Guerrero steals Derby spotlight

CLEVELAND – As Vladimir Guerrero Jr. walked up the tunnel from the dugout to the American League clubhouse at Progressive Field, he balled a fist with his left hand and gently thumbed the bloody blister on the side of his index finger. 

The Toronto Blue Jays’ phenom had just delivered one of the greatest displays in Home Run Derby history Monday night, and he wanted a few souvenirs. He looked for a few baseballs with no luck before asking a clubhouse attendant for five baseballs after delivering 91 souvenirs to fans in the bleachers.

Guerrero captivated the crowd of 36,119 with a combined 91 home runs over three impressive rounds, including a thrilling semifinal slugfest with the Dodgers’ Joc Pederson. He ultimately lost in the final round, 23-22, to Mets rookie Pete Alonso, who hit a combined 57 home runs.

The final was rather pedestrian compared to the semifinals in which Guerrero and Pederson each opened with 29 home runs to force another extra round and then another before finally determining a winner.

“That was elite hitting,” Alonso said of the Guerrero-Pederson semifinal. “That was the best, some of the best rounds of (batting practice) I’ve ever watched. That was up there with. I think that was even better than Josh Hamilton round (of 28 in 2008) because of both of them going back and forth and clawing back the way Joc did.

“He had his work cut out for him. But the way he came back, that’s just mental fortitude right there. That was a hell of a shot. I don’t know if we’re ever going to see that again. That was special, so definitely going to remember that one for sure.”

At 20 years and 114 days, Guerrero became the youngest player to ever compete in the Home Run Derby. He then set a record for home runs in a round with 29 in the first round.

He tied that record at the start of the second round, and Pederson matched it immediately. Guerrero ultimately finished with 40 home runs combined in the semifinal round to eliminate Pederson.

“I told (Pederson), ‘Well, I thought you were going to beat me,” Guerrero said. “He told me the same thing. He said, ‘You beat me, but I was already tired.’”

Guerrero joined his father, the Hall of Fame slugger, to become the first father-son duo to ever compete in the Home Run Derby. His dad won the title during the 2007 All-Star Game festivities.

Junior noted that the format was different when his father won the Derby in 2007, when players were given 10 outs to hit as many home runs as possible.

Guerrero Sr. hit 17 combined over three rounds when he won the title, beginning with five in the first, nine in the second and three in the finals. The Hall of Famer’s display was modest compared to the showcase his son put on at Progressive Field.

“It’s very different,” Guerrero Jr. said. “Like I said, nobody has to give you advice. Hit the ball out, and that’s it.”

He hadn’t spoken with his father before addressing the media Monday night or even seen the “OMG” tweet his dad posted during the Derby.

Nonetheless, he was certain how his father felt.

“I feel proud,” Guerrero said. “I know my family feels proud too.”

Guerrero refused to say the extra semifinal rounds affected him adversely in the final round.

“No because you know no matter what I was going to be tired,” he said. “It was nothing, nothing necessary. Everything turned out well, thank God.”

Although he was proud of his historic performance, he modestly downplayed it by predicting that somebody might come along and break his mark in two or three years.

He also noted that the workload Monday night hardly compared to his offseason routine.

“I do more swings in the offseason in one day than that,” he said. “I make 1,000-1,500 with a heavy bat, not that bat.”

Whatever the case, the extra swings took a toll on the 6-foot-2, 250-pound rookie. That much was clear by a blister on his left index finger.

He admitted that he got a little bit tired and then in the same breath he smiled and said he got very tired. 

He left Progressive Field with no doubts.

“What God has for you, nobody takes it away from you,” he said. “God had that (title) for (Alonso), and he won.”

Guerrero has faith and plenty of talent, and he showed both by giving the baseball world a glimpse of his immense promise for the future.

Featured Image: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images Sport