Matheson on Guerrero Jr.'s home run impact, his bat heating up and the AL Wild Card race
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How did Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s first home run at the Rogers Centre change the atmosphere?
Vladdy's got himself a home run at the Rogers Center. Keegan Matheson was down there. He's down there tonight. And let's head down to the Dome. Here he is from MLB.com joining us here on the Maple Toyota Hotline. Keegan, what a moment yesterday. What was that like? Vladdy finally hitting a home run down at the Dome.
Oh, tears in my eyes, guys. It's been so long. You know, it was great timing yesterday because, let's be honest, it's NFL Sunday. My attention's a bit divided. I used to be able to just write Vladdy stories every day, right? So I got to play the hits. And then I turned my attention to watching the Packers just fill their diaper. It was a great day. But, man, they've been waiting on that. They've been waiting on this a long time. You could feel it in here. Like, you really could feel the relief from his teammates. You could feel it from Vladdy. And that does not compare to anything else.
What impact did the crowd’s reaction and boos have on Vladdy’s confidence after the home run?
Like John Snyder said, it felt like a walk-off home run. Kind of did. People were jumping over the railings, bobbing this guy. It took him long enough, but he enjoyed every single second of watching that thing, too.
Well, Keegan, the contrast of how things were towards him on Friday night, night and day. I mean, a lot of those people are the same fans that were voicing their disapproval on Friday night. I'm sure there was a sense of excitement for him just based on how things have gone for him recently, correct?
Oh, definitely. And maybe that helps. You know, we've seen guys a lot over the years in any sport, great athletes, whether they actually have haters or they just make up their own haters, sometimes it helps. And the boos that Vladdy got, they were real. Now, they weren't loud, like I've been in New York and Philly and markets that really boo people. They don't really boo players here at the Dome, Blue Jays players, but there were some boos. And that's notable here. They were really coming down on Vlad. You saw that shift where people were starting to cheer for him. They know that it's going badly. And a player's going to hear that, man. Vladdy has been the golden boy his entire life. through the minor leagues in Lansing and New Hampshire and Dunedin.
When he was a kid growing up in the Dominican, he has been the golden boy, the face of every team he's ever been on. And this is one of the first years guys in Vladdy's whole life where things haven't gone well, where he has not been the best player on the team.
How is Guerrero Jr.'s recent success influencing his mental approach and future performance?
And that's got to hit you a little differently. I don't care if you're 15 years old or 27, it's got to hit you strange. And I think that has been impacting him a little bit, just on a human level, like it would any of us. But a big relief for him and probably a big relief for him just to not talk about it anymore because it's the
only question he got,
rightfully
so. Keegan Hayes said that he thinks Vladdy's in a great spot because ultimately he has an opportunity to just ride in on his horse and be the savior here and get hot. and be the guy that got the Jays in at the end. He did hit a home run in Cleveland, and then after that, it basically went away again. How do you handicap his chances of after this one and the momentum of his success yesterday, him just being that guy that rides in on the horse and is the savior for the Jays?
I feel like I've fallen for that story every time he's hit a home run this year. So I'm hesitant, right? I remember back to one of his first home runs this season in Chicago against the White Sox. Oh, there he is. There comes Vladdy. And I feel that probably because I've written the story 10 or 20 times. Oh, he had a good week. Here he comes. He homered. Here he comes. Oh, there's a couple loud doubles. Those will turn into home runs. Here he comes. And it hasn't actually happened yet.
What does Keegan Matheson think about Vladdy’s role as a potential savior for the Blue Jays?
But just like the playoffs, guys, the bar is so low in every facet of this entire conversation. The bar is underground for making the playoffs. Just try, and you'll make the playoffs. It's right there. And for Vladdy, the bar is so low because if he has a good week, people will quickly forget about how bad this season has gone.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
How did Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s first home run at the Rogers Centre change the atmosphere?
0:00–0:51
2
What impact did the crowd’s reaction and boos have on Vladdy’s confidence after the home run?
0:51–2:19
3
How is Guerrero Jr.'s recent success influencing his mental approach and future performance?
2:19–3:35
4
What does Keegan Matheson think about Vladdy’s role as a potential savior for the Blue Jays?
3:35–4:45
5
How are the Blue Jays’ rotation and Max Scherzer’s recent outings affecting their Wild Card push?
4:45–5:59
6
What are the key factors in the AL Wild Card race and which teams are heating up?
5:59–7:30
7
How might the upcoming games against Detroit, Cleveland, and the Tigers shape the Jays’ playoff chances?
7:30–8:19
8
What final thoughts and takeaways did the hosts share about the Jays’ outlook and upcoming schedule?
8:19–9:07
Speakers
3 identifiedMore from OverDrive
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