Angels not expecting Albert Pujols to be ready for Opening Day

[NrM]

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/25487997/angels-not-expecting-albert-pujols-to-be-ready-for-opening-day

Edited February 19, 2016 by Mr. Meeseeks

[beatlesrule]

Was there a time they were? Such sweet kids.

[Broad Street]

Good, healthy Pujols is priority #1

[Vegas Halo Fan]

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm shocked. Shocked, I tell you.

[Ohtaniland]

Lol when your $25M DH starts the season on the DL.

[Second Base]

#JiManChoiMVP

Seriously, this doesn't really bother me. It opens up some playing time at either 1B or DH to start the year and whoever is earning it should have their chance to earn a spot in the lineup. Could be Choi, Kubitza, Cowart or whoever.

[Ohtaniland]

#JiManChoiMVP

Seriously, this doesn't really bother me. It opens up some playing time at either 1B or DH to start the year and whoever is earning it should have their chance to earn a spot in the lineup. Could be Choi, Kubitza, Cowart or whoever.

It will be laughable when our DH and 1B are mashing in April only to be unseated by Albert when he returns hitting his soft ground balls to third.

[gurn67]

In St. Louis, he had a career OPS of 1.037. I was going to put the standard at .900+, but I'm going to be real generous here and say that any month with on OPS of .850+ at least somewhat approaches what he did as a Cardinal. By that standard, he's hit that target 5 out of 22 months (2 months he did not play) that he's been here.

 

3 months in 2012

0 months in 2013

1 month in 2014

1 month in 2015

 

What are the odds he matches one of those monthly performances this season? I would go with 39% for 0. 60% for 1. 0% for 3. 1% for other.

I hope he makes me look foolish, and that it has been the bad foot the last 3 years and it finally gets fixed..

[Stradling]

It will be laughable when our DH and 1B are mashing in April only to be unseated by Albert when he returns hitting his soft ground balls to third.

Ok everyone besides Claude, raise your hand if you think Choi will out-perform Albert this season.

[laagamer]

Rick & Morty is the shit.

[QuinlansMinion]

Calhoun hits pretty well with runners on base and in scoring position.  Been saying it for years, the numbers suggest he should hit behind Trout.  This would be a perfect time for Mike Scioscia to start managing properly and pay attention to the numbers for once.  

[Angel Oracle]

Calhoun hits pretty well with runners on base and in scoring position. Been saying it for years, the numbers suggest he should hit behind Trout. This would be a perfect time for Mike Scioscia to start managing properly and pay attention to the numbers for once.

+1

Now, if only Pujols could hit like 2012 Pujols, then Calhoun would get good pitches to hit with Trout on base and 2012 Pujols on deck.

[Inside Pitch]

It will be laughable when our DH and 1B are mashing in April only to be unseated by Albert when he returns hitting his soft ground balls to third.

 

You could actually hope for the guy to come back and do well, something that would greatly benefit the team but, I guess his success might ruin your entire mood.   So let's hope for failure instead -- narratives are important.

[DMVol]

It will be laughable when our DH and 1B are mashing in April only to be unseated by Albert when he returns hitting his soft ground balls to third.

 

You could actually hope for the guy to come back and do well, something that would greatly benefit the team but, I guess his success might ruin your entire mood.   So let's hope for failure instead -- narratives are important.

I'll take it if Cron and somebody else are mashing in April at DH/1B.....we'll worry about what to do with everybody if we get to that point...

[Glen]

I can't wait for his first AB this year. I can already see him swinging awkwardly and hitting a grounder to 3b that leads to a double play as he hobbles to first.

[KevinStockerIsGod]

I'd rather Pujols not rush it and get hurt again.  My hope is that his foot healed up means a little more BA production, however it's clear that his power is still there from his 40 HR campaign last year, even with a bum foot. 

[Blarg]

Calhoun hits pretty well with runners on base and in scoring position.  Been saying it for years, the numbers suggest he should hit behind Trout.  This would be a perfect time for Mike Scioscia to start managing properly and pay attention to the numbers for once.  

 

Stats say his best hitting is 5th in the lineup (.844 OPS) or leadoff (.809 OPS). 

[bloodbrother]

Important thing is to get him at 100% until he inevitably suffers another lower body injury that hampers him the last 2 months of the season

[tdawg87]

This team makes me giggle.

[nando714]

Cron's defense at first

El oh el

[Blarg]

Guess who probably won't be starting the season as well. Josh Hamilton. He is complaining of knee soreness again after having it surgically repaired in the off season and has been pumping his body with poison again (cortisone shot in January with another one soon) after his 15th surgery as a ball player.

 

If you thought the Angels left field situation was bad last season, the Ranger put 12 starting left fielders out there last season to cover for Hamilton. They are knee deep (pun intended) in left fielders going into Spring training but are still entertaining the thought of picking up either Joyce, Murphy or Max Venable because Hamilton is such an unknown quantity. Well, unknown as to whether his shoulder, knee or blue eyes will keep him on the bench for most of the season.

Edited February 19, 2016 by notti

[Ohtaniland]

You could actually hope for the guy to come back and do well, something that would greatly benefit the team but, I guess his success might ruin your entire mood. So let's hope for failure instead -- narratives are important.

Yes it would piss me off to see Albert hit .310 / 35hrs / 120rbi's / .950ops

Kinda what Arte is paying for.

[Stradling]

Hey Claude, look at this and tell me if you think Albert is all alone in underperforming as it relates to large money contracts. Of all of those contracts only a small handful are good contracts, but keep taking it personally.

https://www.baseballprospectus.com/compensation/cots/league-info/highest-paid-players/

[Homebrewer]

Cron's defense improved quite a bit last year, he started to look pretty confident out there in the second half.

Pujols is living up to his AW nickname. IMO the less he plays in the field, the better.

Not because he is a bad fielder, but because his feet (and the rest of his body) can't take playing anymore.

The sooner he goes to permanent, full time, DH...the better off the team will be.  

[Stradling]

I would say I agree with most of that, but I will still start Albert 2-3 times a week at first because you still want him to be available during crucial times, because he is absolutely better defensively than Cron. But yea, I think you save his legs and have him be more of a 50/50 split.