Earlier this year, Vladimir Guerrero fell just 15 votes shy of reaching the 75-percent threshold required for election into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. While Guerrero will have to wait to get a second shot at Cooperstown, he's set to join a distinguished club in Anaheim this summer.
Guerrero will become the 16th player/team to be inducted into the Angels Hall of Fame during a special pregame ceremony at Angel Stadium on Aug. 26, the team announced Monday.
Guerrero played for the Angels from 2004-09, batting .319 with a .927 OPS, 173 home runs and 616 RBIs over 846 games. He captured the 2004 American League MVP Award and earned four All-Star selections during his six-season tenure with the Halos.
"Vlad brought a special excitement to the ballpark each and every time he stepped to the plate," Angels owner Arte Moreno said in a statement. "He captivated not only our fans, but those throughout baseball with his powerful swings and ability to hit to all fields on pitches in and out of the strike zone.
"One of the striking aspects of Vlad was the pure joy he showed while playing the game. I know he enjoyed each and every moment he put on a uniform. His contributions to this organization were a key to our success, and his Most Valuable Player Award in 2004 was one of the most memorable highlights of our history. Vlad will be joining a distinguished group in our Hall of Fame and we are looking forward to a very special evening in August."
Guerrero will join fellow Angels Hall of Fame inductees Bobby Grich (1988), Jim Fregosi ('89), Don Baylor ('90), Rod Carew ('91), Nolan Ryan ('92), Jimmie Reese ('95), Brian Downing (2009), Chuck Finley ('09), Gene Autry ('11), the 2002 World Series championship team ('12), Bobby Knoop ('13), Dean Chance ('15), Mike Witt ('15), Tim Salmon ('15) and Garret Anderson ('16).