In the batter's box, his swing is distinctly violent, yet almost poetic.

On defense, he can whip the ball from his spot in right field with the force of a slingshot.

Along the basepaths, he gallops like a rookie trying to make the team in Spring Training.

Some believe he is the closest thing to one of the most famous naturals in the game: Roberto Clemente.

"Vladimir and Clemente were born to hit, and the essence of their ability is the same," said Luis Mayoral of Puerto Rico, a longtime baseball man who was a close friend and business partner of Clemente's during the final five years of the slugger's life. "Both are complete players with great arms and were basically the same type of player. The difference is that, due to the size of Forbes Field, Clemente did not hit more home runs and he changed the way he hit. I don't think he is always given credit for having the power he did and he could have had 400 to 500 home runs -- what Vladimir will probably get."

This season, Guerrero, 28, is hitting .328, with 32 home runs and 114 RBIs, despite a few nagging injuries. He has a career batting average of .324 with 266 home runs and 816 RBIs, and he has developed a reputation as a warrior.

On Monday against Seattle, he was hit squarely on the side of his batting helmet by a fastball and lay motionless for a few minutes before being helped off the field. After the game, he said he would be able to play Tuesday.

"[Guerrero] always has a big smile. That's a real important part of the game, to see the players have some fun."

-- Arte Moreno

"He's incredible," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "What he has done in preparing himself since the first day of Spring Training -- he's out there shagging like it's the seventh game of the World Series. That was fun to see. He has great passion for this team. I can say he's everything we expected, but that's pretty special."

Special, indeed -- but comparisons to Clemente at this point are based on raw ability, not accomplishments.

The swing. The throwing arm. The instinct.

Not the numbers. Not yet.

Clemente, a Hall of Famer, was a 12-time Gold Glove winner and a 12-time National League All-Star while playing for the Pirates from 1955 to 1972. He won four batting titles, an NL MVP Award and a World Series MVP Award on his way to 3,000 career hits.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973, not long after he died in a plane crash on his way to deliver supplies to the people of earthquake-torn Nicaragua.

"I can't say too much about Roberto Clemente because I did not know him, and I only know him from highlight films," Guerrero said. "He has done so much in this game, and you can't compare me to him. He was in the game for so long, and I still have a lot of work to do to even come close to what he has done."

Like Clemente, Guerrero is, at heart, shy and humble. Even if he did see any of the legendary Clemente in his game, he would likely be too embarrassed to mention it and only acknowledge it with his trademark smile.

It's not Guerrero's style to brag.

Angels general manager Bill Stoneman, who played against "Bobby" Clemente during his years in uniform, is not as sheepish. Stoneman, who signed Guerrero during the offseason, spent 16 years with the Montreal organization and was there when Guerrero first came to the United States as a member of the Expos in 1993.

"Both players are unpredictable with a bat in their hands. They are both bad-ball hitters and could hit pitches out of the zone that most players would not be able to touch," Stoneman said. "Both have great throwing arms from right field and can cover a lot of ground. Both played 100 percent. Bobby is a lot smaller than Vlady physically, but Bobby Clemente played big.

"That's probably the thing that sticks out," he said. "I think Vladimir has more power than Bobby. He hits the ball further than Bobby, but there are a lot of similarities, too."

The biggest difference between the two, Stoneman said, is pitch selection. Clemente took more pitches than Guerrero, although he was also aggressive at the plate.

Make no mistake about it -- Guerrero is a free swinger. But he has made attempts to become more selective at the plate. With the help of teammate Andres Galarraga, he is learning to take a pitch every now and then.

"Baseball is in [Guerrero's] blood, so there is not much I can show him about playing," Galarraga said. "We talk about pitchers and what they are trying to do to him. He is so good -- he can hit anything -- but we talk about making the pitcher get you out instead of getting yourself out. We talk about patience and doing the job."

"What he has done in preparing himself since the first day of Spring Training -- he's out there shagging like it's the seventh game of the World Series."

-- Mike Scioscia

Guerrero knows a thing or two about getting the job done.

One of nine children, he grew up in Nizao Bani, Dominican Republic, in a home with no running water or electricity. His father drove an airport van and his mother was a maid, but the family struggled to make ends meet.

As a young man, he found solace in baseball and later attended the Dodgers' Dominican academy with his brother, Wilton. He later decided to sign with the Expos when the Dodgers lost interest.

"I come from a poor neighborhood, but my family showed me how to work hard," he said. "You work hard, you have a better chance of making things come true. My parents showed us that at an early age."

Guerrero made his professional debut in 1996 and later became one of five players to have a .300 batting average, at least 30 home runs, at least 100 runs scored and at least 100 RBIs in five consecutive seasons from 1998-2002. Guerrero, arguably the most coveted free agent on the market last winter, chose the Angels in part because of team owner Arte Moreno, the first Hispanic owner in the history of Major League Baseball.

"I think he understands about hard work and doing a good job," Guerrero said. "I knew I would feel comfortable with him as the owner. I had 10 years in Montreal and with the grace of God, I was able to come to Anaheim and fit right in. It was like I have been here for several years."

"He's been great with the fans, and he's obviously a great baseball player," Moreno said. "He's such a magical person. From the business standpoint, he's the a guy to have around. He always has a big smile. That's a real important part of the game, to see the players have some fun."

As good as Guerrero is on the field, he might even be better off of it. He has gained a reputation as a person who genuinely cares about his teammates and winning. He was involved in the local community while with the Expos and has done his part since joining the Angels.

"As a person, he is perfect," Stoneman said. "He's always happy and he's happy to be playing baseball. He doesn't speak a whole lot, whether it's in English or Spanish. He's not a real talkative guy, but he plays 100 percent all the time."

Said Mayoral, "Clemente was shy like Vlad, but maybe Vlad will come out of it. Maybe he won't. The most important thing is to show people how you play on the field. That's what Clemente did."

That should not be a problem for the Angels outfielder. Because for Guerrero -- like Clemente before him -- playing baseball comes naturally.

Baseball Bend