Blue Jays Guerrero Adds Elite Defense to Already Impressive Skill Set

Matt Chapman probably owes one or two fingers to Matt Olson from the two platinum gloves and three gold gloves that Chapman acquired as third baseman in Oakland Athletics. After all, Olson won the Gold Glove Award on first base before A traded to the Atlanta Braves.

“I was pretty spoiled by (Olson). Two Gold Glove … he definitely saved me some mistakes,” Chapman said this week. “So when I joined the (Toronto) Blue Jays, I had a high standard. The best thing I can tell you about first baseman is to play in a place or place where you can’t move. I think that’s what I need to catch it and get rid of it … and I’ve never thought of it twice as Vladdy.

“I think he has the ability to win the Gold Glove Award. I really do.”

So let’s take a look at it. However, the sum of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s All-Star votes suggests that he is already one of those longtime fans’ favorites with popularity that can keep a strange hit on his offensive stats. doing. He is a superstar in the minds of the masses of payment and viewing. Citizens of the game.

So at this point Guerrero is not on the 2022 American League Most Valuable Player Candidate List. He’s still in his head and it’s not a bad time to think about his evolution as first baseman. Remember: the Toronto Blue Jays were nominally third baseman when they signed out to him from the Dominican Republic — the Blue Jays told him other than “batting” when they started scouting him. Asked what his favorite position was — and the Blue Jays after Josh Donaldson didn’t really have a set option on third base, but diamonds.

Of course, I know why, but do you remember Guerrero still getting the grounder in 3rd place and telling people that he still wants to be in 3rd place this offseason?

Now, here is Chapman, a man with a defensive pedigree. This suggests that Guerrero can initially be an elite defender. How do Vladdy and Sr. feel about the concept?

Especially in the early days of the Montreal Expo, Vladimir Guerrero, a senior calling card, was as much an arm to throw as his batter. So one of the spring celebrations for bear reporters covering seniors was to stand by a fence near the outfield wall during training and watch him drop a no-hop throw onto the home plate. He sometimes moved near the fence, and yes, you swear you can hear sssssszzzzt! Like a ball cut through the air.

Junior’s arm is more about maintaining the game than changing the game, but as 2022 progressed, he showed something else. It’s the aggression and creativity of playing behind the base runner. Twice this month I saw him first requesting play behind the runner. On Tuesday, he stepped on first base to retire Jackie Bradley Jr. on the ground out and then threw a throw at Bo Bichette on second base. Christian Vazquez had to walk a few steps around the bag a second and rush towards the bag, staring incredibly when Guerrero began to dust. On Wednesday, Xander Bogaerts, with first and second runners, initially moved towards Alex Verdugo.

seed.

It was planted.

“It’s Vladdy’s call … not us (dugout),” said Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo. “It’s him. Such a play is huge because you can get out of the jam. Vlady has a way to see the game intelligently. It’s him. It’s his hard work.”

Bench coach John Schneider managed guerrello on both single A and double A when the organization was incorporating shifts throughout the system. Schneider remembers how Guerrero (third baseman) asks him questions about how and why he shifts. Schneider said Guerrero was able to lead the field in positioning in Double A and to be prone to batters even at a young age. Schneider started moving the infielder … but Guerrero was already where he needed and often oversaw his teammates.

Schneider believes that Guerrero’s third base perspective can help visualize what’s on the other side of the diamond. Guerrero? He is not sure. Through the interpreter Hector Lebron, he wants to talk with the rest of the infield about the extra work he has put into it. But pride is clear. While he was spending time on first base, he was asked if his opponent would give him a nifty jibe. This is the most social position in the game. Guerrero shrugs his shoulders and says it has begun to appear. “But I won’t talk about the details,” he said before adding.

“I’m always ready. I’m always ready. If I find I can take you out, I’ll try to take you out.”

Schneider said the other Blue Jays infielders were in the spotlight.

“Vladi is an aggressive guy in the field, that’s what Charlie doesn’t like and what he encourages,” Schneider said. “And it’s not just the play he makes behind the runners. It’s something he keeps in the minds of other teams, like when they’re taking a secondary lead. That little mischief. Certainty, a few feet less of them, they run can save you. “

Chapman stopped for a moment when asked if Guerrero’s proficiency was surprising.

“I don’t want to say” yes “due to the fact that he didn’t think it was that good. Because when I came here, he knew he was athletic and had good hands, “Chapman said. “What impressed me was the speed of his feet. He has the ability to choose low throws … he’s hanging there with tight throws … and he can play far away from the bag. It’s fast enough.

“He can get there. He doesn’t have to throw the ball at the pitcher very often. He just goes to the bag himself.

“He’s just athletic and always wants to get better.”

Guerrero has entered the series this weekend against the second Tampa Bay Rays in defensive defense saved by a major league first baseman and has the same UZR rating as Olson. Guerrero is tied to first baseman in Out Above Average, including Freddie Freeman. You can analyze defense statistics to fit the story, but this is clear. In addition to being an all-star, he is a good first baseman for the championship caliber team. He’s a very plate guerrello — comparing his offensive numbers to senior numbers is the main graphic of any visit broadcast — and he also realizes defensive tensions that change the game of pedigree. May be.

“Many guys are in the majors, especially in this match. Vladi probably thinks he’s a hit-first guy, but he has an instinct for the game,” Chapman said. “A really good instinct. He’s a confident man. The whole infield now has a really high level of confidence, which will be even better.”