Meet the Two Expos Who Became All-Time Greats: Walker and Guerrero

June 17, 2026May 28, 2024 by Jake Cain

Last Updated: June 17, 2026

Share With Other Baseball Fans:

Last Updated: June 17th, 2026 by Jake Cain

Baseball fans love a good debate, and few debates are as intriguing as comparing the careers of two phenomenal players: Larry Walker and Vladimir Guerrero. Both right fielders and both known for their extraordinary abilities, Walker and Guerrero’s career similarities might surprise you. So join us as we delve into their unique impacts on the game, their stellar statistics, and their impressive list of accolades.

Don't lose this article. Enter your email below, and I'll send it to you right now. Plus, we'll send you other unbelievable stories from baseball's past.

Larry Walker vs Vladimir Guerrero — via Stathead

Early Years and Career Beginnings

Larry Walker: From Street Hockey to Baseball Fields

Larry Walker, born in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, initially dreamt of an NHL career. However, his path took a turn when he was spotted by a Montreal Expos scout. Despite his inexperience, Walker’s raw athleticism shone through. Debuting in 1989, Walker quickly became a cornerstone for the Expos before moving to the Colorado Rockies and later, the St. Louis Cardinals. Known for his powerful hitting and stellar defense, Walker’s versatility earned him the label of a “five-tool player.”

Vladimir Guerrero: The Rise from Humble Beginnings

Vladimir Guerrero’s journey started in Nizao, Dominican Republic. Unlike Walker, Guerrero had baseball in his blood, thanks to a family full of baseball players, including his brother Wilton. Signed by the Expos in 1993, Vlad made his MLB debut in 1996. Known for his aggressive hitting style, Guerrero had an uncanny ability to hit pitches far outside the strike zone. His career took him from the Montreal Expos to the Anaheim Angels, Texas Rangers, and finally, the Baltimore Orioles.

Offensive Prowess: Hitting for Power and Average

Larry Walker: The Complete Hitter

Walker’s batting statistics are nothing short of impressive. Over 17 seasons, he maintained a career batting average of .313 with 2,160 hits, 383 home runs, and 1,311 RBIs. However, his prowess wasn’t limited to just hitting for average. Walker’s slugging percentage was .565, ranking 12th all-time. His ability to combine power with average is exemplified by his three National League batting titles and his 1997 MVP award, where he hit .366 with 49 home runs.

Vladimir Guerrero: The Bad-Ball Hitter

Guerrero was known for his ability to hit just about anything thrown his way. Over 16 seasons, he posted a career batting average of .318, with 2,590 hits, 449 home runs, and 1,496 RBIs. His slugging percentage of .553 underscores his power-hitting ability. In 2004, he won the American League MVP award, hitting .337 with 39 home runs and 126 RBIs.

Defensive Skills: Beyond the Plate

Larry Walker: A Defensive Dynamo

Walker wasn’t just a force at the plate; he was a defensive juggernaut. With seven Gold Glove Awards, Walker’s prowess in right field was well-recognized. His arm strength and accuracy often deterred runners from attempting an extra base. Advanced metrics showcase his defensive brilliance, placing him among the top three players in defensive runs saved in MLB history.

Standard Batting
Year	Age	Tm	Lg	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB	Pos	Awards
1989	22	MON	NL	20	56	47	4	8	0	0	0	4	1	1	5	13	.170	.264	.170	.434	27	8	0	1	3	0	0	9/H7
1990	23	MON	NL	133	478	419	59	101	18	3	19	51	21	7	49	112	.241	.326	.434	.761	112	182	8	5	3	2	5	*9H	RoY-7
1991	24	MON	NL	137	539	487	59	141	30	2	16	64	14	9	42	102	.290	.349	.458	.807	127	223	7	5	1	4	2	93/8H
1992	25	MON	NL	143	583	528	85	159	31	4	23	93	18	6	41	97	.301	.353	.506	.859	141	267	9	6	0	8	10	*9/H	AS,MVP-5,GG,SS
1993	26	MON	NL	138	582	490	85	130	24	5	22	86	29	7	80	76	.265	.371	.469	.841	120	230	8	6	0	6	20	*9/3H	GG
1994	27	MON	NL	103	452	395	76	127	44	2	19	86	15	5	47	74	.322	.394	.587	.981	151	232	8	4	0	6	5	93/H	MVP-11
1995	28	COL	NL	131	562	494	96	151	31	5	36	101	16	3	49	72	.306	.381	.607	.988	131	300	13	14	0	5	13	*9/8H	MVP-7
1996	29	COL	NL	83	304	272	58	75	18	4	18	58	18	2	20	58	.276	.342	.570	.912	116	155	7	9	0	3	2	89/H
1997	30	COL	NL	153	664	568	143	208	46	4	49	130	33	8	78	90	.366	.452	*.720*	*1.172*	178	*409*	15	14	0	4	14	*9/38HD	AS,MVP-1,GG,SS
1998	31	COL	NL	130	524	454	113	165	46	3	23	67	14	4	64	61	*.363*	.445	.630	1.075	158	286	11	4	0	2	2	*9/H845D	AS,MVP-17,GG
1999	32	COL	NL	127	513	438	108	166	26	4	37	115	11	4	57	52	*.379*	*.458*	*.710*	*1.168*	164	311	12	12	0	6	8	*9H/D	AS,MVP-10,GG,SS
2000	33	COL	NL	87	372	314	64	97	21	7	9	51	5	5	46	40	.309	.409	.506	.915	110	159	12	9	0	3	4	97/HD
2001	34	COL	NL	142	601	497	107	174	35	3	38	123	14	5	82	103	*.350*	.449	.662	1.111	160	329	9	14	0	8	6	*9/HD	AS,MVP-24,GG
2002	35	COL	NL	136	553	477	95	161	40	4	26	104	6	5	65	73	.338	.421	.602	1.023	151	287	8	7	0	4	6	*9/DH	MVP-20,GG
2003	36	COL	NL	143	564	454	86	129	25	7	16	79	7	4	98	87	.284	.422	.476	.898	121	216	9	11	0	1	14	*9H/D
2004	37	TOT	NL	82	316	258	51	77	16	4	17	47	6	0	49	57	.298	.424	.589	1.013	154	152	8	8	0	1	3	9/H8D
2004	37	COL	NL	38	138	108	22	35	9	3	6	20	2	0	25	23	.324	.464	.630	1.093	166	68	2	4	0	1	2	9/HD
2004	37	STL	NL	44	178	150	29	42	7	1	11	27	4	0	24	34	.280	.393	.560	.953	144	84	6	4	0	0	1	9/H8
2005	38	STL	NL	100	367	315	66	91	20	1	15	52	2	1	41	64	.289	.384	.502	.886	130	158	9	9	0	2	3	9H/D8
17 Yrs				1988	8030	6907	1355	2160	471	62	383	1311	230	76	913	1231	.313	.400	.565	.965	141	3904	153	138	7	65	117
162 Game Avg.				162	654	563	110	176	38	5	31	107	19	6	74	100	.313	.400	.565	.965	141	318	12	11	1	5	10
				G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB	Pos	Awards
COL (10 yrs)				1170	4795	4076	892	1361	297	44	258	848	126	40	584	659	.334	.426	.618	1.044	147	2520	98	98	0	37	71
MON (6 yrs)				674	2690	2366	368	666	147	16	99	384	98	35	264	474	.281	.357	.483	.839	128	1142	40	27	7	26	42
STL (2 yrs)				144	545	465	95	133	27	2	26	79	6	1	65	98	.286	.387	.520	.908	134	242	15	13	0	2	4

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/28/2024.

Vladimir Guerrero: The Cannon Arm

Guerrero was no slouch in the outfield either. Renowned for his cannon-like arm, Guerrero led all big-league outfielders in errors multiple times, but that was more a reflection of his aggressive playing style than a lack of skill. He frequently made highlight reels for throwing out runners from seemingly impossible distances.

Awards and Accolades

Larry Walker’s Trophy Case

NL MVP: 1997
5× All-Star: 1992, 1997-1999, 2001
7× Gold Glove Award: 1992, 1993, 1997-1999, 2001, 2002
3× Silver Slugger Award: 1992, 1997, 1999
3× NL Batting Champion: 1998, 1999, 2001
NL Home Run Leader: 1997
Colorado Rockies No. 33 Retired
Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame: 2020

Vladimir Guerrero’s Trophy Shelf

AL MVP: 2004
9× All-Star: 1999-2002, 2004-2007, 2010
8× Silver Slugger Award: 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004-2007, 2010
Edgar Martínez Award: 2010
Angels Hall of Fame
Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame: 2018

Impact and Legacy

Larry Walker: Elevating Canadian Baseball

Walker’s impact goes beyond his statistics. As one of the greatest Canadian players, he significantly raised the profile of baseball in Canada. His success story inspired a generation of young Canadian athletes to pursue careers in baseball. Walker’s journey from street hockey to the Baseball Hall of Fame is a testament to his extraordinary athletic ability and determination.

Vladimir Guerrero: The Dominican Sensation

Guerrero’s legacy is deeply rooted in his Dominican heritage. As one of the most beloved figures in Dominican baseball, his success story is a source of immense pride for the country. Guerrero’s career also paved the way for future Dominican players, including his own son, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who has taken the MLB by storm.

Standard Batting
Year	Age	Tm	Lg	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB	Pos	Awards
1996	21	MON	NL	9	27	27	2	5	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	3	.185	.185	.296	.481	24	8	1	0	0	0	0	/98H
1997	22	MON	NL	90	354	325	44	98	22	2	11	40	3	4	19	39	.302	.350	.483	.833	117	157	11	7	0	3	2	9/H8	RoY-6
1998	23	MON	NL	159	677	623	108	202	37	7	38	109	11	9	42	95	.324	.371	.589	.960	150	367	15	7	0	5	13	*9/H	MVP-13
1999	24	MON	NL	160	674	610	102	193	37	5	42	131	14	7	55	62	.316	.378	.600	.978	146	366	18	7	0	2	14	*9/H	AS,MVP-11,SS
2000	25	MON	NL	154	641	571	101	197	28	11	44	123	9	10	58	74	.345	.410	.664	1.074	162	379	15	8	0	4	23	*9/DH	AS,MVP-6,SS
2001	26	MON	NL	159	671	599	107	184	45	4	34	108	37	16	60	88	.307	.377	.566	.943	139	339	24	9	0	3	24	*9	AS,MVP-24
2002	27	MON	NL	161	709	614	106	206	37	2	39	111	40	20	84	70	.336	.417	.593	1.010	160	364	20	6	0	5	32	*9	AS,MVP-4,SS
2003	28	MON	NL	112	467	394	71	130	20	3	25	79	9	5	63	53	.330	.426	.586	1.012	156	231	18	6	0	4	22	*9	MVP-17
2004	29	ANA	AL	156	680	612	124	206	39	2	39	126	15	3	52	74	.337	.391	.598	.989	157	366	19	8	0	8	14	*9D	AS,MVP-1,SS
2005	30	LAA	AL	141	594	520	95	165	29	2	32	108	13	1	61	48	.317	.394	.565	.959	154	294	16	8	0	5	26	*9D/H	AS,MVP-3,SS
2006	31	LAA	AL	156	665	607	92	200	34	1	33	116	15	5	50	68	.329	.382	.552	.934	138	335	16	4	0	4	25	*9D	AS,MVP-9,SS
2007	32	LAA	AL	150	660	574	89	186	45	1	27	125	2	3	71	62	.324	.403	.547	.950	147	314	19	9	0	6	28	9D	AS,MVP-3,SS
2008	33	LAA	AL	143	600	541	85	164	31	3	27	91	5	3	51	77	.303	.365	.521	.886	130	282	27	4	0	4	16	9D	MVP-14
2009	34	LAA	AL	100	407	383	59	113	16	1	15	50	2	1	19	56	.295	.334	.460	.794	107	176	16	4	0	1	3	D/H9
2010	35	TEX	AL	152	643	593	83	178	27	1	29	115	4	5	35	60	.300	.345	.496	.841	119	294	19	9	0	6	5	*D9/H7	AS,MVP-11,SS
2011	36	BAL	AL	145	590	562	60	163	30	1	13	63	2	2	17	56	.290	.317	.416	.733	98	234	23	7	0	4	3	*D/H
16 Yrs				2147	9059	8155	1328	2590	477	46	449	1496	181	94	737	985	.318	.379	.553	.931	140	4506	277	103	0	64	250
162 Game Avg.				162	684	615	100	195	36	3	34	113	14	7	56	74	.318	.379	.553	.931	140	340	21	8	0	5	19

MON (8 yrs)				1004	4220	3763	641	1215	226	34	234	702	123	71	381	484	.323	.390	.588	.978	148	2211	122	50	0	26	130
LAA (6 yrs)				846	3606	3237	544	1034	194	10	173	616	52	16	304	385	.319	.381	.546	.927	141	1767	113	37	0	28	112
TEX (1 yr)				152	643	593	83	178	27	1	29	115	4	5	35	60	.300	.345	.496	.841	119	294	19	9	0	6	5
BAL (1 yr)				145	590	562	60	163	30	1	13	63	2	2	17	56	.290	.317	.416	.733	98	234	23	7	0	4	3

AL (8 yrs)				1143	4839	4392	687	1375	251	12	215	794	58	23	356	501	.313	.369	.523	.891	133	2295	155	53	0	38	120
NL (8 yrs)				1004	4220	3763	641	1215	226	34	234	702	123	71	381	484	.323	.390	.588	.978	148	2211	122	50	0	26	130

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/28/2024.

The Final Swing: Statistical Comparison

While both players have left indelible marks on the game, their careers offer different highlights. Walker’s .313 batting average, .400 OBP, and .565 SLG are remarkable, but so are Guerrero’s .318 average, .553 SLG, and 449 home runs. Larry Walker excelled in all facets of the game, while Vladimir Guerrero’s hitting prowess was otherworldly, particularly in his ability to hit bad pitches.

Conclusion: A Fan’s Perspective

As a baseball fan comparing Walker and Guerrero, it’s a delightful challenge. Walker’s blend of offense and defense made him a five-tool legend, while Guerrero’s remarkable hitting abilities and charismatic style made him a fan favorite. They both have earned their rightful places in the Baseball Hall of Fame, and their legacies will inspire future generations of players.