Pujols has been terrible

[Docwaukee]

His only redeeming quality so far this year truly has been his ability to drive in runs at a much higher rate than his other metrics would indicate.  An .885 ops with RISP.  Certainly not something one would expect to continue, but thank goodness or it would go from horrible to catastrophic.  

[Angelsjunky]

Albert's fWAR from 2009 through 2017: 8.4, 6.8, 4.0, 3.6, 0.6, 2.8, 1.9, 0.9, -0.9

That's quite a trajectory. He went from an MVP level player in 2010 and before, to a borderline star in 2011-12, to an average player for a few years, to a mediocre player last year. If the trajectory holds, he'll be around 0 fWAR by season's end: meaning, a replacement level player. In other words, the Angels are paying Albert $30 million a year to be Paul McAnulty.

[Stradling]

He's been pretty damn bad this season with no body on base or with no one in scoring position.  The best players get on base, have some pop and add value in multiple tangible ways.  

Albert is a one dimensional player this year so far.  He was driving in runs, but hasn't lately even though the rest of the line up heated up.  He's had Maybin hitting in front of him getting on base.  Kole is playing better.  Basically the entire team except Albert has hit better after Trout got hurt.  

If this is who he is now, which who knows, maybe he gets hot, but if this is who he is he will retire by the end of next season. 

[fan_since79]

Amidst all his terribleness, he's on a pace for 24 home runs and 112 RBI. His OPS+ though is a dismal 77.

Weird.

 

 

[thebloob]

8 minutes ago, fan_since79 said:

Amidst all his terribleness, he's on a pace for 24 home runs and 112 RBI. His OPS+ though is a dismal 77.

Weird.

 

 

Anyone know where he ranked on at bats with RISP. Efore trout went down.  I felt like he was ALWAYS hitting with risp.  Anytime he got lucky with a hit he got RBI.   

[Ohtaniland]

1 hour ago, Stradling said:

He's been pretty damn bad this season with no body on base or with no one in scoring position.  The best players get on base, have some pop and add value in multiple tangible ways.  

Albert is a one dimensional player this year so far.  He was driving in runs, but hasn't lately even though the rest of the line up heated up.  He's had Maybin hitting in front of him getting on base.  Kole is playing better.  Basically the entire team except Albert has hit better after Trout got hurt.  

If this is who he is now, which who knows, maybe he gets hot, but if this is who he is he will retire by the end of next season. 

His legs have failed him. I went to watch BP when Judge came to town. Most players are stretching and doing full speed jogs while Albert did this very slow jog from the 3rd base line to 2nd base and went back into the dugout. There's not much left in the tank. 

I think the media is way too soft on Albert. If he was performing like this in a Red Sox or Yankees uniform their writers would rattle his cage every day. 

[Stradling]

3 minutes ago, CALZONE said:

His legs have failed him. I went to watch BP when Judge came to town. Most players are stretching and doing full speed jogs while Albert did this very slow jog from the 3rd base line to 2nd base and went back into the dugout. There's not much left in the tank. 

I think the media is way too soft on Albert. If he was performing like this in a Red Sox or Yankees uniform their writers would rattle his cage every day. 

It's the So Cal media, they are like this with everyone. 

[Blarg]

Well, it's about time @Jeff Fletcher gets a few answers as to just how long the Angels will be carrying him. It is pretty obvious his career is done. 

[Glen]

I'm sure if asked, Scioscia would say he's going through a rough patch and he's working on some things, but he's a great hitter and we expect him to hit his way out of this soon.  HIs numbers will probably start to rise again once Trout is back.

[bloodbrother]

I have no reason to think it but I'm still holding out hope that he retires before his contract is through. I mean, dude looks completely washed out here. .656 OPS and a .280 OBP% from a DH

His sudden and quick decline will always baffle me(unless we find out later he's older than his listed age)

[fan_since79]

24 minutes ago, Glen said:

I'm sure if asked, Scioscia would say he's going through a rough patch and he's working on some things, but he's a great hitter and we expect him to hit his way out of this soon.  His numbers will probably start to rise again once Trout is back.

Albert is scuffling, but how about those 601 home runs!

[Blarg]

They are part of baseballs past. 

[Dtwncbad]

When he signed his ten year deal I said a hundred times that I didn't honestly believe that the Angels thought he would be a productive player for ten years.  I said they likely thought he would be productive for 6 or 7 years, but that they structures the deal as a 10 year contract really more as spreading out the cost.

I really hope the Angels and Albert are disciplined to make some good decisions.  Albert would hit 3000 hits next season.  They should announce that 2018 will be his farewell tour.  Albert hurts his legacy if he lingers through age 42 with pathetic numbers.  I THINK he is too smart for that.  He has over 600 hr now and getting 3000 hits is a plus for his legacy.

I hope I am proven right from the beginning and they announce 2018 as the last chapter.

 

[Jeff Fletcher]

1 hour ago, Blarg said:

Well, it's about time @Jeff Fletcher gets a few answers as to just how long the Angels will be carrying him. It is pretty obvious his career is done. 

So you want them to bench him and play who instead?

[Jobu]

14 minutes ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

So you want them to bench him and play who instead?

Paul McAnulty

[Dtwncbad]

21 minutes ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

So you want them to bench him and play who instead?

Are you afraid to ask real, obvious questions?  "You would project to reach 3000 hits in 2018, basically checking off every monster milestone anybody would ever dream of in a career. . .have you considered 2018 as a possible farewell tour season?"

It's a fair question and an honest question.  It's not that hard.

[Ohtaniland]

9 minutes ago, hangin n wangin said:

Just ask him when he's retiring. We don't need your smart ass remarks.

hangin n wangin you're exactly like the east coast media that I was referring to. 

"Hey Albert, you no longer can play at a high level so how soon will you be clearing out your locker?"

See it's that simple. 

[Dtwncbad]

5 minutes ago, CALZONE said:

hangin n wangin you're exactly like the east coast media that I was referring to. 

"Hey Albert, you no longer can play at a high level so how soon will you be clearing out your locker?"

See it's that simple. 

How about a baseline expectation that a "professional" have the skills to ask a relevant question in a professional way?

Too many sports "professionals" either don't have the skills or they are intimidated by the pro athlete and they don't have the knees.

[Inside Pitch]

1 hour ago, Glen said:

I'm sure if asked, Scioscia would say he's going through a rough patch and he's working on some things, but he's a great hitter and we expect him to hit his way out of this soon.  HIs numbers will probably start to rise again once Trout is back.

Mike Scioscia wanted more pitching when they signed him.  The GM in charge said Albert's decline didn't matter.   MS and whoever follows him will be stuck with AP unless he walks away or Arte cuts the biggest oopsie check in MLB history.

Barring a Albert Belle/Prince Fielder type career ending condition they are stuck with this.

[eligrba]

I do not think it is the manager's job to define when a player's career is ending.  Baseball is a business and the responsibility for having those discussions falls squarely on the shoulders of the GM.  This is a different conversation if the Angels had players to replace Albert as both a 1B and a DH.  Albert's comfortable continued decline is a symptom of the suckage the Angels have managed to cultivate during his time.  Currently, the Angels need Albert....sad but true.

[Dtwncbad]

3 minutes ago, eligrba said:

I do not think it is the manager's job to define when a player's career is ending.  Baseball is a business and the responsibility for having those discussions falls squarely on the shoulders of the GM.  This is a different conversation if the Angels had players to replace Albert as both a 1B and a DH.  Albert's comfortable continued decline is a symptom of the suckage the Angels have managed to cultivate during his time.  Currently, the Angels need Albert....sad but true.

I cannot even remotely figure out how you think the Angels "need" Albert right now.  

[Inside Pitch]

7 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

I cannot even remotely figure out how you think the Angels "need" Albert right now.  

I think he's hinting at the reality that the two guys they would most certainly turn to Valbuena, and Cron have both been worse.   Also likely why Fletcher responded the way he did.  It doesn't take Woodward and Bernstein to figure out that if he asks the question the team will deflect with the obvious counter-question.

FWIW, if he ends the season the way he's played it so far I really do hope the local press asks those questions, but midway through June without better options available the team won't answer the question with anything other than cliches.

[Angels#1Fan]

1 hour ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

So you want them to bench him and play who instead?

This is the answer.

[Angels#1Fan]

1 hour ago, hangin n wangin said:

Just ask him when he's retiring. We don't need your smart ass remarks.

Bad form hangin, Jeff answered the question.

It wasn't a "smart ass remark", Jeff's answer is the reality of  the situation because the Angels don't have a replacement for DH/1B if they were to bench/dump Albert. Maybe you'd like to see Valbuena DH for the rest of the season? 

[Jason]

5 hours ago, Stradling said:

He's been pretty damn bad this season with no body on base or with no one in scoring position.  The best players get on base, have some pop and add value in multiple tangible ways.  

Albert is a one dimensional player this year so far.  He was driving in runs, but hasn't lately even though the rest of the line up heated up.  He's had Maybin hitting in front of him getting on base.  Kole is playing better.  Basically the entire team except Albert has hit better after Trout got hurt.  

If this is who he is now, which who knows, maybe he gets hot, but if this is who he is he will retire by the end of next season. 

You would think so but he may not if he's still in the line up everyday.