Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - This wasn't supposed to happen to the Los
Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
After an offseason that saw them sign not only the best player on the planet
in Albert Pujols, but the best pitcher available in C.J. Wilson, the Angels
were not only going to contend for an American League West crown, they were
being pegged as one of the best teams in baseball.
And rightfully so, by the way.
Pujols is what he is, but the addition of Wilson to an already loaded pitching
staff that included Jered Weaver, Dan Haren and Ervin Santana figured to be
enough to unseat a Texas Rangers team that had captured the last two division
and league crowns.
At the very least it should have been enough to get the Angels to the
postseason, given the added wild card teams. But, as they say, that is why
you play the games.
Heading into Thursday, the Angels are just 6-12, but eight games back in the
loss column of the Rangers. Now, of course, it is not even May yet, but eight
games is eight games. And Texas is not exactly a team playing above its head
here in the early going like, say, the Baltimore Orioles.
This is a Rangers team that has represented the AL in each of the past two
seasons. Translation: they are not going anywhere, so if the Angels are going
to be a factor, something has to change. And fast.
It's hard to lay the blame on any one player, but Pujols has been a huge
disappointment. Perhaps the three-time NL MVP is overdoing it in trying to
live up to the lofty $254 million deal he signed this winter, but he is mired
in the worst stretch of his career, an 0-for-19 slide that has dipped his
average to a mere .222. Not to mention he's yet to hit a home run and only
has four RBIs on the year and even heard boos on the Angels' last homestand.
Things may have reached a boiling point on Wednesday when after a 3-2 loss to
Tampa Bay, outfielder Torii Hunter seemingly called out manager Mike Scioscia.
"We have to fight a little harder," Hunter told the Los Angeles Times. "I
don't think we believe we're trying that hard. We're just going through the
motions. We have to do what we're capable of doing. That's everybody; not just
the players."
Hunter was apparently miffed about Scioscia's failure to call a bunt with two
runners on base in the second inning, which led to the Angels being held
scoreless following back-to-back singles to begin the frame.
Now let's get this straight: Scioscia might be the best manager in baseball.
He won a World Series with the Angels in 2002 and is currently the only active
skipper to have won 1,000 games with his current team.
But the question has to be asked, could Scioscia be in some trouble?
Owner Arte Moreno is not exactly George Steinbrenner in the mid 1980s, but
he's also not someone who is going to sit on his hands, either, especially
after an offseason that saw him dole out more than $300 million to improve a
club that has missed the playoffs in each of the past two years.
Firing Scioscia now is probably the knee-jerkiest of all knee-jerk reactions,
but like they say, you can't fire the players. There have been better managers
than Scioscia who have been fired before.
Sometimes change just has to happen, but Scioscia has surely earned the right
to at least try and get the situation straightened out.
But if this lingers for another couple of weeks, all bets are off.
The Sports Network