Vlad Jr. to Indy Ball

[Olerud363]

Forget arbitration, we need some trade value from this guy.

 

The arb system unfortunately screws his trade value. Even the OK version of Vlad where ends up 2-3 WAR doesn't have trade value because he'll get paid 25 million next year.

[wilko]

He's like Yandy Diaz

 

Pretty much. Although, Diaz physically looks like he could murder 40 baseballs a season.

[Olerud363]

Wow. Late winter thought.

 

Even if Vlad struggles again (I don't think he will, I heard a rumor he is now back to being a 230 pound lighting cat and will hit the ball like he did as a 19 year old in Montreal and New Hampshire)... well even if he did it still wouldn't be a good idea to send him to Indy Ball or worse another team.

 

I thought about this because I saw a random tweet about Gary Shefield by a Brewers fan still pissed, 30 years later, that they traded him.

 

1988 - Gary really bad

1989 - Gary at 20 worse than Vlad at 20

1990 - Gary OK in a Vlad is OK kind of way, but not amazing

1991 - Gary really bad (.194 Gary biggest failure ever)

 

Announcement - Gary traded to the Padres

 

1992 Gary hits like dream Vlad would hit (.330 30+ homeruns run at the triple crown)

 

After lots of failure Gary very good, and remains that way for 16 years or so

 

 

I've had a lot of bad takes on this board and am probably the worst poster ever. However I think the Vlad/Gary Shefield one was a good take.

 

After his big breakout season at 23, Shefield was pedestrian at 24 and got himself traded again. Really found it at 25 and was great for 10 years.

 

I guess I also remember Vernon Wells who is a bit similar to Vlad in some ways. Tore through the minors, made it to the majors at 20 (albeit very late in the season), struggled (sent down because he wasn't quite the prospect Vlad was), had a great season at 24, struggled a bit, returned to his age 24 form at age 27.... got the big contract...

 

Hope Vlad is more Gary Shefield than Vernon Wells trend wise

[Olerud363.354]

On 7/30/2020 at 6:28 PM, King said:

Vlad Jr. should be sent to play for the Chicago Dogs in the American Association.

 

Teams are giving approval for players under contract to go play independent baseball. So why does Vlad get a free pass to hit 80% groundball nukes.

 

Send this guy to independent league for a wake up call

Hate to bump this, but saw the 'C'mon Vlad' thread got bumped.

However is that all Vlad deserves?  Maybe.  Maybe it is not time yet for 'Send Vlad to Indy Ball" thread.

On fangraphs ground ball rate, hard hit rate, line drive rate, all to the low end of career norms but nothing crazy only thing crazy is a 4.3% homerun per fly ball rate.

On savant not as rosy.  Exit velocity has been decreasing since 2024 and now at 90.  

On youtube lets watch 2021 highlights - it starts off with him hitting a ball to right field like Fred McGriff would.  Like 20 rows back.   Go to the 2:25 mark and he hits a ball OVER the fountain in Kansas City.   It's pretty good just to get it to the fountain.  So sad.  Where did that guy go? 

 

 

[Laika]

We Are So Back.

[Olerud363.354]

Good Vlad - 2017, 2018 (.400 in New Hampshire), 2021, 2019/2023 homerun contests, Second half 2024, 2025 playoffs.  115 mphers high into the night. 

Frustrating Vlad - 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023 - typical game 115 mph double play, 118 mph single off the wall, 108 mph fly ball with bad spin caught at the wall.  105 mph ground ball out.  1/4.

Bad Vlad - so far only in 2026 - typical game.  88 mph ground ball on slider out of zone, 77 mph pop up on weird swing, walk ( 8 pitch at bat, none in strike zone, still swing at 4 bad ones),  93 mph medium hit liner to right (easy catch, announcer says, "better contact that time, but right to the right fielder")

At this point we can only hope for a return of Frustrating Vlad. 

[Masterbather]

Maybe he was on the Tatis stuff. Maybe they're both off the Tatis stuff.

[glory]

This thread will be bumped in 2032 when Vlad will still have 7 years left on his contract. 

[Olerud363.354]

33 minutes ago, Masterbather said:

Maybe he was on the Tatis stuff. Maybe they're both off the Tatis stuff.

Could he be on Ozempic?  I wonder if any players take that for weight.  Like when Vlad was chubby he always did crazy offseason workouts to get to a solid 250 from his natural chubby 290.

However what if Ozempic can keep him at 250 without the workouts, but it's a much softer 250?  Baseless speculation but just wondering what the effect of Ozempic would be on a chubster athlete.  

[Terminator]

The fine people of Jays Centre have had enough Vlad

WE DEMAND HOME RUNS OR ELSE

[Masterbather]

37 minutes ago, Terminator said:

The fine people of Jays Centre have had enough Vlad

WE DEMAND HOME RUNS OR ELSE

I held my tongue for almost two months and a half out of respect for his playoff run but he's worse now than he's ever been.

At this point he needs ritual sacrifice.

[Joltin Joe]

That's what the big money will do

[Olerud363.354]

20 hours ago, Masterbather said:

At this point he needs ritual sacrifice.

Cito Gaston hitting coach, he will demand he pull dat ball with great exit velocity or he will sit for someone who can like Elyn Sosa

[Olerud363.354]

Joey Loperfido  now has more homers at Rogers Center this year then Vlad.  And he was traded to the Astros. 

Jays lose in agonizing fashion, destroying the bullpen and causing several downstream losses and Vlad has no exit velocities over 100 and leaves many stranded this thread gets bumped.

Jays lose in regular fashion (don't destroy bullpen) and Vlad has a horrible day but hit a ball over 100 (even if grounder double play) the 'Cm'on Vlad' thread gets bumped.

Jays win, or Vlad has a couple hits neither thread gets bumped.

Vlad hits a homerun at over 108 mph neither thread gets bumped for 10 days. 

Those are the rules.  If this thread annoys you hope Vlad stops playing like 38 year old Miguel Cabrera and more like 29 year old Miguel Cabrera. 

[Terminator]

 

[Laika]

It is impossible to overstate how utterly broken Guerrero Jr. is

It's like he is playing with one arm AND THAT IS NOT EVEN AN EXAGGERATION. TAKE 2021 VLAD AND CUT OFF ONE OF HIS ARMS AND THIS IS PROBABLY HOW MANY HOMERS HE WOULD HAVE. 

[Laika]

hypothetically if Vlad Jr. got, say, 10 PAs off of Tyler Heineman in a blowout, lobbing it in at 55 mph, do we think Vlad would homer even once? 

[bronson44]

1 hour ago, Laika said:

hypothetically if Vlad Jr. got, say, 10 PAs off of Tyler Heineman in a blowout, lobbing it in at 55 mph, do we think Vlad would homer even once? 

Maybe he should do the home run derby this year to see if he remembers how. I normally don't like our guys doing it but it might help him.

[gruber9292]

9 minutes ago, bronson44 said:

Maybe he should do the home run derby this year to see if he remembers how. I normally don't like our guys doing it but it might help him.

What's the difference in just launching balls during BP? 

[bronson44]

Mostly the stage

[bronson44]

2 minutes ago, gruber9292 said:

What's the difference in just launching balls during BP? 

Mostly the stage

[gruber9292]

5 minutes ago, bronson44 said:

Mostly the stage

If he truly needs that type of atmosphere then he's beyond lost. 

[Omar]

During yesterdays broadcast, Sportsnet was showing how Vladdy was going oppo during batting practice; not homers either, just slap singles.  Who is counselling this guy?  Seems like the Jays better take some drastic measures wrt his coaching and his psychological makeup.  

[hanton]

25 minutes ago, Omar said:

During yesterdays broadcast, Sportsnet was showing how Vladdy was going oppo during batting practice; not homers either, just slap singles.  Who is counselling this guy?  Seems like the Jays better take some drastic measures wrt his coaching and his psychological makeup.  

yea I saw it as well, I think they have given up.  

[Spanky__99]

1 hour ago, gruber9292 said:

What's the difference in just launching balls during BP? 

Confidence.

[glory]

From February 2020:

Montoyo joked earlier in camp that he’ll have Guerrero doing pushups any time he hits a ground ball in batting practice, and the topic is clearly on the hitter’s mind, too.

“I’ve been working with Guillermo a lot on the launch angle,” Guerrero said. “Last year, there were a lot of balls that hit at the wall. This year, hopefully, I’ll put them in the air so they go out.”

This has been an issue with him for over 6 years. It is what it is at this point. Some years he will be elite, others he will be average, and we have no idea what is coming year to year until he physically declines. If that decline has already begun, then god help us.