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'Freakish talent' put Vlad at Cooperstown's doorstep

His first Major League home run said a lot about Vladimir Guerrero -- whose pure talent on a baseball field was as overflowing as it was hard to explain. He will be up for Hall of Fame consideration for the first time in 2017.

It was Sept. 21, 1996, at Olympic Stadium in Montreal. Guerrero was a 6-foot-3, 200-pound, 21-year-old rookie outfielder for the Expos in his third Major League game. He rocketed to the big leagues from Double-A Harrisburg, where he had toyed with pitchers while generating story upon story about his vicious right-handed swing, deer-like speed and devastating throwing arm from right field.