It is safe to say that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has leaped out of his father’s shadow–no easy feat when your father is a Hall of Famer.
Major League Baseball’s latest phenom – Vladimir Guerrero Ramos Jr. – is no stranger to the bright lights and pressure-cooker atmosphere surrounding professional sports. Having grown up as the son of a famous baseball player, Vladimir Guerrero, Sr., Vladdy Jr. is accustomed to the requirements needed to play at the highest level.
And, today, Guerrero Jr. is thriving as a big-league star for the Toronto Blue Jays.
After playing 183 games in his first two seasons for the Blue Jays, the Canadian/Dominican-born star had shown promising signs of elite-level talent, and he is enjoying a breakout campaign in just his third pro season. In 67 games, Vladdy leads the league in HRs and RBIs, and owns a .340+ batting average. Early-season success has propelled him to lead the league in all-star voting.
Jr.’s uptick in production can be attributed to off-season training/dieting, which resulted in him losing over 42 lbs.
Guerrero Jr. realized he was overweight, and trimming down was necessary to improve his game. So he reached out to a private trainer, Junior Rodriguez. and his grandmother, Altagracia Alvino, who cooked his meals. With a plan, supporters, and dedication, Guerrero Jr., went from weighing nearly 300 to 245 lbs. To ensure that he sticks to his diet, Grandmother Alvino continues living with her grandson.
Result? Guerrero Jr. has more endurance, and that vigor is showing in his play. In fact, Jr.’s play reminds me of another Guerrero … his dad. And that, fans, is saying something!
Guerrero Sr. played 16 seasons in the Majors as a right fielder and DH, accumulating 449 home runs and a career batting average of .318 with 1496 RBI. Along the way, he was named the American League Most Valuable Player (2004), the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter (2010), was nominated for the All-Star game nine times, and won eight Silver Slugger awards. His was a Hall of Fame career.
‘Like father, like son’ is the old saying, and that applies to this Sr.-Jr. comparison. To see what I mean, let’s look at Jr.’s 2021 stats vis-a-vis Sr.’s 2004 MVP stats through 65 games.
| Guerrero, Jr. 2021 (65 games, 2021) | Guerrero, Sr. (65 games, 2004) |
| .345 batting average | .343 batting average |
| 22 home runs | 15 home runs |
| 56 RBI | 56 RBI |
| .450 on-base percentage | .589 on-base percentage |
| .690 slugging percentage | .589 slugging percentage |
| 1.139 on-base plus slugging | .978 on-base plug slugging |
Like father, like son — only better, and keep in mind, Guerrero Jr. is only 22 years old and is only in his third full season in the Majors.
The greatest thing a father can ask is for a son to succeed in life and to eclipse his own accomplishments while he is at it. So, if I were Vladimir Guerrero Sr., I would be one proud papa!
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is MLB’s ‘next big thing.’
