RealGM

In hindsight, Albert Pujols’ personal objection to the Angels’ “El Hombre” marketing campaign was a great call on more than one level. Recall the Angels, without Pujols’ prior knowledge, had created 20 billboards featuring the 32-year-old free-agent’s larger-than-life image with an “El Hombre” designation promoting ticket sales. Pujols, with a genuine respect for the Cardinals’ storied history, suggested that maybe, just maybe, Stan Musial should be the only player deserving of the nickname “The Man” — in any language. Unfortunately, that objection is Pujols’ only home run.

The Angels are a mess. A firestorm of red and white gloom has arisen in southern California surrounding the prolonged long-ball drought Pujols is going through in his first month with the Angels and in the AL. The slugging first baseman, a three-time NL MVP, was expected to lead the Angels into a spirited mano-a-mano battle with the Rangers for AL West supremacy. So far it hasn’t unfolded, as the Angels rank dead last in the division. But Pujols isn’t the only source of Halo fan disappointment.

Chill fans. What can be the real value placed on a single month of failure in the grand scheme of a marathon six-month season? Consider that Stan “The Man,” during the course of his 22-year Hall-of-Fame career, went homerless three times in April — 1943, ’51 and ’59. And at 32, the same age as Pujols is in 2012, Musial hit just one home run in April, but ended the year with 30 bombs and 113 RBIs, making the NL all-star team, finishing eighth in MVP voting. Perhaps there’s still time for El Hombre.

“I know what I need to do, and I’m making my adjustment,” Pujols told reporters in Anaheim as April came to an end. “I’ve been doing it for 12 years, so I know my hitting. Only God knows my swing better than me. When you’re going through things like this, you’ve got to be careful who you listen to, because you have so many hitting coaches.”

Yes, the Angels have been awful, but it’s not just their highest paid player that is to blame. Teams can have a winning record even though their best player struggles badly. For an example of that, just look at the Jays. Though Jose Bautista has struggled, being very un-Joey-Bats-like batting third all year, the Jays have kept their heads above .500, with much of the offensive slack picked up by others. Sure, if Bautista was hitting their record would be better, but the rest of the lineup has battled.

Such has not been the case with the Angels. Most of the Halo roster have been slackers. Start with the regular batting order. Heading into Wednesday night’s game vs. the Twins, only right fielder Torii Hunter had an OPS above .800 and had driven in more than 10 runs. The Angels had what was supposed to be a versatile offence with a sublime balance of speed, power and average. A lineup with the ability to play both small-ball and long-ball with the addition of Pujols. So far, the Angels have been none of the above.

Left fielder Vernon Wells has become a role player.

pinklemo wrote:at least they have an owner that just swallows (pause) garbage in Vernon Wells contract. we have been the same team every year since 97 (except for 2004) an 80-85 win team always looking towards the future. I think Tampa Bay's success has really changed the dynamics of Roger's spending because they looked how well they did and aren't gonna budge on any player in free agency. Looking forward to see how the season turns out and if we are gonna see the same, next year we gonna compete bs.