Struggling Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Sits Again

[Red Sox 10, Blue Jays 8]

Charlie Montoyo opted to sit Vladimir Guerrero Jr. once again. Now, Guerrero Jr. is definitely struggling. Take a look at this graph of his exit velocity.

It just seems like he’s worn down or something. While what he did at the Home Run Derby was nothing short of incredible, against big league pitching he is seeming over-matched. It’s been a while since I feel like I saw him do something impressive with the bat.

And although he’s going to be plenty of fun – he’s not the type of two-way player that will ‘wow’ you a ton with the glove. So if Guerrero Jr. isn’t hitting much, it’s going to be tough for him to WAR-out like some of the guys around the game who still make a game-changing throw from the outfield or defensive set of plays.

I guess I have a sense of frustration on a couple things.

1. If Guerrero is the first ’80’ hit tool prospect, what the hell are these other guys who enter the game and wreck things at a young age? I feel duped on that.
2. Obviously, I love baseball. MLB finally did a good job marketing Vlad Jr. properly. As they should, people care. People want to see him play and if he’s good, it should popularize the sport. Moreover, he has the chance to do it across three countries; USA, Canada, and the Dominican. Since baseball is my favorite thing outside of my children, I need this guy to work out and be the biggest star since Patrick Mahomes.
3. I have sunk a TON of money into his collectibles – the kiss of death.
4. Lastly, Charlie Montoyo drives me up a fuckin’ wall. Perhaps it’s just the Blue Jays’ handling of Guerrero as a whole. I just don’t feel like they’re developing him right at the big league level. No one credible on the coaching staff, and it’s not like Montoyo is going to stick around and win divisions. How he’s shuffled him around in the lineup and the excessive rest isn’t doing anything for the guy. When he’s struggling – with no great veterans around – do you sit in Montoyo’s office and listen to his tales of glory? No. Montoyo is a bum.

Something worth noting – with the Blue Jays expected to do a flurry of deals at the deadline – it’s worth them acquiring a veteran who can hit a little bit and be an added voice for Guerrero.

While I can’t think of who this might be, there’s got to be a guy. And certainly that should be easier for a big league scouting department to identify than who will be the next C-level prospect they can acquire who will work out.

It’s an investment that would pay off in the long-term. And come on Vladito, this guy is rooting for you to turn it around.

I feel like we will see Guerrero Jr. hit a flurry of home runs in September when no one is watching, with 6 or 7 of them coming on NFL Sundays when everyone is doing something else. That would be a real shame for the sport.