Pujols Out For Season with Knee Surgery

[IheartLA]

#Thaisstime

[ten ocho recon scout]

Pujols has been the rocky franchise.

Rocky 1 and 2 were his St Louis years. Rocky 3 was the last season in St Louis, and a tad into his angel years.

2014-15 were Rocky 4. You remember it like it was pretty good (40 home runs, killer training montage, playoff appearance, beating the soviet). But looking back its pretty cheesy (numbers kept dipping, apollos entrance, sucked in the playoffs, moscow suddenly being rocky fans).

We hoped this year would be rocky balboa, a surprisingly decent rebound, even with a ridiculous story line and a character named steps. But instead, weve been watching rocky 5 the last 3 years. His bat as bad of acting as tommy morrison, his baserunning as annoying as george washington duke. Or rockys kid. His contract bankrupting arte like pauly bankrupted rocky (even though he was rich as hell in rocky 4, but supposedly came home from russia 2 months later and he had to sell everything).

Now, its way past time to step aside and let trout/creed be the star. But he still wants to make another rambo movie...about an almost 70 year old "rambo".

[Angel Oracle]

3 hours ago, Angelsjunky said:

"Only" three more years - we're 70% done, folks!

I wonder how many of those 486 games he'll play in. My guess is

2019: 113

2020: 87

2021: 48

= 248

My guesses are similar for 2019-2020, and then I’m hoping he retires and collects the $30 million remaining.

[hangin n wangin]

42 minutes ago, mtangelsfan said:

I am sure all of the people he has helped over the years like him.  Trout also likes him.

K. But besides that.

[Dtwncbad]

Groundhog day.

Now we will be told his numbers this year were tainted because he was quietly courageously battling through this problem and then of course in Spring Training we will again be fed the line of bullshit that he is finally healthy and ready to have a "normal" Pujols year in 2019.  So excited to finally get the normal Pujols back!!!!!  I can't wait!!!!!!!!!

Groundhog day. 

[Amazing Larry]

1 hour ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Pujols has been the rocky franchise.

Rocky 1 and 2 were his St Louis years. Rocky 3 was the last season in St Louis, and a tad into his angel years.

2014-15 were Rocky 4. You remember it like it was pretty good (40 home runs, killer training montage, playoff appearance, beating the soviet). But looking back its pretty cheesy (numbers kept dipping, apollos entrance, sucked in the playoffs, moscow suddenly being rocky fans).

We hoped this year would be rocky balboa, a surprisingly decent rebound, even with a ridiculous story line and a character named steps. But instead, weve been watching rocky 5 the last 3 years. His bat as bad of acting as tommy morrison, his baserunning as annoying as george washington duke. Or rockys kid. His contract bankrupting arte like pauly bankrupted rocky (even though he was rich as hell in rocky 4, but supposedly came home from russia 2 months later and he had to sell everything).

Now, its way past time to step aside and let trout/creed be the star. But he still wants to make another rambo movie...about an almost 70 year old "rambo".

This is one of the best posts I’ve ever read on this forum. 

[ten ocho recon scout]

1 hour ago, Lhalo said:

This is one of the best posts I’ve ever read on this forum. 

 

[Lou]

5 hours ago, gurn67 said:

I agree. For the opposing teams fans watching double play after double play is certainly a special

I bet 95% of posters here wouldn't be able to tell you who leads the team in GIDP without looking it up

[SkyMonkey]

Simmons ..?

[Puget Sound Angel]

The good news is Albert should be healthy and ready to suck for Spring Training 2019.

[Lou]

3 hours ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Pujols has been the rocky franchise.....

[Lou]

7 hours ago, Angelsjunky said:

If anything this makes it more likely that he'll be saying stupid shit about how he's going to have his best season in years and expecting a full-time gig.

But I'm glad that this means we'll see more Ohtani, Fernandez, and Walsh.

Now we'll see who actually steps up and shows they deserve the playing time.

[beatlesrule]

What did this franchise honestly think would happen when signing Ohtani?  Did they expect Pujols to play the field when Ohtani needs to DH for the next 4 years?  If Ohtani is never going to play in the field, that's what it would have to mean correct?  Or will they simply be content with benching him more and more and have a 30 million part time player?  Yes, Arte is a fool for giving Pujols that contract but Albert is also to blame for sucking(compared to what he used to be and what was expected of him) He needs to do whatever Big Papi did in his last year for the next 3 years.  Also, type here what you will about Scioscia batting him 3, 4 or 5 and starting him everyday but I highly doubt a new manager(if we are lucky enough) won't do almost the exact same thing with Pujols.  I think it's coming from management or Albert himself to play everyday and in the middle of the lineup.  That's my only logical explanation.

Oh and choke on this article slapnuts!

http://insider.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/24519099/mlb-los-angeles-angels-consider-parting-ways-albert-pujols

Snippets:

"Here's how rough it has been for Pujols the past two seasons. There have been 177 players with at least 800 plate appearances and Pujols ranks 162nd in wRC+, the park-adjusted metric found at FanGraphs. He's wedged alongside such luminaries as Tim Anderson, Gerardo Parra and Jason Kipnis. He ranks 172nd out of the 177 players in on-base percentage and has grounded into the third-most double plays along the way.

Last year, when he drove in 103 runs, the Angels used the excuse that at least he's driving in runs to publicly state their belief in Pujols (to be fair, he did hit well with runners on base). That's less of a justifiable argument this year, as he has hit .285 with runners in scoring position, but with just three home runs in 130 at-bats. In other breakdowns, he has been far less effective, including a .697 OPS in "late and close" situations and a .624 OPS in high-leverage situations."

Oh and BTW, the guy I wanted the Angels to trade for in the offseason went 6-for-6, hit for the cycle, and threw out the potential go-ahead run at the plate in the seventh inning.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/31283/christian-yelich

Like I've stated already, if this franchise really wanted to go all out with Trout on the team, he would have been an Angel. You then trade Calhoun to get back some of what you lost if the Marlins wouldn't take Calhoun. Whatever though.  I don't own the team.

[yk9001]

8 hours ago, jsnpritchett said:

We'll just be treated to the usual "best shape of his life," "pain-free for the first time in years," etc shit that they trot out every spring.

Or, it will be a " he had knee surgery, so he is coming in fat, because he couldn't rehab. " kind of spring.

[Blarg]

His career is over. It's time to find a way to finalize his contract.

[Lou]

4 hours ago, beatlesrule said:

What did this franchise honestly think would happen when signing Ohtani?  Did they expect Pujols to play the field when Ohtani needs to DH for the next 4 years?  If Ohtani is never going to play in the field, that's what it would have to mean correct?  

he's 5 months into his Angels career, and was injured for one of them. it's a little too soon to be saying never 

[Docwaukee]

4 hours ago, beatlesrule said:

What did this franchise honestly think would happen when signing Ohtani?  Did they expect Pujols to play the field when Ohtani needs to DH for the next 4 years?  If Ohtani is never going to play in the field, that's what it would have to mean correct?  Or will they simply be content with benching him more and more and have a 30 million part time player?  Yes, Arte is a fool for giving Pujols that contract but Albert is also to blame for sucking(compared to what he used to be and what was expected of him) He needs to do whatever Big Papi did in his last year for the next 3 years.  Also, type here what you will about Scioscia batting him 3, 4 or 5 and starting him everyday but I highly doubt a new manager(if we are lucky enough) won't do almost the exact same thing with Pujols.  I think it's coming from management or Albert himself to play everyday and in the middle of the lineup.  That's my only logical explanation.

Oh and choke on this article slapnuts!

http://insider.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/24519099/mlb-los-angeles-angels-consider-parting-ways-albert-pujols

Snippets:

"Here's how rough it has been for Pujols the past two seasons. There have been 177 players with at least 800 plate appearances and Pujols ranks 162nd in wRC+, the park-adjusted metric found at FanGraphs. He's wedged alongside such luminaries as Tim Anderson, Gerardo Parra and Jason Kipnis. He ranks 172nd out of the 177 players in on-base percentage and has grounded into the third-most double plays along the way.

Last year, when he drove in 103 runs, the Angels used the excuse that at least he's driving in runs to publicly state their belief in Pujols (to be fair, he did hit well with runners on base). That's less of a justifiable argument this year, as he has hit .285 with runners in scoring position, but with just three home runs in 130 at-bats. In other breakdowns, he has been far less effective, including a .697 OPS in "late and close" situations and a .624 OPS in high-leverage situations."

Oh and BTW, the guy I wanted the Angels to trade for in the offseason went 6-for-6, hit for the cycle, and threw out the potential go-ahead run at the plate in the seventh inning.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/player/_/id/31283/christian-yelich

Like I've stated already, if this franchise really wanted to go all out with Trout on the team, he would have been an Angel. You then trade Calhoun to get back some of what you lost if the Marlins wouldn't take Calhoun. Whatever though.  I don't own the team.

Having Albert didn't negate us from getting Yelich.   There isn't any one player that would have made 2018 better for this team.  

But back to how Pujols is terrible.  

The thing that's most astounding to me is that he's touted as being this incredible hitter.   Incredible hitters adjust to what pitchers are doing to you.  He never ever adjusted.  

There's a good chance I'm just dumb and my lack of pro baseball experience is the reason I think this, but if he was so incredible, why did he keep swinging at absolute crap?  Shouldn't he have an incredible eye?  Of course he does.  did.  He just tried to be the guy that 'drove in runs' to prove his worth.  Considering how his lower half has held up, maybe he was right.  Swing for the fences and hope for the best.  Maybe he'd have been exchanging obp for slg.  

CJ Cron in a full time role has a 123 ops+ btw.  His defense is still crap and he's only about a win better than Albert, but why not have another win.  

[Angel Oracle]

Exhibit A on why teams don’t give out really long contracts to ANY 32 year-olds any more, no matter how good they have been.

Especially when they have used the same crouching batting stance forever, putting pressure on the knees and feet

Arte and Dip*ssy, just SMH

Tiggers are living the same nightmare with Cabrera, 5 years/$152 million to go.

[Lou]

4 hours ago, beatlesrule said:

Oh and BTW, the guy I wanted . . .

 you were also ok with giving Heyward 10-yr deal, so there's that

[fan_since79]

If Scioscia is extended, Albert will get lots of playing time and bat no lower than 5th.

If Scioscia is gone, Albert will become very familiar with the dugout bench.

PLEASE let the latter be the case.

Edited August 30, 2018 by fan_since79

[GrittyVeterans]

6 minutes ago, fan_since79 said:

If Scioscia gets extended, Albert will get lots of playing time and bat no lower than 5th.

If Scioscia is gone, Albert will become very familiar with the dugout bench.

PLEASE let the latter be the case.

The Albert situation is on the front office, not Scioscia really. Eppler/Arte have gone out of their way to appease him so far. Has to end

i put this 90% on arte. This is his deal. He’s the one who signs the checks and has the ultimate say in the franchises course. He needs to take control of it and make a tough but worthwhile decision. And it needs to happen a month from now. Not a year or 3 years from now

Just tell him his options are either to hang around and sit on the bench and be “humiliated” but still get his money or he can retire and move into an advisory/coaching role while still getting the 90 mil over the next 5-ish years. I think he’d probably do the latter if the Angels really were serious about benching him

[mtangelsfan]

38 minutes ago, fan_since79 said:

If Scioscia is extended, Albert will get lots of playing time and bat no lower than 5th.

If Scioscia is gone, Albert will become very familiar with the dugout bench.

PLEASE let the latter be the case.

This is a big assumption.  Assumption being that Sosh is the one demanding playing time for Albert vs. Arte or Eppie.

[UndertheHalo]

5 minutes ago, mtangelsfan said:

This is a big assumption.  Assumption being that Sosh is the one demanding playing time for Albert vs. Arte or Eppie.

It’s probably a wrong assumption also. 

[yk9001]

It can't be Scioscia.  He hasn't made a wrong decision the last 10 years.  

It's always someone else's fault.

[GrittyVeterans]

1 minute ago, Vladdylonglegs said:

I think the only 2 options should be to use him as a pinch hitter in blowout games or he retires and forfeits all $90M. I've never understood teams always giving players the easy way out.

I hear you, but the easy way out is appealing because it frees up a roster spot. We will basically be playing with a 24 man roster if Pujols is allowed to sit around and twiddle his thumbs on the bench all year. That’s not the end of the world but it would be nice to have a more athletic, versatile bench player that can pinch run and play multiple positions instead of Pujols