How Vladimir Guerrero Jr. can surpass Joe Carter as Blue Jays' face of the franchise

The Toronto Blue Jays have 50 years of baseball history, but Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has the chance to become the face of the franchise if this organization does something special this season. If you were to ask a stranger who knows nothing about the Blue Jays, they still probably know who Vladdy is. A larger than life character, Guerrero Jr. signed with the organization as a 16 year-old and has blossomed into one of the best players in baseball.

Guerrero Jr. can surpass Joe Carter if he wins a championship this year

There have been some ups and downs within Guerrero Jr.'s career thus far. Whether it was the struggle with his weight, contract talks or his "down years" after hitting 48 home runs, he's always came out on the other side and has always had a smile on his face.

Unlike his friends on the Toronto Maple Leafs down the street, no fan has ever questioned the Blue Jays' first baseman's passion and desire to win, which was on full display during their run to the World Series last year.
TSN put out an article this week entitled "Who is the Toronto Blue Jays' all-time face of the franchise" and somewhat surprisingly, Vladdy was listed No. 4, behind Joe Carter, Roy Halladay and Jose Bautista.

Carter is unquestioned the No. 1 person because he walked off the World Series and won back-to-back titles, but it was surprising that Halladay and Baustia were ahead of Guerrero Jr. after last year. Bautista's bat-flip is obviously one of the most iconic moments in Blue Jays' history and those teams that went to the ALCS were amazing, but they never reached a championship.

As Guerrero Jr. enters his eighth year in professional baseball, he not only has a chance to surpass Baustia and Halladay but he has a chance to move past Carter, as well. Carter went to back-to-back World Series, so Vladdy can match that this year, but he can't lose again.

It's going to be tough to hit a walk-off home-run and do the exact same thing that Carter did, but if Guerrero Jr. can get his team back to the promised land and be a large part of that championship, by winning another ALCS MVP or WS MVP, iit may be enough to put him as the face of the franchise.

Carter only spent seven of his 16 years in Toronto, Halladay finished the last four years of his career in Philladelphia, while Bautista played on six other franchises besides the Blue Jays. Meanwhile, Vladdy signed in Toronto as a teenager and just signed a 14-year extension with the Blue Jays, which will keep him here until 2039.

When it's all said and done, it's possible that he'll end up being with the organization for 24 years, making him a Blue Jay longer than any other player in team history. Maybe it happens this year, or maybe it happens in five years, but sooner than later, Vladdy will be the face of the franchise before you know it .