Former Rays coach Joe Maddon offers advice to Blue Jays slumping superstar

Former Cubs and Rays Manager Joe Maddon appeared on Sportsnet’s Blair & Barker this week and offered some suggestions for slumping Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Kevin Barker asked Maddon if moving Guerrero up or down the lineup could help him break out. Maddon acknowledged that this strategy can work and cited Anthony Rizzo, who was a star player for the Chicago Cubs in the mid-2010’s when Maddon was managing that team. Rizzo would hit leadoff from time to time, and the former skipper reminisced about how it gave the North Siders an advantage.

After confirming that Rizzo was a star player, Maddon went on to say, “Anthony really used to help us out by hitting leadoff once in a while, really got us going.”

Joe Maddon dishes advice on how to get Guerrero going  

He also mentioned that he slotted former Rays star Evan Longoria at the top of his lineup when he was in the midst of a big slump. “Not that he liked it, but I put him in the 1-hole, and all of a sudden line drives started happening up the middle, it’s just arranging the chairs on the deck, and it just gives the guy a different perspective”.

The celebrated ex-manager went on to explain what he told his players when moving them to the top of the lineup. “I want you to try to get on base, I want you to try to get singles up the middle, I want you to see pitches, work counts, but really play with the middle of the field first.”

Maddon went on to explain, “Almost invariably, the relaxation component to it when he starts seeing the ball better, and starts playing in the middle of the field, and all of a sudden, what he normally does starts showing up again.” 

The World Series-winning manager said that a move to the top of the lineup can change a player’s perspective. “It’s a mindset sort of thing, philosophical, how a different look can make a big difference regarding getting someone unstuck who may be stuck in the mud a little bit.”

Barker then asked Maddon about Vladdy’s quote that he’s trying too hard. Maddon referenced a George Brett line about playing too hard. “George Brett’s line was to try easier, easier said than done, I wouldn't drop him, I always moved them up, minimize the goal per at-bat, right now everything’s trying to be big, hit the ball farther, harder”.

Maddon said that Guerrero's expanding the zone, making poor swing decisions, and being indecisive, or as he called it, being in “maybe mode,” have also contributed to his prolonged rut. 

How bad has it gotten for Vladdy? He has a .318 OPS in May and a -0.5 WAR (entering Friday), the lowest marks for any position player in the month. Since his last home run on April 20, Vlad is hitting just .218 with a pair of doubles and a .555 OPS over 21 games. Even worse, he’s hit .185 with zero extra base hits in his last 14 games.

It’s hard to imagine Guerrero batting leadoff regularly; he’s only done it once in his career, but it’s clear something needs to change with his approach. He’s clearly been pressing over the last few weeks and needs to find a way to play with more tranquility and the joy we’re so used to seeing.

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