DUNEDIN, Fla. – As Vladimir Guerrero takes the next step towards his goal of 500 career home runs with, his signing with the Toronto Blue brings his career somewhat full circle.
With assistant general manager Tony LaCava looking on, the spiky dreadlocked slugger was back in extended spring training game action Tuesday, reaching on an error in his first at-bat, promptly stealing second and scoring on a base hit, before lining a single only to get picked off in his next trip up.
Before taking the field, he met with a small group of reporters to discuss his signing a minor-league deal with the Blue Jays.
He says he feels strong and far healthier than he did last year with the Baltimore Orioles and he is hoping to play some left field as well.
"I feel a lot better," he said in comments interpreted by Jay Alou, one of his representatives. "Last year I had some pain in my left knee, I've never had surgery on that one, I've had surgery on the right one and that would cause me to put a lot of stress on the left.
"But I feel very, very strong and right now ,no pain, and I feel really good about it."
The Blue Jays have repeatedly said there is no timeframe for him to join the club, but Guerrero is speeding up the process by coming to camp fit and in good shape. The club has said his next step is to play in some minor-league games and he could be sent out as soon as Wednesday.
Guerrero is 51 home runs shy of the 500 plateau, which he says is his "goal right now" because it "would pretty much seal my career. That's my immediate goal."
"I would love to play for three or four more years," he added later, "but definitely, that is a number that I can give you, the 51 home runs to get out of the way."
Guerrero signed with the Blue Jays about a week after switching his agents. The Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks also expressed interest, but the chance to play for the Blue Jays and return to Canada, where he started what is likely a Hall of Fame career with the Montreal Expos, tipped the scales.
"I feel like this where I started, it's not the same city, but it's Canada, and I think going back there is like (being) renewed," said Guerrero. "I feel like I'm going to be very, very comfortable."
The impression he's left at extended spring training isn't from the flurry of jaw-dropping home runs he's launched during batting practice alone. He's spent time chatting with many of the young players at camp, setting an example for them to emulate.
"The thing is he doesn't big-league anybody," said Daniel Norris, a left-hander chosen by the Jays in the second round last year. "I don't talk to him, I'm kind of nervous, but me and Tom Robson were walking out one day and he was sitting there talking to some of the Latin guys. Tom walks up and pats him on the shoulder, 'What's up man?' And he was like, 'Hey, what's up?' He just talks to everybody and that's awesome, a Hall of Famer and he takes time to talk to everybody.
"That's good for us to see because there are going to be big-leaguers and Hall of Famers here and for them to see a guy like that is an awesome example. He's a Hall of Famer but he still treats people with respect. That's really cool."
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