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Alex Guerrero (baseball)

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For the American football player, see Alex Guerrero (American football).

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Alex Guerrero
Guerrero with the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers – No. 7
Left fielder / Third baseman
Born: (1986-11-20) November 20, 1986 (age 37)
Las Tunas, Cuba
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
March 22, 2014, for the Los Angeles Dodgers
MLB statistics
(through 2015 season)
Batting average.224
Home runs11
Runs batted in36
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Alexander Guerrero Perez (born November 20, 1986) is a Cuban professional baseball left fielder and third baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He defected from Cuba in 2013 to pursue a contract in Major League Baseball.[1] He played primarily shortstop in Cuba, but has played third base and left field for the Dodgers.

Career

Cuban career

As a member of Cuba's Las Tunas team in the Cuban National Series, Guerrero was named to the 2010-2011 All-Star team[2] as well as playing for the Cuba national baseball team at the 2012 Haarlem Baseball Week [3] and the 2011 World Port Tournament.[4] He was part of the initial roster for the 2013 World Baseball Classic[5] but did not make the final roster and reportedly sat out the regular season because he was upset at his snub.[6]

U.S. career

He defected from Cuba in 2013 and obtained residency in Haiti.[7] He began training in the Dominican Republic and on September 9, 2013, it was reported that he had been cleared by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control to sign with U.S. teams.[8]

Guerrero was rumored to be signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers, with early reports putting his deal in the seven-year, $32 million area. However, his initial agents turned out to not be licensed and he switched to Scott Boras, who said the bidding was now wide open.[9] On October 21, 2013, it was reported that Guerrero had reached a new agreement with the Dodgers, that would be worth $28 million over 4 years.[10] The deal included a $10 million signing bonus and allows him to become a free agent after his age 30 season. The Dodgers officially announced his signing on October 22.[11]

Guerrero made his professional debut with the Gigantes del Cibao in the Dominican Winter League.[12] However, he dealt with hamstring issues and was limited to only 12 games, during which he hit .289.[13]

Los Angeles Dodgers

2014

Guerrero made the Dodgers' 25-man opening day roster for the 2014 season.[14] He made his MLB debut as a pinch hitter on March 22, 2014 against the Arizona Diamondbacks, but when Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson countered by putting in a right-handed pitcher, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly sent in a left-hander to pinch hit for Guerrero.[15] Guerrero had his first official at-bat the next night, and struck out. After the two-game opening series in Sydney, Australia, Guerrero was optioned to the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes.[16]

Guerrero with the Dodgers

During a game against the Salt Lake Bees on May 20, 2014, Guerrero was involved in a dugout scuffle with Albuquerque teammate Miguel Olivo in which Olivo bit off a portion of Guerrero's ear.[17] He had to undergo a complicated plastic surgery operation to reattach the ear, necessitating several days in the hospital.[18] In 65 games for the Isotopes, he played 51 games at second base, 9 in left field, 4 at shortstop and 1 at third base. He hit .329 with 15 homers and 49 RBI. The Dodgers recalled him when rosters expanded on September 1. He recorded his first Major League hit with a single to left field off of Erik Cordier of the San Francisco Giants on September 13.[19] He appeared in 13 games with the Dodgers, primarily as a pinch hitter though he did play in left field for a few innings. He had just the one hit in 13 at-bats.[20]

2015

In spring training, Guerrero made it clear he intended to exercise an unusual clause in his contract that allowed him to refuse an assignment to the minor leagues.[21] As it happened, he hit so well during spring training that he convinced the Dodgers he belonged on the opening day roster, despite concerns about his defense.[22]

In his first start of the season, Guerrero had three hits in five at-bats. One of the hits was his first MLB home run, hit off of Óliver Pérez of the Arizona Diamondbacks.[23]

After two weeks, Guerrero was hitting so well that there was clamor for him to become the regular third baseman, as incumbent Juan Uribe was getting off to a slow start.[24][25] Uribe, however, picked up his production, and Guerrero continued to be used in a utility role, playing at third base and at left field and pinch hitting.[20] Despite not being a regular starter, Guerrero was named Rookie of the Month for April 2015, his first full month in the Major Leagues. He hit .423 with five homers and 13 RBI in only 13 games.[26]

On June 2, with the Dodgers trailing the Colorado Rockies by three runs and down to their last strike in the top of the 9th inning, Guerrero hit the first grand slam of his career just over the center field wall to drive in what would be the winning run for the Dodgers.[27]

His production tailed off down the stretch but he wound up playing in 117 games with 11 homers, 36 RBI and a .224 batting average.[20]

See also

References

  1. ^ Three Teams Vying For Cuban Shortstop Guerrero Archived 2013-07-25 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "Cuba: Golden Anniversary League All-Star Team". Baseballdeworld.com. June 19, 2011. Retrieved September 9, 2013.
  3. ^ "Cuba Announces Baseball Team to Holland". News.caribseek.com. Retrieved September 9, 2013.
  4. ^ "Cuba announces 22-Man Roster for World Port Tournament". Mister-baseball.com. May 28, 2011. Retrieved September 9, 2013.
  5. ^ "Cuba Pre-Selection for the 2013 World Baseball Classic". Playersofelbeisbolcubano.wordpress.com. July 9, 2012. Retrieved September 9, 2013.
  6. ^ Martinez, Jose Luis. "Alexander Guerrero no jugará en la Serie Nacional". Desdemipalcodefanatico.wordpress.com. Retrieved September 9, 2013.
  7. ^ Pouliot, Matthew (January 21, 2013). "Reports: Shortstop Alexander Guerrero defects from Cuba". Hardballtalk.nbcsports.com. Retrieved September 9, 2013.
  8. ^ Adams, Steve. "Alexander Guerrero Cleared To Sign With MLB Teams". Mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved September 9, 2013.
  9. ^ Calcaterra, Craig (September 16, 2013). "Cuban Infielder Alexander Guerrero hires Scott Boras". hardballtimes.
  10. ^ Adams, Steve (October 21, 2013). "Dodgers To Sign Alexander Guerrero". mlbtraderumors.com.
  11. ^ Sanchez, Jesse (October 22, 2013). "Dodgers finalize deal with Cuban infielder Guerrero". mlb.com.
  12. ^ Hernandez, Dylan (October 29, 2013). "Dodgers' Dee Gordon to play center field in Dominican winter league". LA Times.
  13. ^ Stephen, Eric (January 8, 2014). "Alexander Guerrero waiting on visa, still not cleared to play in U.S." truebluela.com. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
  14. ^ Stephen, Eric (March 21, 2014). "Dodgers Opening Day roster: Tim Federowicz optioned, Matt Kemp to DL". truebluela.com. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
  15. ^ Stephen, Eric (March 22, 2014). "Scott Van Slyke, Clayton Kershaw lead Dodgers to Opening Day win". truebluela.com. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
  16. ^ "Dodgers reinstate Carl Crawford; option Alex Guerrero to Triple-A Albuquerque".
  17. ^ Moreno, Matthew (May 20, 2014). "Guerrero And Olivo Reportedly Involved In Altercation". dodgersnation.com. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
  18. ^ Hernandez, Dylan (May 22, 2014). "Dodgers president: Miguel Olivo's ear biting is 'unforgivable'". latimes.com.
  19. ^ "September 13, 2014 Los Angeles Dodgers at San Francisco Giants play-by-play and box score". Baseball Reference. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
  20. ^ a b c "Alex Guerrero Statistics & History". Baseball Reference.
  21. ^ Saxon, Mark (March 19, 2015). "Alex Guerrero starting to look like a lock". ESPN. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  22. ^ Saxon, Mark (March 23, 2015). "Alex Guerrero has forged a role". ESPN. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  23. ^ Stephen, Eric (April 12, 2015). "Alex Guerrero, Joc Pederson, Zack Greinke help Dodgers avoid sweep in Arizona". truebluela.com. Retrieved April 12, 2015.
  24. ^ Saxon, Mark (April 23, 2015). "Don Mattingly: Alex Guerrero will remain a reserve ... for now". ESPN. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  25. ^ Saxon, Mark (April 26, 2015). "Alex Guerrero is forcing the issue with Dodgers". ESPN. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  26. ^ Stephen, Eric (May 4, 2015). "Alex Guerrero named April NL Rookie of the Month". SB Nation. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  27. ^ Dilbeck, Steve (June 2, 2015). "Alex Guerrero's two-out grand slam in ninth lifts Dodgers to 9-8 win". Los Angeles Times.

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