAP TAP. Geez dude, the "mothers of the gereatric" can beat the O's! F! TAP DUDE. You ready for dat championship? Hmmmmm. "Mom, dat koolaid's makin' my tummy sick". Just sayin'......tap em, enjoy, but, TAP TAP TAP. Remedy: Have moms make you a Hotpocket and get in your Spidey feeties.
P1 Jeremy, Have some more kool aid, and see ya in Jonestown! ps-look who has the better record right now....and again, you freak, the Redsox suck this year. And what does that say about the Rangers? Tap dem brakes. tap em tap em....you don't even like baseball, I can tell! You like souffle's. Here's a poem: jeremy, oh jeremy drank dat koolaid and you (you'll) be free lookin' spiffy, lookin' smart you in the bathtub and yo fart jeremy, oh ohoh, ohoh, o0000, (then break dancing!) next year he'll be in the stands out in da first round, ain't that grand (then fadeout and dollars fall like rain)
@ kergo - Who cares about coming in 3rd in the best division in baseball ? This is a treat for us Ranger fans, and I could care less. While we are one and done, you will be done period. They don't look at how the W's stack up. They look at how many. Neftali is a star, and the rest of the baseball world thinks so as well. Cliff Lee may not want to be here, but he is here for now. Did we just take a series from the Sox ?
Dear P1 Jeremy, Thanks for making my point for me, everyone knows the Redsox suck this year-thanks! Are the Rangers the same team as the Redsox? No relaxing here while Neftali thinks he's a star, Kins is thinkin' he's a star and his legs are about to fall off, Vladi needs a wheelchair, they are relying on a 4th outfielder to win (even the sun shines on a dogs bunghole sometimes), marginal starting pitching, Cliff Lee may not want to be here, Spider Arias is worse at second than Stonehands Kins, etc. Don't worry...I'm wracked with worry! Who cares about winning the sh#tiest division in baseball? It's after, when they face the Yanks or the DRays.
@ Kergo - Maybe you should concentrate a little more on getting your Red Sox into the effing playoffs instead of telling a team that is 8 games up to tap the brakes. This is why players use cliche' speak all the time, because it is true. This is one series, with one team. We have half the lineup sitting on the bench, and are coming into the most strenuous part of the season. Relax, take a deep breathe, and enjoy the coast into the playoffs. That in itself has been an effing decade in the making.
We gonna see a shut down inning today? TB 22nd in majors in batting average; 3rd in runs scored.
Ya'll tappin' dem brakes yet? Tampa sweeps the Rangers in a playoff series and maybe score 3 runs.....TAP, TAP. I think maybe even my beloved Redsox could beat them in a series. BTW, the Sox are only .001 behind the Rangers-tap! Big O just walked in run-yay!
@Dong, The Rays have been ONCE, and that year they did the same thing, played great early settled in the middle and had a great month of September, and they had never done it before. At some point you have to get past the whole "they have never done it before" and just fucking do it.
I like Kristy Yang alot better with an accent. She loses all credibility without one.
Richie, did you run out of ideas for today? 1 post? What about Modano? Craig Myers? Korn or Toadie concert reviews from Tyler or Waco--whatever bar mitzvah they're playing these days.
@ Scott's Merkin. You actually made our point regarding the BoSox, Yankees and Rays. You know what they all have in common?? They've all either won or been to the World Series lately Merkin!! They know what it takes to get there. They have experience!! Rangers do not! How did you miss that?? You're better than that.
Anyone find it amusing that Sean Salisbury is pitching Twin Peaks commercials? I mean didn't this guy get fired for texing a pic of his unit to an intern or somesuch at The Fan? Didn't this guy get let go from his ESPN tv gig for something similar? If you would like to catch some of his antics first hand, a "spy" tells me that Twin Peaks in Frisco is one of his favorite watering holes....errrr stalking stops. Would this not be comparable to Pete Rose being a shill for one of those dumbass "I'll guarantee your winner", over the phone places? Don't know if anyone noticed but Sean Dingleberry dropped his lawsuit against Deadspin because all that was reported on his siutation were the facts and there was nothing there. Not sure why The Fan has not said anything about this unless maybe there was something upon his exit at the station preventing them from speaking ill about this doucher. Sincerely, Salisbury's Affliction T-Shirt
I'd be happy with them doing 65 in the 65 just to cruise on through this stretch of road before it opens up and they can put the hammer down. Right now they keep thinking every white car they see is a cop and they're worried about their insurance. They looked so awful last night I couldn't watch after the 5th, and today's lineup doesn't inspire me any. Randy Galloway could play a better 2nd than today's participant, at least he understands the game more than Joakim Noah Spider Arias.
I couldn't have said it better myself....oh wait, I did. He he.
TAP TAP, Ive slowed my roll from 73 to 70, Damn sherriff is running radar again. Im just not ready to declare this team will fail. As Dingus said about the yanks and rays, the Bosox were labeled completely done a month ago and now people are talking like they have a shot.
I'm just saying, she has big boobs and a fine booty, but, a couple of cheeseburgers and an order of fries later-and blam, she's reading in the bathroom, sneaking food while your sleeping and attaining that vaunted swamp elephant status......I'm just sayin'. Let's not be blind. The Kerg's has been following this team since 1981 and he wants to see VICTORY, but, just tap them brakes and drive 67 instead of 73....that way you can save some gas. TAP. TAP.
Merky Merk and his Funky Nuts is right, Kergo. You're so busy patting yourself on the back you're failing to realize that every team goes through periods of crap play, and only a week/two weeks ago it was all about if the Yank's wheels were shooting off. Tampa has looked like garbage in the past month too at times. All the Rangers have to do this month is maintain. We all knew the schedule wasn't their friend. Turn the calendar to September, enjoy the roster expansion, get Kins and Nellie healthy, and make some hay then. If I have to watch them suck it up in August for them to be red hot when it counts, so be it. The wheels are still solidly in place. They just put regular gas into a premium only engine, but that crap tank only lasts so long.
But 4-11 against the east on the road this year and recent series losses to Anaheim and Oakland. 6-8 in the month of August. Right, it's not time to hit the panic button yet. Yet.
C'mon Kergie, split with yanks, 2 of 3 from Bosox and now you want us all to knee jerk about two losses to the 2nd best team in baseball? If the Rangers win today, we will have gone 4-4 against the best of the East. ill take it, especially with our lineup in shambles. You are right about one thing, lots of baseball left, and just as much as you want us to tap the brakes bc of it, that also gives us plenty of time to stop the swerving and get this freight train ROLLING down the tracks straight again. If the Rangers lineup is still in shamble on Sept 18, Ill worry. Lets Go Joey Cora
Remember when I told you all to tap the brakes a bit on the Rangers and a championship. And everyone said I was just a sceptic.....start tapping! I told you that too much baseball was still on the schedule. TAP. TAP. I've seen it before, typical trap of an inexperienced team and fans; it's like you all were actually tempting fate to bite you in the $ss. Welp, fate is at the door need a pound of that fat booty. Can you imagine if Rangers face the Yanks, a now experienced DRays and/or Gardi and club in the playoffs. The wheels on this thing is being held on by bailing wire and duct tape. Just asking for some reality up in this sonofagun.
Out of gas? People from the clubhouse say this guy has plenty of gas after a Pancho's buffet outing.
Arias starting today at second against a rightie. Can't start Blanco there because he is starting at short. BTW, Rznkszykxzepczykxznksnznski pitching for the Blue Zays against Oak today
@ Ghost of GB. You are right and Dave Barnett was wrong. He was so adamant about it too! 4-11 against AL east this year. The bright side is Baltimore for four games next. Certainly they'll take 3 of 4?
N_____, n_____, n_____! God, ain't the First Amendment great?
They haven't won a game against an eastern division opponent on the road since last September!! 0-8 this year!! Yikes. @ Russell I know they suck against the AL East but they did take 3 of 4 in Boston in July
Greenburg talked about resigning Vlad in the off season. He might want to rethink that idea. There has to be a better option for DH this offseason than Vlad. He WAS a great player but now he is just showing his age. The Rangers got a great player about 5 year past his prime. Time to move on.
It's not just Vlad. It's Michael Dung as well. Batting .196 since August 1st?!?? Plus his lousy defense to boot. He's struggling mightily along with Vlad. Very fortunate we are in a weak division. Pitching is looking bad as well of late. This isnt the Rangers of June and July. Like Washington said 2 days ago, "This team better get their head's out of their asses." They haven't won a game against an eastern division opponent on the road since last September!! 0-8 this year!! Yikes.
meow, meow...meagree with the Merkin..and will expound on his point..meow..until Kins and Cruz return the lineup..meow..Jham and Vlad won't get a hell of lot to hit. Why pitch to either of them, when you can ease on down the order to the killer triumpherate of Borbon, Bengie and spare middle infielder flavor of the day..meow, meow
rest em up, get him fresh, and hope he starts raking in time for the postseason.
MMS it to someone with Twin Peaks corporate so you can lose that job too. I'm not going to deny he's in a huge slump, but let's stop blaming the heat. The Rangers play half the games on the road and the dugout in Arlington is air-conditioned. Dude steps into the sun long enough to wait in the on-deck circle and then flail madly at the plate. Plus he said he loves the heat before. It could be combination of age, creaky knees, slowing reflexes, loss of facial hair mojo, anything else, but the same old "it's hot!" crap gets old whenever someone isn't getting it done. I trust in Vlad to finally start cranking again, but I keep thinking each at bat is when it happens, and it hasn't happened yet, and me no likey.
yes he is struggling but he is making conatct and the last few day he has just been hitting them right at people. With our current lineup missing Kins and Cruz, Vlad not hitting or going 1/4 will stand out way more than when our whole top lineup is in.
First homos, wanna see a pic of my dingus