Author: Sports Radio Service

Photo credit: @ChicagoSports

By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

Vladimir Guerrero was one of four players inducted to the 2018 National Baseball Hall of Fame on Wednesday. He opted to go into Cooperstown with the Los Angeles Angels hat instead of his first MLB team, the Montreal Expos. Guerrero is a pioneer for the Los Angeles Angels as he is the first ever member of the Angels to be inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in their franchise history that began in 1961.

Not only is Guerrero the first ever to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame as an Angel, but he is also the first ever position player born in the Dominican Republic to go into Cooperstown–the other two are pitchers, Juan Marichal (1983)and Pedro Martinez (2015).

Guerrero was in New York and appeared on the MLB Network.

“I’m forever thankful, for this beautiful moment” Guerrero said through Jose Mota (Fox Sports interpreter and broadcast partner). At the BBWAA news conference Thursday at the St. Regis Hotel in Manhattan, New York. This was his first public appearance since his election. He was with the Class of 2018: Chipper Jones, Jim Thome and Trevor Hoffman.

I look at Vladdy and that reward for all that hard work,” Angels owner Arte Moreno said. “I look at the fans, because they got to see a great player–and we’ve had some really good players come through Anaheim. Obviously, Rod Carew was there, Nolan Ryan was there for a long time. There were a bunch of really good players. But to see someone wear our colors [entering the Hall] is a proud moment for our fans.”

With the Angels in six seasons, Guerrero hit .319 with 173 home runs, 616 runs batted in in 846 games and won the American League MVP in 2004. Previously with the Expos, he played eight years with .323 with 234 home runs as well as 702 runs batted in 1,004 games. His last two seasons were in 2010 with the Rangers, where he played 152 games .300 with 29 home runs and 115 runs batted in, and in 2011 with the Baltimore Orioles, where he played 145 games, hit .290 with 13 home runs and 63 runs batted in.

For the very humble man from the Dominican Republic, this was his greatest moment in his professional baseball career, which he is enjoying with all his family. He will still have to make an acceptance speech on July 29th when his plaque will be unveiled at Cooperstown.

Covering Vladimir Guerrero was a real pleasure. He was a man that played with tremendous joy of the game. He had a truly stellar career where he played with class and great dignity. He was also a consummate five-tools baseball player with one of the best arms from right field in recorded history. Not to mention one of the most popular baseball players ever. I am sure I will see him again this season in Anaheim.

Felicidades Vladimir. Te lo mereces.

Photo credit LA Angels: LA Angels announcer Jose Mota (left), Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero (center) and LA Angels announcer Amaury Pi-Gonzalez (right)

By: Amaury Pi-Gonzalez

Larry “Chipper” Jones, Vladimir Guerrero, Jim Thome and Trevor Hoffman are part of the one percent of all the MLB players in history that have been able to make it to the most prestigious sports Hall of Fame in America. Today, the votes were made public and on July 29, this quartet will be enshrined at Cooperstown, New York. Combined with the induction last December of Jack Morris and Allan Trammel (Modern Baseball Era Committee selection), that means a total of six players’ plaques will be unveiled this July 29 at Cooperstown. This ties the maximum inducted in this decade, with the 2014 class of Greg Maddux, Frank Thomas, Tom Glavine, Tony LaRussa, Bobby Cox and Joe Torre.

The official announcement was made Wednesday live on MLB Network around 3 pm PT. Chipper Jones made it on his first try, while Vladimir Guerrero and Trevor Hoffman were very close in 2017 and were expected to make it this year.

Here was the final percentage of the vote: (at least 75% needed to get in)

Larry “Chipper” Jones: 97.2

Vladimir Guerrero: 92.7

Jim Thome: 89.8

Trevor Hoffman: 79.9

In their sixth year of eligibility, these three got a slight increase from 2017 totals, but still fell short:

Roger Clemens: 57.3

Barry Bonds: 56.4

Curt Schilling: 51.2

Many believed Edgar Martinez was going to make it this year, but he ended up with 70.4 percent. However, his numbers have been trending up and could easily be elected next season. In the history of designated hitters, he was one of the very best. It is always a disadvantage and I know baseball fans as well as professionals that have seen many decades of baseball who still believe that the DH should not be in the Hall of Fame. For the record, Martinez played 16 years in the majors, and 12 of those years he played third-base, also play some first base.

Jones will be inducted with the Atlanta Braves uniform, Jim Thome with the Cleveland Indians, Trevor Hoffman with the San Diego Padres; but to this day, we do not know if Vladimir Guerrero is going with the Montreal Expos or the Los Angeles Angels. He played for the Expos in his first eight years, the next six with the Angels, and the final two: one year with Rangers and one with the Ori.

Last year, Guerrero sat with yours truly and my broadcast partner Jose Mota at Angel Stadium’s FOX Sports (Spanish) telecast. I believe he was tilting towards going in as an Angel. As a matter of fact, he was there because the Angels retired his #27 jersey prior to the game.

The 2019 first time eligible are:

Mariano Rivera

Roy Halladay

Todd Helton

Andy Pettitte

Lance Berkman

I would say you can bet your house that Mariano Rivera will go in. The American League Reliever of the Year is called “The Mariano Rivera Reliever of the Year. He ended his career with a record 652 saves. If he doesn’t get in next year, there should be an investigation in Washington D.C. Also, I do not even want to think what would happen in Panama.