Ugh. Just hang 'em up, Vlad.

Nobody needs .250/.305/.350 from a DH in 2013.

But, Vernon Wells is making $42 million for that over the next two years, so maybe blame your agent....

Jim, you are delusional. What in the world makes you think Vernon Wells can break .300 in OBP?

Actually, there is no way Vlad could put up that line as posted. Once his power dipped the intentional walks went away, leaving little daylight between his BA and OBP. In his last year with the Orioles he hit .290 for a .317 OBP. So either he's got enough bat to hit .280, or else the OBP will be well south of .300.

That said, I would be happy to offer Vlad an outfield job. My office will be putting the softball team back together, we play games on the DC mall. This league worked for Bryce Harper, and if the Nats suffer a rash of outfield injuries, he'll be a lot closer than if he were playing in Asia.

I figured Vlad's last chance was last year with the Jays. They needed a platoon partner at DH with Lind or just to replace Lind. Strangely he seemed to hit well (358/364/679 with 4 HR in 53 AB's) but wasn't given a shot. The 'however' though is a lot of that damage was in the FSL. In AAA he hit just 303/314/424 in Vegas with 0 HR - that is quite poor given the run environment. Still, it would've been interesting to give him one last shot I thought. Maybe someone is desperate enough to give him a shot (Houston?) but I suspect the end has come.

Houston already has a half-dozen DHs. Maybe Cleveland? Tampa Bay? China seems like your best bet Vlad.

The Yankees need an outfielder.

i was in the dominican recently and i could have sworn i saw vlad at an event. but we were leaving and really couldn't stay so i couldn't get closer to be sure. but boy it looked like him from a distance

but then my eyes are pretty shot and i had been drinking a bit so maybe it was haley barbour for all i know...................

If Houston isn't interested, maybe he needs to reconsider.

He can play in Taiwan! Manny and Vlad, teammates at last!

Vlad seems like the type of player who has been inordinately helped by Coors Field: A righthanded hitter with medium-range power and a poor K/W ratio. That describes Bichette, Castilla, Galarraga and a few other guys who have done well for the Rockies. And really, he couldn't be much worse than Cuddyer.

Houston isn't interested, not because he isn't great, but because he isn't young. More evidence that Houston may know what they're doing after all.

That'd be fun - a year or two in Colorado and see if he can get to 500 HR. As an old Expos fan I'd love to see Vlad do that and then go to the HOF as an Expo. Right now I doubt he gets in though.

He might have gotten a shot last year if he'd shown a little patience instead of throwing a hissy fit over not getting called up after a couple games at aaa. You blew it Vlad. Time to let go.

Once his power dipped the intentional walks went away, leaving little daylight between his BA and OBP. In his last year with the Orioles he hit .290 for a .317 OBP. So either he's got enough bat to hit .280, or else the OBP will be well south of .300.

Yeah - I didn't look at BBRef before generating that line. I am still remembering Vlad with TEH FEAR, thus boosting his walk rate.

I really enjoyed watching Vlad for most of his time in LA, but that last year really soured me on him. He was a mess. Then the resurgence in Texas just ticked me off.

I enjoy the headline. Vlad announces he's mounting a comeback and five minutes later three different teams announce they're not interested.

Maybe that can be this spring training's running headline.

"[Major League Team] announced today that they are also not interested in Vladimir Guerrero."

Sure, the Oakland A's would screen the call if Vlad gave them a ring.

Is there any chance that the Alfonso Soriano meme morphs into the Vlad meme?

In 1997, one of the big questions was, "Who would be better, Vladimir Guerrero or Andruw Jones?" They both had great careers, but to see both of them now reduced to joke status is sad.

Is there any chance that the Alfonso Soriano meme morphs into the Vlad meme?

I was thinking the Whitey Herzog meme was more appropriate.

My office will be putting the softball team back together, we play games on the DC mall.

People still do that, eh? I retired from mall ball 20 years ago, but maybe I could make a comeback :)

-- MWE

Sure, the Oakland A's would screen the call if Vlad gave them a ring.

Clearly Vlad would be a fitting add to the "great player who is a shadow of himself with the A's" list

Clearly Vlad would be a fitting add to the "great player who is a shadow of himself with the A's" list

True. I think he may be too toasty even for the cameo, though.

In 1997, one of the big questions was, "Who would be better, Vladimir Guerrero or Andruw Jones?" They both had great careers, but to see both of them now reduced to joke status is sad.

Every player winds up at joke status if he lives long enough. Considering both Vlad and Andruw put up borderline HOF careers, I don't see much cause for sadness. I suppose you could play some "what if" with respect to Andruw and his weight, but fat or no, his career was nothing to be ashamed of.

In other news apparently the Twins and Jim Thome are considering a reunion.

Every player winds up at joke status if he lives long enough. Considering both Vlad and Andruw put up borderline HOF careers, I don't see much cause for sadness. I suppose you could play some "what if" with respect to Andruw and his weight, but fat or no, his career was nothing to be ashamed of.

Some players lose most of their ability but not the ego that came with the greatness. The ones who can't get a job offer to their liking as their career fades and cannot understand why. Some players can set aside the ego, and take whatever role is offered - like Jason Giambi sticking around as pinch hitter. Very few get to leave the game on their own terms the way Chipper Jones did, still playing regular at his primary position, and still one of the better players on the team.

Most ordinary players, you don't notice a fall. One day the season opens up and they just aren't there anymore.

People still do that, eh? I retired from mall ball 20 years ago, but maybe I could make a comeback

It's pretty popular in the summer evenings. So many teams it's hard to get a spot. We've applied for a field permit, but those are limited. We didn't get one last year so we had to have someone stake out an open field for 3-4 hours before game time.

He's got nothing left. To steal an old Baseball Prospectus line, he's come back from a bad season before, but he's never been this old or this bad before.

And he's missed a year.

Vlad's done. Hall?

Hall?

Borderline yes on getting voted in. 318 career BA, MVP, 3 other top 5 finishes (man they loved voting for him on the Angels), 9 AS games, seems popular with the press, could use a BA/HR/RBI title or two though. His career sim players is actually not a bad list -- Bagwell, Walker, Rice, Stargell, B Williams at the top. He's obviously better than Rice and there's no reason he shouldn't get the Williams/Stargell treatment but then there's no reason he shouldn't get the Walker/McGriff treatment.

On deserve? At least borderline obviously. That 318 BA pushes him up to a 379 career OBP which ain't bad (but not amazing for the era). I think I'd put him behind Edgar which probably has him just on the outside of my personal HoF.

I am surprised that even with 9000 PA he only adds up to 55 WAR. He's not getting mauled for defense, baserunning or DPs.

Lance Berkman is really having a quietly outstanding career.

In 1997, one of the big questions was, "Who would be better, Vladimir Guerrero or Andruw Jones?" They both had great careers, but to see both of them now reduced to joke status is sad.

It took me a minute to realize that it was SIXTEEN YEARS AGO.

I'm going to go lie down now.