Going WAY out on the Limb

[instant karma]

Dear Fellow Angel Supporters,

As many of you, I am not blessed with inside information.  That said, I have a prediction (which I will probably receive much deserved criticism and ridicule for):  Albert Pujols will announce his retirement prior to the start of the season.

My reasons (in no particular priority order):

1) Billy Eppler is as smooth as a velvet glove when delivering the "don't let the door hit you on your ass on the way out" message.  He essentially fired Mike Butcher and all Mike said when leaving was how smart and wonderful Billy E was.   Billy was able to end Mike Scoscia's tenure as smoothly. 

I think Billy will have a clandestine meeting with Albert this off season.  At this meeting, Billy will let Albert know approximately how many at bats he might expect to get this year.  It won't be many, if any, at the DH position.  And I think, because the priority ts to field a team that is playoff worthy,  in an effort to keep Trout, Bill will let Albert know the best offensive player will get most of starts this year, whether that's him, Matt Thaiss or someone else.  I think Albert's pride will kick in and he will choose to retire.

 

2) Billy will coordinate some sort of Albert Pujols appreciation /retirement event that will feed Albert's ego.

 

3) On some level, Albert has to see the oddity of his pursuing the Willie Mays model (playing too many years), versus what Adrian Beltre and David Ortiz did--retiring before they started to lose their skills.

4) The Angels want to have as much payroll flexibility to improve their team this year.  If they can't convince Trout to sign an extension this year, they would be fools not to trade him before he gets to his final year.  The Angels would get far more assets selling two years of Trout versus one year.  If that's true, this is the year they need to add talent to push this team into the playoff picture.  

That's what I think.  I know watching the MLB network everyone believes Albert will be at first base to start the season.  I just don't see how they can expect to motivate Trout to stay while at the same time keeping an over the hill, mediocre hitting, double play "machine" at a corner infield position. 

I know I am gonna get hammered, but I love you all.  Go Angels.

 

[eligrba]

[UndertheHalo]

I’m not going to hammer you.  Why would I ? You can have your opinion.  I think there’s like a 99% chance that Albert Pujols will not retire though. 

[Halodays]

Coach Pujols?

[floplag]

I do not think he will announce his retirement, but i do think there is a good chance he might announce this is his final season as a player.  
The man deserves a farewell tour and we do plan in StL this season.
After that, he could be hitting coach or whatever who knows but i do not think he plays out the rest of his contract.

[DMVol]

Maybe next year....don’t think Albert is biting just yet....

[DMVol]

2 minutes ago, Halodays said:

Coach Pujols?

I think that could happen when he just can’t physically go anymore.....a very highly paid coach, for sure....he does have a good clubhouse reputation so you could do worse as a coach....

[UndertheHalo]

It would unbelievably dumb for him to retire.  Why on earth would he ? He can just not play if he can’t.  The contract is guranteed. 

[UndertheHalo]

2 hours ago, DMVol said:

I think that could happen when he just can’t physically go anymore.....a very highly paid coach, for sure....he does have a good clubhouse reputation so you could do worse as a coach....

Ya he can just hang out and be the fu*cking mascot. The batting practice ambassador, a club house character.  Whatever.  He doesn’t have to give up all that money and he absolutely shouldn’t.  It’s a sunk cost.  If the Angels want the roster spot and don’t want him to play they just have to eat it.  Which they should.  But won’t. 

This has been repeated like 5000 times by me alone now. 

Edited December 2, 2018 by UndertheHalo

[Stradling]

3 minutes ago, azmancini said:

My feet hurt every time I see Albert “run”.  Looks like he has a pair of skillets tied to the bottom of his cleats. 

I’m pretty sure that isn’t the case, but it’s worth a look. 

[jordan]

Everyone here hopes you’re right. But not likely. Like others have said, it’s probably more likely after one more season. I can’t see him 1) not having a farewell tour, and 2) foregoing that chance to return to STL as a player.  The OP is one season early. 

[beatlesrule]

[The_Outrunner]

14 minutes ago, jordan said:

Everyone here hopes you’re right. But not likely. Like others have said, it’s probably more likely after one more season. I can’t see him 1) not having a farewell tour, and 2) foregoing that chance to return to STL as a player.  The OP is one season early. 

This is exactly right! Like David ortiz, Pujols is going to be celebrated the same way. He might announce he's retiring after this season. I'm fairly certain there's some type of deal that Pujols receives a lot money when he retires 

[Pancake Bear]

1 hour ago, UndertheHalo said:

 I think there’s like a 99% chance that Albert Pujols will not retire though. 

You’re underselling it. 

OP:

Retiring, he’d lose *a lot* of money. Why would Pujols do that? Pujols still thinks he is good.

Eppler can say or think what he wants. Unless he arranges a buy out, Pujols will start the season at 1B. A phantom DL stint is the more likely approach.

(Also, Eppler didn’t fire Butcher.)

[Erstad Grit]

Gil Meche is the only player I can think of who has done something like this. 

Pujols strikes me as a guy in full denial. He thinks he'll rebound. Best we could hope for is handing him to Cardinals at some point and paying his full salary minus 2-3 million like we did with Hamilton.  

[Torridd]

2 hours ago, instant karma said:

Dear Fellow Angel Supporters,

As many of you, I am not blessed with inside information.  That said, I have a prediction (which I will probably receive much deserved criticism and ridicule for):  Albert Pujols will announce his retirement prior to the start of the season.

My reasons (in no particular priority order):

1) Billy Eppler is as smooth as a velvet glove when delivering the "don't let the door hit you on your ass on the way out" message.  He essentially fired Mike Butcher and all Mike said when leaving was how smart and wonderful Billy E was.   Billy was able to end Mike Scoscia's tenure as smoothly. 

I think Billy will have a clandestine meeting with Albert this off season.  At this meeting, Billy will let Albert know approximately how many at bats he might expect to get this year.  It won't be many, if any, at the DH position.  And I think, because the priority ts to field a team that is playoff worthy,  in an effort to keep Trout, Bill will let Albert know the best offensive player will get most of starts this year, whether that's him, Matt Thaiss or someone else.  I think Albert's pride will kick in and he will choose to retire.

 

2) Billy will coordinate some sort of Albert Pujols appreciation /retirement event that will feed Albert's ego.

 

3) On some level, Albert has to see the oddity of his pursuing the Willie Mays model (playing too many years), versus what Adrian Beltre and David Ortiz did--retiring before they started to lose their skills.

4) The Angels want to have as much payroll flexibility to improve their team this year.  If they can't convince Trout to sign an extension this year, they would be fools not to trade him before he gets to his final year.  The Angels would get far more assets selling two years of Trout versus one year.  If that's true, this is the year they need to add talent to push this team into the playoff picture.  

That's what I think.  I know watching the MLB network everyone believes Albert will be at first base to start the season.  I just don't see how they can expect to motivate Trout to stay while at the same time keeping an over the hill, mediocre hitting, double play "machine" at a corner infield position. 

I know I am gonna get hammered, but I love you all.  Go Angels.

 

I think you're wrong. No way will  Pujols want to go out with an injury. I think he wants to retire on his terms, not be pushed out.

[Troll Daddy]

Hamilton got his money ... Pujols will get his too

[Stradling]

57 minutes ago, Sean-Regan said:

You’re underselling it. 

OP:

Retiring, he’d lose *a lot* of money. Why would Pujols do that? Pujols still thinks he is good.

Eppler can say or think what he wants. Unless he arranges a buy out, Pujols will start the season at 1B. A phantom DL stint is the more likely approach.

(Also, Eppler didn’t fire Butcher.)

He kinda fired Butcher.  There was zero chance he was being retained and it had nothing to do with his ability to be a pitching coach. 

[ten ocho recon scout]

4 hours ago, Halodays said:

Coach Pujols?

The idea itself reads like an 80s sitcom, with that as the title.

Couldnt be worse than drexles class. (And i like dabney coleman)

[Docwaukee]

To be clear, Pujols isn't going to leave a dime on the table.  Not a single red cent.  

The best case scenario for this team right now is that he announces that 2019 will be his last year and he essentially goes on a farewell tour.  Arte and co. would work out some sort of deal to pay him what he's owed plus interest and future value should that occur.  We would still take the CBT for the next three years as per the rules governing that, but the Halos would free up a ton of money in actual payroll for 2020 and 2021.  

In no way shape or form will this be forced.  They might have a conversation about reduced PT but that's the most of what will happen.  

More likely that this occurs before the 2020 season if it's going to where he foregoes the final year of his deal.  Again, his remaining money gets deferred.  

My top odds are still on him playing out his entire contract though.  

[Docwaukee]

also think there's almost no chance of him becoming a coach.  He'll have more money than he can spend and being on he road half a season a year would take a ton of time from his family which he seems to greatly value.  

[beatlesrule]

If he greatly values his family, he would retire right now and spend as much time with them as possible.

[Stradling]

31 minutes ago, beatlesrule said:

If he greatly values his family, he would retire right now and spend as much time with them as possible.

Yes, that is logical, he probably should have faked an injury in year one of the contract so he could have spent all ten years with them on Arte’s dime.  

[Stradling]

I’m still in the retire early camp.  I think this will be his last year, but I obviously could be wrong.  

[JarsOfClay]

4 hours ago, beatlesrule said:

If he greatly values his family, he would retire right now and spend as much time with them as possible.

Or he would have stayed in St Louis instead of forcing his entire family to go to Anaheim for a whopping 10 million more dollars.

The guy is pure greed. Family is a distant second. He's not retiring. Period.