If Pujols can come back, then so can Hamilton

[Torridd]

Is there a real big difference in these two players? If so, would someone elaborate?

 

Hamilton is younger and supposedly injury-free. I don't see why he can't have a comeback season like Pujols had.

[Hollyw00d]

Pujols came back? He's gotta be pissed someone else was out there wearing number 5 all year

[tdawg87]

Hamilton was killing it when he was healthy. The problem is that he makes Izzy look like Ripken.

[QuinlansMinion]

Pujols posted a .790 OPS last season, with a measly .272 batting average.  Wasnt anything special in the playoffs either.  Im still waiting for Pujols to "come back" as you put it.

[tennischmp]

Pujols had a .790 OPS last season, Hamilton .745.

[Angel Oracle]

What tdawg said, Roger Dorn Hackilton is always getting hurt.  

Only 3 times has he played over 133 games, in 8 seasons.

 

Even in his 2010 MVP season, he missed some 30 games but still won it while being the batting champ and having a 1.000+ OPS.  

 

He may well have the body of someone in their late 30s, due to the abuse in his younger days. 

 

That being said, if they platoon him and limit him to some 110-120 games, he MIGHT be able to scratch out an .800 OPS in 2015.   MIGHT

All bets are off for 2016-17 though.

 

And the point is valid that Pujols' 2014 season, although better than 2013, was overrated because of his top 5 AL rbis finish. 

A .790 OPS is still NOT what $240 million should get you, and wasn't much better than in 2013.

The ONLY comeback for Pujols in 2014 was in playing in almost every game.

Edited October 7, 2014 by Angel Oracle

[Justabitoutside]

 I thought he was on his way back till he slid into first.

[Halos of Anaheim]

Lmao, I guess hitting 30 HRs and 100+ RBI's negates having a poor OBP and Average huh?

[beatlesrule]

Lmao, I guess hitting 30 HRs and 100+ RBI's negates having a poor OBP and Average huh?

 

Who hit 30 hrs?

 

LOL at comeback season.  Pujols numbers are not anything that special from what he used to put up.  Do you really want to know where he ranked overall this year out of all players??  I didn't think so.

[nando714]

Pujols at least shows that he cares. Speaks to the media like he cares.

Hamilton just doesn't care whether or not he performs. Imo sometimes it looks like he's giving no effort

[2002_halos_II]

Pujols had to get familiar with different league/different parks. Plus had injuries.

Hamilton OTOH....

[DB24]

Hamilton was killing it before he got injured in Seattle.

 

I'm not saying he could have kept it up, but It would've been nice to see a relatively healthy Hamilton batting in the playoffs.

[Erstad Grit]

Hamilton has now been pretty bad for 2 1/2 season, besides a short nice start this year. 

[ScottT]

Huge difference in the players and the individuals.  Hamilton may never get it back.  Though, I'd argue that he isn't as bad as many people make him out to be.   I'd also argue Pujols didn't come back from anything but injury. He still isn't the player he once was.  He will never be.  Neither will.  

 

Hamilton started this trend before he came to the Angels.  His last four months with the Rangers were not good.  The whiffs and lack or production were alarming.   I'd never rule it out, because crazier things have happened in baseball, but expecting anything more than a 3 WAR player is wishful thinking.  I think he can get to that level.  Probably wouldn't bet on it, though.  

Edited October 8, 2014 by ScottT

[Guest]

Lmao, I guess hitting 30 HRs and 100+ RBI's negates having a poor OBP and Average huh?

.287/.377/.561 may not be as high as many on here were expecting after 2012 but it isn't *that* bad...

[eligrba]

I am sure all of the 7th Calvary was waiting for Custer's big comeback also.

[ABC]

.287/.377/.561 may not be as high as many on here were expecting after 2012 but it isn't *that* bad...

 

Those are Trout's numbers.

[Oz27]

Two things on this threads - Hamilton had eight good games at the start of the season. You know who else had eight good games at some point this season? 99% of players in the MLB. That means nothing, over the course of the season he stunk. I take nothing from that initial stretch.

 

And Pujols sure as hell didn't come back. If you'd told me in March he'd spend the whole season healthy and have a .790 OPS I'd have been really concerned. At least if he'd struggled with injuries and put up slightly worse numbers again, we'd wonder if he'd still be an elite hitter if he could get healthy again. Now we know for sure that he isn't, healthy or injured.

[Troll Daddy]

Maybe ... maybe not

[Angelsjunky]

By Albert's standards, 2014 was not a comeback. But he was still pretty good.

 

Let's actually look at how he compares to the rest of the league and his career, using the simple but effective OPS+. His was 125 in 2014.

 

Pujols' career OPS+ is 162. His very best season was 192 (2008), and he's had seven seasons of 168 or higher. For context, Trout's OPS+ in 2014 was 167, so Pujols has had seven years in which he's hit at least as good as Trout did in 2014. In Pujols' 14 seasons, he's only had an OPS+ below 148 three times - and they all with the Angels, 138 in 2012, 116 in 2013, 125 in 2014.

 

How about the rest of the majors? His 125 was 37th in the majors. Players within 1 OPS+: Melky Cabrera, Josh Donaldson, Matt Holliday, Justin Morneau, Anthony Rendon, Adam LaRoche.

 

So if a "come back" is being a good to very good hitter, then sure. But Pujols has been a truly great hitter for most of his career. And it is worth noting that his 125 OPS+ in 2014 was the worst of his career in a healthy season, so it is really hard to call it a come back.

[stevestevens]

Is there a real big difference in these two players? If so, would someone elaborate?

 

Hamilton is younger and supposedly injury-free. I don't see why he can't have a comeback season like Pujols had.

 

was a there a body part that Hamilton didn't injure this year?

[Angel Oracle]

I still say platoon Roger Dorn Hackilton for just 4-5 games/week to lessen the wear and tear.    Cowgill can easily handle the other 2-3 games/week.

[disarcina]

I don't agree with the thread title here -- Pujols works out, tries to stay in shape etc.

 

am sure Hamilton may do some of that, too -- but its also apparent that Hamilton's past 'habits' have taken a physical toll on him making it a lot tougher for his body to physically 'bounce back'

 

when he gets injured, he can't take some of the pain killing medication needed because of his 'condition' and I just think, particularly as he ages, the aging process is more pronounced and it makes it tougher for him to 'bounce back' --- amazing that many of us here actually commented on that when the Halos signed him to a long term contract........

 

Hamilton is this Angels era GMJ -- bad long term contract regretted before the ink was dry..........