Manny Machado chasing Pedro Guerrero’s 1981 legacy
By Armando Soldevila
When the World Series begins on Tuesday, the eyes of the baseball world will be on Manny Machado for a number of reasons.
His production on the field – a Dodgers-leading three home runs and nine RBI – coupled with his upcoming free agency make him a fascinating study in how much money each at-bat or defensive play could be worth in the next five to ten years.
His unfortunate tripping incident in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series put a spotlight on his attitude.
But for some, his Dominican heritage in Dodger blue evokes memories of the first Dominican-born World Series Most Valuable Player. It has been 37 years since Pedro Guerrero was one of three co-MVPs of the Fall Classic.
Will Machado follow suit?
Guerrero’s Classic
In 1981, Guerrero also was coming off a strong regular season, finishing the year with a .300 batting average and an All-Star berth. His first big season with the Dodgers helped him become a fan favorite in Los Angeles and a hero in his Dominican Republic.
Unlike Machado, Guerrero struggled in the first two rounds of the playoffs that year. He managed only five hits in 39 plate appearances, two of which left the yard.
But Guerrero bounced back with a big World Series. In six games Guerrero had four extra-base hits and seven RBI.
It was in the clinching game for Los Angeles that Guerrero came through biggest. He tripled home two runs in the fifth, drove in one run with a single in the sixth and hit a home run in the eighth.
At the end of the night Guerrero was 3-for-5 with five runs driven in. He shared World Series MVP honors with Ron Cey and Steve Yeager.
El matatán
Carlos José Lugo, assistant general manager of Tigres del Licey in the Dominican winter baseball league, is one of the most respected baseball analysts in the Dominican Republic.
He made the bold claim that Guerrero could easily be called the best Dominican player in the majors in the early 80’s, adding that Guerrero showed what type of hitter he was in winter ball dominating for Estrellas Orientales and Leones del Escogido before the 1981 big league season.
Lugo didn’t stop there with his high praise of Guerrero.
“Pedro has been the best Dominican position player in Dodger history,” Lugo told La Vida Baseball. “Of all Dominicans, he had the biggest impact. You have Manny Ramírez, but his time there was really short.”
Guerrero was an exciting hitter that reminded some of Rico Carty, who was also born in the town of San Pedro de Macorís. He received MVP votes in four of his eleven seasons in Los Angeles and drove in more than 100 runs twice.
According to Lugo, Guerrero was as big a deal in his home country during his playing days as Albert Pujols, David Ortiz and Robinson Canó have been in their eras.
“He was No. 1. He was ‘el matatán’ of Dominican baseball,” said veteran baseball analyst Bienvenido Rojas, using local slang meaning a person that dominates a specific area of work or sport.
“He was loved by the fans, and even artist Cheché Abreu wrote a merengue song dedicated to Guerrero, called ´La Negra Pola,´ after his local nickname.”
Last year, Guerrero suffered a stroke in his home in Queens, N.Y. Many feared the worst. When he went into a coma, it seemed the former Dodger star would never recover.
“It is a miracle that Pedro is alive, completely conscious and speaking clearly two days after a doctor basically declared him brain dead,” his wife, Roxanna Guerrero told ESPN after he suffered the stroke.
Setting the Bar
Guerrero’s World Series performance 37 years ago is still loved by Dodgers fans just as he is remembered as a generational great in the Dominican Republic.
If Machado can step up under the bright lights of Fenway Park and Dodger Stadium the way Guerrero did in 1981, he will add his name to the history books.
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