Vladimir Guerrero, seen here in 2007 file photo, will be the first player to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame as an Angel. Guerrero and the other members of the Hall Class of 2018 will be inducted on Sunday, July 29 in Cooperstown. (Kevin Sullivan, Staff File)
Guest instructor Vladimir Guerrero laughs next to Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols during a spring training baseball workout Saturday Feb. 27, 2016, in Tempe, Ariz. ///ADDITIONAL INFO: angels.0228.kjs — Photo by KEVIN SULLIVAN / Orange County Register — 2/27/16 The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 2016 Angels Spring Training at Tempe Diablo Stadium Saturday February 27, 2016 in Tempe, Ariz. 2/27/16 ORG XMIT: CAANR
FILE – In this Jan. 25, 2018, file photo, Baseball Hall of Fame inductees, from left, Vladimir Guerrero, Trevor Hoffman, Chipper Jones and Jim Thome, pose during a news conference in New York. Induction ceremonies will be Sunday, July 29, 2018. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)
Guest instructor Vladimir Guerrero helps out during a Los Angeles Angels spring training baseball workout Saturday Feb. 27, 2016, in Tempe, Ariz. ///ADDITIONAL INFO: angels.0228.kjs — Photo by KEVIN SULLIVAN / Orange County Register — 2/27/16 The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 2016 Angels Spring Training at Tempe Diablo Stadium Saturday February 27, 2016 in Tempe, Ariz. 2/27/16 ORG XMIT: CAANR
Vladimir Guerrero was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame today. Photographed at Angels Spring Training Thursday February 23, 2006. (Photo by Kevin SullivanOrange County Register/SCNG)
Former Angels’ Jose Molina and Vladimir Guerrero share a laugh after the ceremonial first pitch before the Angels’ game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan/Orange County Register/SCNG)
Vladimir Guerrero was inducted into the Angels Hall of Fame Saturday.
The Angels were playing the Houston Astros
in Anaheim, CA on Saturday, August 26, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Angels were playing the Houston Astros
in Anaheim, CA on Saturday, August 26, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Vladimir Guerrero was inducted into the Angels Hall of Fame Saturday.
The Angels were playing the Houston Astros
in Anaheim, CA on Saturday, August 26, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Vladimir Guerrero was inducted into the Angels Hall of Fame Saturday. He threw out the first pitch
The Angels were playing the Houston Astros
in Anaheim, CA on Saturday, August 26, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Vladimir Guerrero was inducted into the Angels’ Hall of Fame Saturday.
The Angels were playing the Houston Astros
in Anaheim, CA on Saturday, August 26, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Vladimir Guerrero was inducted into the Angels’ Hall of Fame Saturday. He got a hug from Albert Pujols.
The Angels were playing the Houston Astros
in Anaheim, CA on Saturday, August 26, 2017. (Photo by Bill Alkofer, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Vladimir Guerrero was only 15 votes short of admission to the Hall of Fame last year. In 2016 guest instructor Vladimir Guerrero laughs next to Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols during a spring training baseball workout in Tempe, Ariz. (Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG file)
The Angels’ Vladimir Guerrero is doused with champagne by teammates after the Angels defeated the Oakland Athletics 5-4 to clinch the American League West Championship Saturday October 2, 2004 at Network Associates Coliseum in Oakland. Vladimir Guerrero was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame today. (Photo by Kevin SullivanOrange County Register/SCNG)
Vladimir Guerrero, seen here in 2007 file photo, will be the first player to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame as an Angel. Guerrero and the other members of the Hall Class of 2018 will be inducted on Sunday, July 29 in Cooperstown. (Kevin Sullivan, Staff File)
The Angels introduce their new superstar, Vladimir Guerrero at a press conference in Anaheim Stadium in 2004. Team owner Arte Moreno brought the former Montreal Expo to the Angels with a 5 year contract. (Michael Goulding, Staff File)
ORG XMIT: OAS104 Anaheim Angels’ Vladimir Guerrero is high-fived by teammates after scoring a run on a single from Troy Glaus during the second inning against the Oakland Athletics on Friday, April 23, 2004 in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
ORG XMIT: CANH102 Anahem Angels owner Arte Moreno, right, and new outfielder Vladimir Guererro, smile after a news conference, Monday, Jan. 12, 2004, in Anaheim, Calif. The four-time All-Star received the highest average salary among this offseason’s free agents, $14 million per season. In total dollars, Guerrero’s deal was behind only the $72 million, six-year agreement between shortstop Miguel Tejada and Baltimore.(AP Photo/ Nam Y. Huh)
ORG XMIT: angels09a.jpg (sports, 05-06-04, anaheim) Anaheim Angels Vladimir Guerrero at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim. (The Press-Enterprise/Terry Pierson)
ORG XMIT: ANS111 Anaheim Angels’ Vladimir Guerrero singles to left during the seventh inning against the Boston Red Sox in Anaheim, Calif., on Wednesday, June 2, 2004. Guerrero had a club-record nine RBIs, homering twice and going 4-for-4 to lead the Angels to a 10-7 win. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
ANAHEIM — The Angels are treating Vladimir Guerrero’s induction into the Hall of Fame like a family event.
More than two dozen representatives of the organization are traveling to Cooperstown this weekend for the induction festivities, to see Guerrero become the first player to go into the Hall representing the Angels.
“I think it’s really cool that he’s representing this organization,” said Tim Salmon, who will be in Cooperstown. “It’s long overdue.”
Other Hall of Famers who played for the Angels — Nolan Ryan, Rod Carew, Reggie Jackson among them — were depicted on their Hall plaques wearing caps of other franchises.
This occasion will be marked by owner Arte Moreno leading a contingent of Angels executives, broadcasters and former players to Cooperstown. Salmon, Bobby Grich and Clyde Wright will be there, as well as broadcasters Mark Gubicza, Mark Langston and José Mota, who will serve as Guerrero’s interpreter for his speech.
By choosing to represent the Angels instead of the Montreal Expos, Guerrero offered a nice hat tip to the franchise. The Angels will honor Guerrero before their game Aug. 10 at Angel Stadium.
“It’s important for our fanbase, the people who have read that the Angels are one of five clubs not to have a Hall of Famer,” said longtime vice president in charge of communications Tim Mead. “For the people who watched Vladdy, and watched the success, it’s as much a reward for them, for the people who followed us for 58 years.”
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The Miami Marlins, Colorado Rockies, Washington Nationals and Tampa Bay Rays will now be the only teams without their logo on a Hall of Fame plaque. The Nationals relocated from Montreal, and there are other players who went in representing the Expos.
Guerrero could have joined them, but he said he picked the Angels in part because he made the playoffs five of his six years in Anaheim.
In his first seven full seasons in Montreal, Guerrero was a four-time All-Star, but his teams were annually left at home in October. After the Angels signed Guerrero as a free agent prior to the 2004 season, he immediately made an impact.
He won the MVP, and led the Angels to a division title.
The Angels’ Vladimir Guerrero is doused with champagne by teammates after the Angels defeated the Oakland Athletics 5-4 to clinch the American League West Championship Saturday October 2, 2004 at Network Associates Coliseum in Oakland. Vladimir Guerrero was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame today. (Photo by Kevin SullivanOrange County Register/SCNG)
“All the questions you would have as far as switching leagues, going from a small market to a big market and having more of a spotlight on you, I think of all the players I’ve seen that have been in that position, especially changing leagues, there are some tangible things to understand, Vlad was seamless,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “It was incredible.”
Salmon, who had been with the Angels for 12 years before Guerrero took his job as the right fielder, said he fit in perfectly, in the clubhouse and on the field.
“It was very much a blue-collar club coming out of 2002,” Salmon said, referring to the World Series-winning team. “Grinders. Hard workers. He fit right in. If anything, he was even more blue collar. He was fantastic in that way… He was a superstar, but he seemed like a normal guy.”
Guerrero said having the chance to play for a contender helped him bring his game to a higher level.
“In Montreal, there were so many times when August rolled around and we were talking about packing our bags for the Dominican,” Guerrero said last week, with Mota interpreting. “My first year with the Angels, it was the first time I didn’t do that. It inspired me.”
Guerrero ended up being a key part of the most successful extended period in franchise history.
Certainly, that will be a part of his speech on Sunday afternoon in Cooperstown. Guerrero, however, said he hadn’t planned exactly what he will say.
“There’s many things that will come out and I want them to come out naturally,” Guerrero said. “My family, the fans, the many years that my mom spent cooking for me. Those are all going to be very special and are going to be mentioned.”
Guerrero added that he wasn’t yet nervous about the speech: “You never know. Let’s wait and see what happens on the 29th.”
“He will go down as the best bad ball hitter of all-time.”
There was no pitch Hall-of-Famer Vladimir Guerrero couldn’t hit. The reason why requires an exploration of his Dominican Republic roots. pic.twitter.com/yYvqV6tu9b
