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Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. pretty much answered all the questions last season. But, unfortunately, his main competition for the best 23-year-old in the MLB, Fernando Tatis, Jr. will miss about three months with a fractured wrist.
Last year we asked:
- If the over/under on his innings at third was 100, which would you take? 74% of us got it right. He played two innings at third. I'd expect he'll be around the same this year. Go over there if some pinch-hitting happens.
- We put the over/under of home runs at 25, and 86% of us got it right. I don't know what the other 14% were thinking. Maybe we couldn't get an entire season. Anyway, he cleared that bar by 23 home runs.
- And asked where Charlie should bat him, 41% of us said fifth. He ended up playing 135 games batting in the third spot.
The best part about his season is that we don't have to have people telling us he is a bust, and we should trade him since he was just above average at age 21 and not an MVP.
I think we have laid the argument on what position he should play (please). Yeah, he could likely be ok at third base, but good teams don't move around superstar players. Put him in a spot, leave him there and enjoy him. I don't think he gets a Gold Glove at first base as much as Buck tells us he deserves one.
Just about the only complaint about him last year was that he didn't hit with the bases loaded, but then he hit .250/.364/.625 (just 11 PA), so that wasn't true. He didn't homer every time there were bases loaded.
I haven't heard anything about him showing up to camp in 'the best shape ever,' but I'd imagine he's looking pretty good.
PECOTA expects him to play 153 games, hit 33 home runs, 112 RBI, with a .301/.389/.543 batting line, good for a 4.8 WAR. That's a fair drop from his 6.8 bWAR this year, but then that's how these things work. When you win the Hank Aaron Award for best offensive player in the AL, smart money is that there will be a bit of a drop the next year. However, ZiPS is a little more confident that he'll be near the top of the MVP vote, picking him to hit .303/.390/.585 with 43 home runs and a 5.7 WAR in 156 games.
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