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Los Angeles Angels News

Sources: Playoff expansion has issues
February 1
ESPN.com
 
"Baseball commissioner Bud Selig continues to talk confidently about expanding the baseball playoff field in 2012. But sources tell ESPN.com efforts to make that happen remain bogged down, all because of one thorny little complication: the details. Wednesday was supposed to be the day the commissioner's office finished a proposed schedule for the 2012 postseason and shipped it to the players' association for consideration. But sources told ESPN.com that deadline wasn't going to be met -- not because talks have broken down, but because fitting two extra wild-card pieces into the postseason puzzle has proven to be more involved than the commissioner has been willing to acknowledge. The new"
World Series odds for Rangers, Angels dead even
January 30
Dallas Morning News
 
"Who's got the early edge in the race for the AL West? If you heed the advice of odds makers, it's a dead heat. According to Vegas.com , the Rangers and Angels both sit at 8/1 odds of winning the 2012 World Series . That puts the AL West rivals in a tie for fourth, behind odds-on favorite Philadelphia (9/2), as well as the Red Sox and Yankees (both at 7/1)."
Selig expects two one-game playoffs for this fall
January 28
Chicago Tribune
 
"Baseball appears ready for an extra round of wild-card playoffs by this fall, according to commissioner Bud Selig. "I really believe we'll have the (extra) wild card for this year," Selig said Friday at SoxFest. "Clubs really want it. I don't think I've ever seen an issue that the clubs want more than to have the extra wild card." The extra round would be one-game elimination in both the National and American Leagues to the teams who would have missed the playoffs as they are set up now. Some have argued for a best-of-three, but that appears impossible with the scheduled all but set for 2012."
MLB allows retired Tony La Russa to manage in All-Star game against Ron Washington
January 25
Dallas Morning News
 
"Tony La Russa will come out of retirement to manage the National League team for the July 10 All-Star Game at Kansas City. La Russa will go against Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington, who will handle the American League team for the second consecutive season. La Russa retired shortly after St. Louis defeated the Rangers in the seven-game World Series."
Angels still in the mix to land Cordero
January 23
MLB.com
 
"Free-agent closer Francisco Cordero expects to pick a team by the end of this week, and the Angels are one of four finalists for his services, a source with knowledge of the negotiations told MLB.com. The identity of the other three clubs is not known at this point, but one of the four, the source said, is a championship-contending team looking to slot him in the eighth inning. That may be the Phillies, which could use a setup man for the recently signed Jonathan Papelbon. The Orioles have also reportedly been in touch. The Rays, which have a need in the ninth inning, are not one of those other three clubs, however. At this point in the offseason, with the closer's market dried up and a"
Angels' Trumbo ready to attack third-base challenge
January 23
Orange County Register
 
"Mark Trumbo is willing to get an early start on learning how to play third base. Very early. "If I'm physically able, I'll be out there at 4:15 in the morning if that's what it takes," the Angels young slugger said Saturday while attending a charity event at El Dorado High School for the Cory Hahn Fund. "In all honesty – I'll field thousands of ground balls a day if that's going to give me a better chance to make the transition and help the team." The truth of the matter, though, is that Trumbo will actually be getting a late start on trying to make third base a viable option for his playing time in 2012. Even before signing first baseman Albert Pujols as a free agent this winter, the"
Angels, Dodgers see Yu Darvish slip away
January 19
Los Angeles Times
 
"Clay Daniel remembers the first time he saw Yu Darvish in person. It was at a 2002 tryout on an island off the coast of Japan, when the lanky right-hander, who signed a six-year, $60-million deal with the Texas Rangers on Wednesday, was only 16. "He was a fungo bat, about 6 feet 4 and 160 pounds, and he was only throwing 85-88 mph," said Daniel, then the Angels' international scouting director. "He was still a baby, but you could tell he had a chance to be something special.""
DeWitt: Cardinals wanted Pujols
January 16
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. insisted Sunday that his inability to retain free agent first baseman Albert Pujols had nothing to do with a lack of organizational commitment but much to do with recognizing fiscal limitations. A day after a downtown Hyatt ballroom crowd applauded general manager John Mozeliak for suggesting the process worked to the benefit of both sides, DeWitt underscored his desire to bring back Pujols, who last month agreed to a 10-year, $240 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels. "This is a very knowledgeable baseball market. I think they realize you can only do so much for a given player and compete year in and year out," DeWitt said during an afternoon"
Q&A: Angels General Manager Jerry Dipoto
January 16
Los Angeles Times
 
"Jerry Dipoto has been on the job less than three months and he's already accomplished so much as Angels general manager. First, his pedigree as a former major league closer, scout, player development official and interim GM impressed owner Arte Moreno as he sought a replacement for the ousted Tony Reagins after a distant second-place showing behind the American League champion Texas Rangers, the second straight year the Angels failed to make the playoffs."
Carpenter: Pujols should be praised, not 'beat up'
January 15
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Chris Carpenter, the pitching hero of last year's Cardinals World Series run, made an appearance at the Cardinals Winter Warm-Up today and talked about past successes and the somewhat uncertain future. "There's a lot of excitment around this ball club, after everything that went on at the end," said Carpenter. "It went from excitement to a little bit of sadness with Tony (manager Tony La Russa retired). And obviously with Albert (Pujols) leaving, it brought some questions, but I'm excited about the opportunity we're going to have. "Losing Albert is a big thing, but that is the game. The things that he brought to this organization and this community are enormous and he should be praised for"
Will the Angels get their money's worth from Albert Pujols?
January 14
Los Angeles Times
 
"Albert Pujols can lead the Angels to a few World Series championships, win several most-valuable-player awards, set the all-time home run record and pass 3,000 hits, and he would not pay for himself. It seems unlikely that any player, no matter how dominant and marketable, can generate close to $240 million in 10 years. But that's not to say the Angels aren't already benefiting from the Dec. 8 acquisition of Pujols, which, combined with the same-day signing of pitcher C.J. Wilson, sparked a surge in ticket and merchandise sales. There is also the intangible that often makes this high-stakes game of player acquisition worthwhile. If owner Arte Moreno sells the team after Pujols' retirement,"
Kendrys Morales agrees to one-year deal with Angels
January 12
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Angels and first baseman/designated hitter Kendrys Morales avoided salary arbitration by striking a deal for the 2012 season Wednesday. Morales, still recovering from a broken left ankle suffered when he jumped on home plate after his game-winning homer against the Seattle Mariners on May 29, 2010, hasn't played since having surgery and a follow-up operation last May to clean scar tissue and debris in the joint. Details of the deal were not immediately available, but it's thought that Morales and the Angels settled on a figure somewhere near his 2011 salary of $3 million. Because he didn't play in 2011, the team could have slashed his salary by as much as 20%."
Angels, Kendrys Morales reach contract terms, avoid arbitration
January 11
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Angels and still-recovering first baseman/designated hitter Kendrys Morales on Wednesday avoided salary arbitration by striking a deal for the 2012 season. Morales broke his left ankle when he jumped on home plate following his game-winning homer over the Seattle Mariners on May 29, 2010. He hasn't played since having surgery and a follow-up operation last May to clean scar tissue and debris in the ankle joint. Details of the deal were not immediately available, but it's believed Morales and the Angels settled on a figure somewhere near his 2011 salary of $3 million. Because he didn't play in 2011, the team could have slashed his salary by as much as 20%."
Howie Kendrick says that staying with Angels was top priority
January 11
Los Angeles Times
 
"Howie Kendrick said he was fully aware of what effect an impressive season could make on his value as a free agent before 2013, but remaining an Angel trumped taking on the speculative venture. "It's special to be around this organization where I grew up, to stay home," Kendrick said Tuesday in a news conference at an Anaheim restaurant to formally announce the four-year, $33.5-million contract extension he signed with the team. "I can't explain how happy I am to stay in Anaheim." Kendrick said the team's winter acquisitions of free-agent slugger Albert Pujols, former Texas Rangers ace C.J. Wilson, veteran reliever LaTroy Hawkins and catcher Chris Iannetta only emboldened his view that"
Dipoto: "No timeline, no date" on Kendrys Morales' return
January 10
Los Angeles Times
 
"Angels General Manager Jerry Dipoto said Tuesday that he's planning to inspect a Friday workout in Arizona by first baseman Kendrys Morales, recovering from surgery to his left ankle, which was broken in May 2010. "He's working out now -- physical therapy, baseball specific drills," Dipoto said during the formal announcement of second baseman Howie Kendrick's four-year contract extension. The Angels have committed about $3 million to the switch-hitting Morales for 2012, although it's uncertain when he'll return to play after breaking the ankle by jumping on home plate celebrating a game-winning home run. "There's no timeline, no date on the calendar being saved for him -- whenever Kendrys'"
Angels, Howie Kendrick agree to four-year deal
January 8
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Angels on Saturday reached agreement with second baseman Howie Kendrick on a four-year deal pending a physical, according to a person who is familiar with negotiations but could not speak publicly about them. With the new contract, which is thought to be worth $33.5 million, the Angels will avoid Kendrick's final year of arbitration and lock him up through his first three years of free agency. General Manager Jerry Dipoto said last week that he had begun preliminary discussions with the agents for Kendrick and shortstop Erick Aybar about multiyear deals, and those negotiations obviously moved quickly with Larry Reynolds, Kendrick's agent."
Jerry Dipoto: Free-agent spree over
January 7
ESPN.com
 
"The Los Angeles Angels have reached the limits of their payroll flexibility, according to general manager Jerry Dipoto, meaning any acquisitions in the coming months likely would have to come via trades rather than free agency. "We've had a fairly significant level of economic change the way our roster's come together," Dipoto said. "We've addressed the areas we wanted to address coming into this offseason. If there are ways to help our club along using creative ways, we'll do that." After signing Albert Pujols, C.J. Wilson and LaTroy Hawkins this winter, the Angels' payroll figures to rise roughly $20 million from its $142 million level in 2011, which was a franchise record. The Angels"
Kendrys Morales begins running, can increase baseball activity
January 7
Los Angeles Times
 
"Kendrys Morales has begun running on his own body weight and was cleared Friday to "ramp up" some baseball activities, according to a person familiar with the slugger's rehabilitation from a broken left ankle but unauthorized to speak publicly about it. Morales, who has not played since fracturing the ankle while jumping into home plate in celebration of a walk-off home run on May 29, 2010, was in Vail, Colo., this week undergoing tests from the doctor who performed the second of two surgeries on his ankle last May. Angels General Manager Jerry Dipoto had not spoken to his medical staff as of Friday evening, so he did not want to comment on Morales, but the source familiar with the first"
Howie Kendrick, Erick Aybar talking with Angels about new deals
January 6
Los Angeles Times
 
"Angels General Manager Jerry Dipoto has had preliminary discussions with the agents for second baseman Howie Kendrick and shortstop Erick Aybar about multiple-year deals that would prevent the infielders from becoming free agents after the 2012 season. Kendrick, who hit .285 with 18 home runs, 30 doubles and 63 runs batted in last season, and the slick-fielding Aybar, who hit .279 with 10 homers, 33 doubles and 59 RBIs, are entering their final years of arbitration."
Angels 'very unlikely' to add closer Ryan Madson
January 5
Los Angeles Times
 
"There have been persistent Internet rumors linking the Angels to free-agent closer Ryan Madson, but General Manager Jerry Dipoto said it is "very, very unlikely" the team will acquire the former Philadelphia Phillies relief ace, or any closer, for that matter. "What I'll say with some degree of certainty is that our most significant acquisitions have already been made," Dipoto said, alluding to the signings of slugger Albert Pujols (10 years, $250 million) and pitcher C.J. Wilson (five years, $77.5 million). "We're trying to add depth, and in a perfect world, we'd like to find another guy to join Jordan Walden, Scott Downs and LaTroy Hawkins to help with those last nine outs. But closer"
Test results to determine next step for Kendrys Morales
January 5
Los Angeles Times
 
"Angels slugger Kendrys Morales is in Vail, Colo., this week undergoing a series of tests to determine whether he will be able to intensify his rehabilitation from a broken left ankle that has sidelined the switch-hitting first baseman for the past 1½ seasons. "We'll find out if he can step up to the next level and start more rigorous baseball activities," General Manager Jerry Dipoto said. "I wouldn't say Kendrys' 2012 season hinges on the answers we get this week, but the optimism we already feel could be enhanced." Morales, who hit .306 with 34 home runs and 108 runs batted in in 2009, fractured his lower left leg while jumping onto home plate after a game-winning grand slam on May 29,"
Angels open contract talks with Howie Kendrick, Erick Aybar
January 5
Los Angeles Times
 
"Angels General Manager Jerry Dipoto has had preliminary discussions with the agents for second baseman Howie Kendrick and shortstop Erick Aybar about multi-year deals that would prevent the infielders from becoming free agents after 2012. Both Kendrick, who hit .285 with 18 home runs, 30 doubles and 63 runs batted in last season, and the slick-fielding Aybar, who hit .279 with 10 homers, 33 doubles and 59 RBIs, are entering their final years of arbitration. "At this point, it's something we've begun to explore and will continue to explore," Dipoto said. "There is no timetable, but certainly, it's something we're interested in pursuing.""
Albert Pujols is no regular pupil for Angels' batting coach
January 5
Los Angeles Times
 
"Mickey Hatcher still has his job with the Angels, much to the dismay of fans who call for his dismissal every time the offense slumps. And the hitting coach clearly still has his sense of humor. Asked how he will handle Albert Pujols, the Hall-of-Fame-caliber slugger who signed a 10-year, $250-million deal with the Angels in December, Hatcher joked, "I'm definitely not going to try to confuse him — you've seen me do that already with [Vernon] Wells.""
Tampa Bay Rays close to deal with veteran reliever Fernando Rodney
January 4
St. Petersburg Times
 
"As the search for offense continues, the Rays are close to a deal to add another piece, veteran right-hander Fernando Rodney, to their bullpen. Rodney, who turns 35 in March, told an Associated Press reporter in the Dominican Republic last week he has agreed to a one-year contract with the Rays for slightly more than $2 million. The deal has not been finalized, though it could be today. Rodney, 34, had 37 saves for the Tigers in 2009, but his performance the past two seasons with the Angels was not as impressive as he went 7-8 with 17 saves total and a 4.32 ERA."
Details of Albert Pujols' contract with Angels revealed
December 31
Los Angeles Times
 
"Albert Pujols' contract with the Angels guarantees the slugger $240 million over 10 years and includes a personal-services agreement worth at least $10 million, according to several Internet reports, the details of which were confirmed by a person familiar with the deal but not authorized to speak publicly about it. The contract is heavily backloaded, which helped the Angels accommodate the five-year, $77.5-million deal for pitcher C.J. Wilson, and includes hefty milestone bonuses that could push the package's value to $260 million. If Pujols, who amassed 2,073 hits and 445 home runs in 11 seasons in St. Louis, reaches 3,000 hits, a milestone he is on pace to hit in 2016 or 2017, he will"
Sources: Albert Pujols' deal backloaded
December 30
ESPN.com
 
"Albert Pujols was on the receiving end of one of the most lucrative contracts in professional sports history when he agreed with the Los Angeles Angels on a 10-year deal for about $250 million earlier this month. But he also made some accommodations to help his new club land another prize catch this winter. Pujols agreed to a backloaded deal -- taking significantly less money in the first two years -- to aid the Angels in their pursuit of free agent pitcher C.J. Wilson, baseball sources told ESPN.com. Pujols will make a base salary of $12 million in 2012 and $16 million in 2013, said a source. His salary will gradually increase until it surpasses $30 million annually near the end of the"
Late-developing market for late-inning types
December 26
Foxsports.com
 
"Yes, Ryan Madson and Francisco Cordero are still out there. "The trade market snuck up on these free-agent closers," the NL executive said. "They should have taken the money and ran. All of a sudden, (Huston) Street, (Andrew) Bailey and (Brandon) League are out there. That's a significant impact on the free-agent pool that's normally not there." Street was dealt from Colorado to San Diego. Bailey (A's) and League (Mariners) are still available. Some in the industry believe Joakim Soria (Royals) and Carlos Marmol (Cubs) could be had for the right price. With those cost-controlled alternatives, it's understandable why clubs have been reluctant to offer Madson a four-year contract. For now,"
Albert Pujols, C.J. Wilson make Angels better, but how much?
December 20
Los Angeles Times
 columnist Mike DiGiovanna
"The $331.5-million free-agent splurge that netted slugger Albert Pujols and pitcher C.J. Wilson didn't merely transform the Angels from a second-place — and, in some ways, second-rate — club to a World Series contender. It also sent expectations soaring, owner Arte Moreno delivering a clear message with his checkbook that he wants World Series championships, not just playoff berths. That means the 2012 Angels shouldn't be measured next to the 2011 Angels, who struggled to score runs and hold leads and failed to reach the playoffs for the second straight year."
Why the Angels should trade Abreu
December 19
Foxsports.com
 
"Even before the Angels signed Albert Pujols, Bobby Abreu looked like their odd man out. Now, with Kendrys Morales seemingly on the verge of a comeback, the Angels should consider trading Abreu rather than paying him $9 million to be a part-time DH. Abreu, who turns 38 on March 11, is not the type to demand a trade, but he would welcome one, according to sources with knowledge of his thinking. His concern is playing time. Morales, a switch-hitting first baseman, has missed the past 1 1/2 seasons due to leg injuries. The Angels, however, were confident enough in his recent progress to offer him arbitration, knowing his salary likely would be about $3 million."
La Russa: Pujols pained by decision
December 16
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Despite keeping his distance during the final volley of talks between the Cardinals and free agent icon Albert Pujols, former Redbirds manager Tony La Russa believes the divorce of the defending World Series champions from their three-time National League MVP last week was "unavoidable." La Russa, scheduled to appear Saturday afternoon at an autograph show in Clayton, described Pujols as "conflicted" about the decision when he spoke to his former player several hours after Pujols made his decision last Thursday. The impression has only hardened since, La Russa said. "There's a lot to explain why Albert is going there," La Russa told the Post-Dispatch. "Mostly, I think it's the system." La"
Ron Washington: We won't let Pujols beat us
December 15
Dallas Morning News
 
"Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington on Wednesday praised the Los Angeles Angels , an American League West rival, for last week's big-ticket additions of powerful first baseman Albert Pujols and lefthander C.J. Wilson, the Rangers' leading winner over the last two seasons. ``You've got to commend the Angels for what they did,'' Washington said. ``They did what they had to do to bolster their offense. ... They did a good job of picking up C.J. Wilson for their rotation, which is pretty good. The game is played between the lines, and we'll be ready to play when that time comes.''"
Big contracts for older baseball players don't always pay off
December 14
Los Angeles Times
 columnist Mike DiGiovanna
"There was an eerie sense of deja vu in the Dallas Hilton Anatole last Thursday morning. In the same winter meetings hotel in which the Texas Rangers stunned baseball by signing Alex Rodriguez to a 10-year, $252-million deal in 2000, the Angels sent similar shock waves through the game, acquiring slugger Albert Pujols with a 10-year, $254-million deal. "There must be a strain of Legionnaires' disease in here," New York Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson said. "I think every club that has signed a 10-year contract has regretted it.""
Cardinals made epic commitment to Pujols
December 14
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 columnist Jeff Gordon
"Albert Pujols is a Los Angeles Angel of Anaheim today because team owner Arte Moreno made a huge commitment to him. Pujols got the Alex Rodriguez dollars he sought in free agency, $254 million for 10 years. The contract doesn't include heavy deferrals, as the final Cardinal offers did. And it does feature milestone bonuses and post-playing employment. Albert earned every bit of that phenomenal deal by delivering superhuman production over an 11-year span. Nobody should begrudge him for that. "To tell you the truth, it wasn't about the money," Pujols insisted. "I'm going to die saying that, because it wasn't about the money. It was about the commitment." This implies that the Cardinal"
Rangers' Ian Kinsler on C.J. Wilson: 'Hopefully, I'm in his head already'
December 14
Dallas Morning News
 
"Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler appeared on The Ben and Skin Show on KESN-FM 103.3 Tuesday and discussed the departure of Texas ace C.J. Wilson. Wilson, who was signed by the Angels in free agency, mentioned a week ago that Kinsler might be the toughest batter he would face in the Rangers' lineup because he hadn't faced him before and he is at the top of the order. "Hopefully I'm in his head already," Kinsler said. "I think we've had enough conversations where maybe I confused him enough." Kinsler is happy that Wilson was rewarded for his play in free agency, but is confident the Rangers will be fine without him."
Ryan Braun needs to follow his own advice
December 13
Los Angeles Times
 columnist Bill Plaschke
"In the winter of 2009, when news leaked that the New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez had tested positive for a performance enhancing drug, he was faced with a decision. Fight it or admit it? Before Rodriguez made his choice, he was publicly given some unsolicited advice by one of the leaders of the baseball's new generation of clean young stars. Ryan Braun told A-Rod to fess up. "The best thing he can do is come out, admit to everything and be completely honest,'' Braun said of Rodriguez in an interview with mlb.com. "The situation will die a lot faster if he tells the whole truth." Nearly three years later, Braun needs to heed his own words. If the Milwaukee Brewers slugger did indeed use"
Angels tender contract to Kendrys Morales
December 13
Los Angeles Times
 
"The Angels are not ready to give up on Kendrys Morales. Though the first baseman's future is clouded by injury, the signing of slugging first baseman Albert Pujols to a 10-year, $254-million deal and a breakout rookie year by first baseman Mark Trumbo, the Angels tendered Morales a 2012 contract Monday. The Angels also tendered contracts to second baseman Howie Kendrick, shortstop Erick Aybar and third baseman Alberto Callaspo before the 9 p.m. deadline Monday, assuring the three arbitration-eligible infielders will return in 2012."
With Pujols, Angels are aiming high
December 12
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 columnist Joe Strauss
"Arte Moreno had become used to finishing second best in free agency. It had become something of a building, irritating legacy. Now Albert Pujols is his answer. Positioned to not only challenge, but to overtake the Los Angeles Dodgers as Southern California's dominant franchise, Moreno parlayed a massive new local cable contract into the second-largest contract in the game's history: $254 million for perhaps the game's best-ever righthanded hitter. The Angels captured a World Series championship in 2002, something the Dodgers haven't done since 1988. They are debt-free, according to Moreno, who shelled out less than $200 million for a franchise now worth close to four times as much."
Deidre Pujols speaks up about split with Cardinals
December 12
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Deidre Pujols, wife of former Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols, appeared on Joy FM (99.1) in St. Louis this morning to share what she termed the Pujols' "side of the story" concerning Albert's departure from the Cardinals and how he ended up signing with the Los Angeles Angels. Pujols took issue with many things that have been reported concerning contract offers that were made by the Cardinals, and said she has also been surprised at the vehement response to the family's decision to move on. "The devil has overplayed his hand because I have Christian folk trying to throw the Word in my face," Pujols said. She also said it was difficult to understand how folks who had supported Albert Pujols"
Poor Albert had no choice
December 12
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 columnist Bernie Miklasz
"Watching a nervous and clearly conflicted Albert Pujols on the stage in Anaheim, I kept thinking: Why wasn't he happy? Pujols already had a dream of a life, a fantasy, and it just got a whole lot better. Now he'll be enjoying the enhanced prosperity of his new $254 million contract from the Angels. And he seemed sad in a way. Was Pujols trying to get the great fans of St. Louis to feel sorry for him? Tough sale, there. He leads an existence that no working man or woman can relate to. His problems are not our problems. No one moored to reality can possibly feel sympathy for Pujols. Having empathy for Pujols would be an egregious example of misplaced principles. Why wasn't Albert thrilled by"
Albert Pujols brings fans to Angel Stadium, even in December
December 12
Los Angeles Times
 
"Two hundred fifty-four million dollars to play baseball. And now this. Saturday brought blue skies and temperatures near 70, gently swaying palm trees, two huge red caps with large A's bracketing the entrance to the stadium they define, and nearly 5,000 fans screaming his name and gushing their affection. Albert Pujols must have thought he had died and gone to heaven. Never before had a team presented a more fitting name for a player's situation. It is Angel-red heaven now, no matter how much that makes Tom Lasorda squirm."
Pujols says Angels owner made him feel wanted
December 11
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 columnist Bryan Burwell
"In the distance, Dee Dee Pujols could hear a new baseball family cheering for her husband. There were 4,200 worshippers in Angels jerseys chanting Albert Pujols' name in the same passionate manner they once did in St. Louis. It was the same sort of overwhelming love Cardinal Nation had poured out to her husband for 11 incredible years full of Hall of Fame highlights, MVP seasons and stunning World Series memories. It was the same sort of love that she'd seen for most of her adult life in their adopted hometown, the sort of love they always believed was unconditional, yet now were sadly realizing may have come with some strings attached. There are some people back home who are burning her"
Pujols: 'It was about the commitment.'
December 11
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
 
"Shortly before noon local time Saturday, Albert Pujols slipped into a fitted Los Angeles Angels cap and a crisp home white jersey before a crowd of more than 4,000 boisterous fans. It was 11:50 a.m. to be precise. And for the first time as a professional, the three-time National League MVP could be seen as something other than a Cardinal. Appearing nervous during a raucous public news conference, Pujols later spoke of a "stressful" time that he acknowledged created "hurt" for his family as well as a loyal fan base he left behind. Saturday's appearance was part of a two-day ritual following Pujols' Thursday morning acceptance of a 10-year, $254 million contract, the second-most lucrative"
More than 4,000 fans welcome Angels additions Pujols, Wilson
December 11
L.A. Daily News
 
"You have to hand it to Angels owner Arte Moreno. He can pack a strong message into a short amount of time. "I had five seconds to talk," manager Mike Scioscia said, recalling how he learned the Angels had signed Albert Pujols. "I was on a plane, we were about to shut the door to fly back from Dallas to Southern California. It was from Arte. I said, `I better take this one.' He filled me in in about 10 seconds." On Tuesday, Moreno called Pujols' agent and requested five minutes on the phone with the free-agent slugger. Two days later, the Angels announced a 10-year, $254 million contract for Pujols and a five-year contract worth a reported $77.5 million for left-handed pitcher C.J. Wilson,"
Arte Moreno takes pulse of Angels fans and gets it racing
December 11
Los Angeles Times
 
"The boss was calling. John Carpino, the Angels' president, picked up. Arte Moreno's question: What would you think about us signing Albert Pujols? This was a few days before Thanksgiving. Carpino caught his breath, then asked Moreno for a couple of hours to run the numbers. The Angels never had signed a guy for $100 million. Pujols would cost more than twice as much. "No," Moreno said. "What do you think our fans would think?" That's a no-brainer. The Angels were in it to win it. "I'm a marketing guy," Moreno said Saturday, after the Angels unwrapped Pujols before a crowd estimated at 4,200 at Angel Stadium. "I just thought, 'What does it mean to our fans to bring a player of this caliber"
Angels reach Albert Pujols on a personal level
December 11
Los Angeles Times
 
"It was 5 a.m. Thursday in Dallas when the Angels, following five hours of negotiations on the final night of the winter meetings, closed a five-year, $77.5-million deal with pitcher C.J. Wilson. After a group hug with front-office executives, General Manager Jerry Dipoto returned to his Hilton Anatole suite for a little sleep. "The woman at the front desk laughed when I called at 6:30 a.m. and asked for an 8 a.m. wake-up call," Dipoto said. "By the time I got up and showered, my phone was going crazy." One of those calls, at 8:55 a.m., was from Dan Lozano, the agent for Albert Pujols, the St. Louis slugger who only 36 hours earlier was linked with the Angels for the first time. Dipoto, not"
Albert Pujols brings fans to Angel Stadium, even in December
December 11
Los Angeles Times
 columnist Bill Dwyre
"Two hundred fifty-four million dollars to play baseball. And now this. Saturday brought blue skies and temperatures near 70, gently swaying palm trees, two huge red caps with large A's bracketing the entrance to the stadium they define, and nearly 5,000 fans screaming his name and gushing their affection. Albert Pujols must have thought he had died and gone to heaven. Never before had a team presented a more fitting name for a player's situation. It is Angel-red heaven now, no matter how much that makes Tom Lasorda squirm. On a day that certainly seemed to shine down from somewhere onto the heretofore second fiddle in Southern California major league baseball, there were smiles and hugs"
Royals lose Bianchi on waivers to Cubs
December 10
Kansas City Star
 
"Infielder Jeff Bianchi is now a former Royals prospect. The Chicago Cubs acquired Bianchi, 25, on Friday in a waiver claim. The Royals designated Bianchi for assignment on Nov. 30 in order to clear roster space after signing free-agent reliever Jonathan Broxton. Bianchi was the Royals' second-round pick in the 2005 draft. He often flashed potential in seven minor-league seasons, but his career regularly stalled because of a series of major injuries."
The Albert Pujols deal should pay off immediately
December 10
Los Angeles Times
 
"Within hours of the Angels acquiring slugger Albert Pujols, the odds of the team winning the World Series next year dipped from 22-to-1 to 12-1 on the betting website Bodog.com. But even if having one of the game's great hitters in the lineup does not translate into a championship in Anaheim in 2012 — and history indicates there's a good chance it won't — the blockbuster deal still could pay dividends despite its whopping $254-million price tag, analysts said. The Angels reported Friday afternoon that they had sold about 1,000 season-ticket packages and additionally had taken more than 500 on-line orders for season-ticket packages since Thursday's signings of Pujols and free-agent pitcher"
Albert Pujols makes the Angels must-see TV
December 10
Los Angeles Times
 
"As of Wednesday, the Angels were scheduled to appear on the Fox Network's national Saturday telecast five times in 2012. On Thursday, after the Angels signed Albert Pujols to a 10-year, $254-million contract and pitcher C.J. Wilson to a five-year, $77.5-million deal, Fox put in a request to Major League Baseball to bump the Angels to nine national telecasts, the maximum for any team. In 2010 and 2011, years in which they did not make the playoffs, the Angels appeared twice on ESPN's nationally televised Sunday night game of the week, three fewer than the maximum of five per team. The network is still finalizing its 2012 schedule, but Mike Ryan, vice president of programming for ESPN, said"