Dear Vlady,
Congratulations! You finally made it! At long last, three years later, the “movie” you’ve hyped finally has a premier date: Friday, October 24. Game 1 of the World Series against the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers, and at home at the Rogers Centre to boot!
It’s been a great year for you, sir. Fresh off inking a 14-year, $500 million extension in your age-26 season, you’re four wins away from a World Series ring. The same World Series ring that eluded your Hall of Famer father, Vladimir Sr. Granted, he came close with the Texas Rangers in 2010, but David Freese and the St. Louis Cardinals had other ideas.
In fact, Vlady, let’s talk about your dad. Largely because, to be completely honest, you’re just as exciting a player as he was. From the raw power to the love for the game to a home run swing that can only be described as “Fuck you,” there’s a lot of his game in yours. And, unlike him, you’re in a position to spend your career with one team compared to his four: the Montreal Expos, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Texas Rangers, and Baltimore Orioles. In an era defined by free agency, movement, and maximizing one’s value, you opted to stay where it all began.
And, let’s be honest, one of the more exciting parts of yours and your teammates’ season is fending off the AL East rival Yankees. Toronto took home the AL East crown and then made fairly short work of New York in the ALDS. Must be a great feeling since, no disrespect, the Bronx Bombers have seemingly lived rent-free in your head for years.
Where do we begin? Saying you’d “Never play for the Yankees, not even dead” in 2022? What about that same season, when your walk-off hit against them in a meaningless game saw you yell “This is my house”? Or how about claiming the beef is “a personal matter, but not expanding. Here, in your words:
“It’s a personal thing. It goes back with my family. That’s my decision, and I will never change that.”
Cut to 2024, and you’re suddenly open to a trade to New York and suddenly playing the “This is business” card? Not the smartest move, but that’s just me.
Anyway, I digress. Because ever since that quote dropped in 2022, a small handful of Yankees folk, myself among them, can’t help but wonder. What did the Yankees actually do to offend Vladimir Guerrero Jr.?
Granted, impending free agents not wanting to play for the Yankees is nothing new. Cliff Lee, Vlad Sr.’s Texas teammate in 2010, cited New York fans shouting insults at his wife as a reason for choosing the Phillies in free agency. More recently, in 2023, Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds signed a team-friendly extension to remain in Pittsburgh when rumors of a move to New York grew stronger. It’s fine, New York isn’t for everybody.
The most significant case, of course, is Ken Griffey Jr. He famously shunned the Yankees before his trade to the Reds for a simple reason. When Ken Sr. was playing for the Yankees in the ’80s, Junior was asked to leave the team dugout before a game. Meanwhile, third baseman Graig Nettles’ son was allowed to remain on the field and take grounders with his dad. Not the best look with Nettles being a white player, but that’s not the point. That’s Ken Jr.’s story, and he’s sticking to it.
However, Vlady, I don’t think your reasoning is as “personal” as you claim it to be. That isn’t to say Yankees fans don’t ever cross the line with the trash talk. Every group of fans has the assholes among them. No smart and rational fans actually condone that behavior, even if we may slip up ourselves in the heat of a moment. Such is baseball, and your “This is my house” comment was probably along those lines. No harm, no foul.
Rather, this “personal” beef is probably more in line with what happened with Cliff Lee’s wife in 2010. As in, let’s zoom in on your dad’s six years with the Angels, 2004-2009. Fans might not remember that up until 2009, the Angels were basically a Yankees blood rival. Boston Red Sox 2.0 but even more frustrating. There was a period of over 20 years when the Yankees simply couldn’t solve the Angels. Joe Torre made the Hall of Fame managing the last Yankees dynasty, and yet had a losing record against the Angels.
Ergo, Vlady, this “personal” thing seems more you being a kid watching your dad play in New York, and you heard some trash talk. As in something that’s part of the game, especially when two rivals are playing. What’s more, your dad was a .318 lifetime hitter against the Yankees. Any vitriol at him, lines crossed or no, was probably no different than what was shouted at David Ortiz.
Anyway, I’m rambling. My point is this, and I’m saying this as directly as I can.
If the Toronto Blue Jays win the World Series, then Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has to explain himself. Why does he hate the Yankees? How did the team wrong him? Was it team management or just some loudmouth fans shouting at his dad?
Vlady, I’m going to level with you. This isn’t sour grapes. This is just from someone who firmly believes you put your money where your mouth is. You got your money, now open your mouth and give us the answer.
We’re not looking for anything groundbreaking or controversial, sir. If you simply said it as a means of rallying your team, we can respect that. Minorly stupid approach, yes, but we’ll accept it.
Good luck in the World Series. The Dodgers are quite the opponent. We know from experience.
Sincerely,
More New Yorkers than you may realize.
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