Editor's note: this writeup and its speculation about where Guerrero will end up is vastly out-of-date. He moved on to play with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Feel free to supersede this writeup.
Re-written on May 30, 2002
A ridiculously talented outfielder for the Montreal Expos baseball team.
He looks like Roberto Clemente, and not just because both are Caribbean. Like Clemente, Guerrero has a very strong throwing arm, the ability to hit for power, the ability to hit for a high batting average and the ability to hit bad balls — i.e., balls not thrown for strikes.
In 1998, Guerrero's first year as a starter, he hit .324 with 38 home runs at the age of 22. Since then, he's never failed to hit below .300, never failed to drive in 100 runs or score 100 runs. Moreover, he's improved at drawing walks in his short time in the major leagues. According to a statistical formula on baseball-reference.com, the most similiar players to him through age 25 are Willie Mays and Joe DiMaggio.
But there's one big difference between Guerrero and Clemente, Mays or DiMaggio — Guerrero plays in Montreal, in front of just over 10,000 fans per game. Neither Clemente, Mays nor DiMaggio had to contend with disinterest.
Now, in 2002, the Expos are ownerless and facing contraction after a bizarre series of events in the previous off-season. (The Red Sox' owner wanted out, so the Marlins' owner got the Red Sox and the Expos' owner got the Marlins.) If the Expos actually are dissolved — and that's a big if; there's series legal challenges waiting — then the question of the day is, "Where does Guerrero go"? Will the ex-Expos be declared free agents? If so, Guerrero might get the richest contract ever. Will there be a dispersal draft? If so, some team will be very lucky. Will he be traded to the New York Yankees? Uh ... no comment there.
Or will the Expos be the feel-good team of the 2002 season and make the playoffs? Don't laugh; as of this writing, the Expos are 26-26, just three games behind the underachieving New York Mets and Atlanta Braves. Guerrero, of course, is having a fabulous season.
Guerrero's stats can be found here: http://www.baseball-reference.com/g/guerrvl01.shtml
Guerrero has a brother, Wilton, who is also a baseball player.
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