Wednesday Halolinks: Will Pressure Get To Pujols Like It Did Wells?

by WiHaloFan on Jan 4, 2012 6:14 AM PST in Angels Rumors And Links

Remember last season when Vernon Wells tweeted, "Too blessed to be stressed" while having the worst season of his career? And then this off-season, Wells admitted to feeling a little pressure while trying to prove himself to his new team? Here's hoping Albert Pujols is "too rad to be bad": Rangers, Albert Pujols, playoffs, replay part of 2012's season of change - Tom Verducci - SI.com. "3. Albert Pujols will face enormous pressure. The guy who turns 32 this month and is in a slight three-year decline now faces the burden of trying to live up to a $254 million contract immediately." Let's add, carry his new team to their first post season in 3 years.
Here's an interesting idea: Harden a reliever? Idea is intriguing - Yardbarker. Ken Rosenthal writes, "Harden, a free-agent right-hander, is drawing interest from clubs that would use him either as a starter or reliever, according to major-league sources." Could this be the type of player the Angels could use in the bullpen...a sort of "swingman" in the event Jerome Williams falters a bit? If Harden is able to stay healthy (yeah, right!) and return to his somewhat dominating former self, a hundred innings from him and another from Williams might add up to one tough #5 starter.
I missed this yesterday, but Sam Miller points out this season could make the Angels a winning franchise: Why 2012 could be a very cool year for the Angels - The Orange County Register. "This year, though, the Angels have a chance to pass .500 for the second time. In the past decade, they have erased nearly 200 wins off their deficit, and they’re now just 26 games behind .500. A 94-win season gets them there. "

Really cool interactive graph, well worth the click through: Hall of wWAR vs. Hall of Fame vs. Hall of Merit - Beyond the Box Score. "Between my own Hall of wWAR, the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and Baseball Think Factory's Hall of Merit, there are now three "Halls" that honor the game's best players. So, how do they compare?"
Foul Territory: Yu Darvish visiting Metroplex - Star-Telegram.com. "Right-hander Yu Darvish, the Japanese star who is in negotiations for a multiyear contract with Rangers, is in the Metroplex with his father to gain a better understanding of the area and get a first-hand look at the operations of the reigning American League champions."
A couple 2011 Angels bullpen mates sign with new teams: Twins Sign Jason Bulger, Casey Fien, Aaron Bates - MLBTradeRumors.com. "Bulger, 33, appeared in five games with the Angels in 2011. He spent most of the season in the bullpen of Los Angeles' top affiliate, where he posted a 4.03 ERA with 11.6 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9." And the guy who can't figure out how to wear his cap: Rays Sign Fernando Rodney - MLB Daily Dish. "According to a report from the Associated Press, the Tampa Bay Rays have signed free-agent reliever Fernando Rodney to a one-year deal worth just over $2 million."
I thought this was interesting because of two things; 1) Who thinks up job titles like this one, and 2) HH resident rocket scientist, redfloyd, may have a future in baseball: Ultimate Astros " Astros go data-heavy with addition of director of decision sciences. "The Astros boosted their commitment to a data-driven existence under new general manager Jeff Luhnow and CEO George Postolos with the hiring of Sig Mejdal as the club’s director of decision sciences." Mejdal at one time worked in the aerospace industry.
Cool article: Conjugating Wally Pipp - The Hardball Times. "A much harder date to pin down is when Pipp’s name became a figure of speech, as in "poor old so-and-so got wallypipped by that young whippersnapper." Did that term enter the lexicon during Gehrig’s tenure as the Yankees’ first baseman or afterwards? Did Gehrig ever hear the term, or was he long gone from this mortal coil before sportswriters and fans started to bandy it about? Surely, before Pipp passed away in 1965, he must have heard his name used as a verb in some form or fashion."
I'm starting to like these Deadspin, slo-mo posts of remarkable events: Holly Rowe Will Beat Up Anyone Who Tries To Steal Her Interview - Deadspin

Poll

Jerome Williams + Rich Harden =

Three trips to the disabled list

88 votes

The best #5 starter in baseball

160 votes

Some really ugly offspring.

107 votes

355 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

Hey, Verducci!

When has Albert ever played without pressure?

Winning doesn't matter. -Lyle

by 5thStarter on Jan 4, 2012 9:09 AM PST reply actions

One of these weekends I'm going to bust with my Albert's Great Decline (not) post....

One-sentence version — barring him getting hit by a truck, expect a lot of fun for the next 5 years at least, possibly 7.

by mattwelch on Jan 4, 2012 9:41 AM PST reply actions

The competing rhetoric out there is maddening. I’m surprised people are still arguing that it’s a bad signing, because 1) it’s not a bad deal financially, for myriad reasons, and 2) Albert is still one of the greatest players to ever set foot on a diamond.

Winning doesn't matter. -Lyle

by 5thStarter on Jan 4, 2012 9:50 AM PST up reply actions

I had a moment of doubt

I looked up Edgar Martinez on BBREF. After your “Truck” scenario above, Edgar is the worst case scenario for an aging Albert.

by Rev Halofan on Jan 4, 2012 10:38 AM PST up reply actions

except

Edgar’s career was good compared to Pujols’ legendary. :)

by joberooni on Jan 4, 2012 12:01 PM PST up reply actions

I like how Albert

has two of his best career years in ’08 and ’09, one that is dead on with his career averages in ’10, and then plays injured for most of ’11, and all of a sudden he is in a decline.

This is a sig.

by Caseys Kiss of Death on Jan 4, 2012 12:07 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

It's a lot like China.

Their birth rate has declined a little. So there is a risk they are no longer super populous.

Tim Salmon + Yankee cap = HOF.

by gitchogritchoffmypetis on Jan 4, 2012 3:00 PM PST up reply actions

I just heard the lamest Dodger radio promo by AM570

“Pujols and Wilson? Please. Try Kershaw and Kemp. Bring on that Freeway Series.”

Poor poor Doyer fan. It is not a 2 man sport.

Willits? Check. Reagins? Check. Mathis? Check

by hauldog on Jan 4, 2012 9:59 AM PST reply actions

tell the 570:

trade them and we’ll try them

by Rev Halofan on Jan 4, 2012 10:39 AM PST up reply actions

Awesome.

/sarcasm

Unlike this cat, my love for the LAA will never die.

by NathanielS on Jan 4, 2012 12:21 PM PST up reply actions

They should just go back to having that little man girl that roots for the Braves on their billboards.

“THIS IS OUR TOWN!”

Tim Salmon + Yankee cap = HOF.

by gitchogritchoffmypetis on Jan 4, 2012 3:02 PM PST up reply actions

What is the park factor for Milwaukee?

From the Verducci article, Braun and Hamilton have almost identical OPS, yet Hamilton’s OPS+ is over 20 points higher.

You’d think that Arlington would have a worse park factor than almost anything else.

If the Halos don't care about the way they play, then why should I?

by red floyd on Jan 4, 2012 10:56 AM PST reply actions

Ignore this. I misread 140 as 110.

If the Halos don't care about the way they play, then why should I?

by red floyd on Jan 4, 2012 11:01 AM PST up reply actions

I thought the reference to red’s career in aerospace was going to lead to a headline “Astros to scrap baseball operations; go into private space flight”

by Halowitz on Jan 4, 2012 11:34 AM PST reply actions

I am not, nor have I ever been affiliated with the Astros. If nominated, I will not run. If chosen by them, I shall not serve.

If the Halos don't care about the way they play, then why should I?

by red floyd on Jan 4, 2012 2:00 PM PST up reply actions

These links just aren't doing it for me anymore.

This is the darkest hour of the off-season. I’m DYING. It’s pretty sad that I’m trying to get my baseball fix by doing stuff like searching every morning to see if Fielder signed with the Rangers and watching dumb shows on MLBN,

Where were you on December 8th, 2011 - Pujols Day?

by Rally Manatee on Jan 4, 2012 11:44 AM PST reply actions