Albert Pujols

Globe and MailFelix Hernandez gives up home run to Albert Pujols, slammed by Alberto CallaspoWashington PostSEATTLE — Felix Hernandez can accept allowing a home run to Albert Pujols. Alberto Callaspo is another matter. Pujols homered for the third straight game, and Callaspo had a sixth-inning pinch grand slam to lead the Los Angeles Angels over the Seattle ...Albert Pujols Hits 450th Career Home Run as Los Angeles Angels Win Third ...Yahoo...  

On May 14th I found myself at the store holding a Pujols T-shirt. I was the perfect size for my 1 year old nephew, whose parents are Dodger fans. Pujols was in Oakland, CA getting ready to face off against the A's with his .196 ...  

Recommendation: Pujols isn't quite out of the woods yet with his season-opening slump, but he's moving in the right direction finally. Still, his overall line is a putrid .213/.254/.333. First baseman Albert Pujols spent some time with Tony La Russa ...  

Albert Pujols hit a home run in his third straight game and pinch hitter Alberto Callaspo came through with a grand slam in the sixth inning to give the Los Angeles Angels a 5-3 win over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday. Callaspo’s slam came against ...  

SEATTLE (AP) — Felix Hernandez can accept allowing a home run to Albert Pujols. Alberto Callaspo is another matter. Pujols homered for the third straight game, and Callaspo had a sixth-inning pinch grand slam to lead the Los Angeles Angels over the Seattle Mariners 5-3 Saturday. "Two pretty good pitches," Hernandez said.Read more on NewsOK.com  

SEATTLE (AP) Albert Pujols hit a home run in his third straight game and pinch hitter Alberto Callaspo came through with a grand slam in the sixth inning to give the Los Angeles Angels a 5-3 win over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday. Callaspo's slam came ...  

1 last season, with 27 days left in the regular season. On the same night, the St. Louis Cardinals were 8 1/2 games behind the Atlanta Braves, and now the Cardinals' players have the burden of trying to figure out whether to wear their championship rings ...  

Albert Pujols hit a home run in his third straight game and pinch hitter Alberto Callaspo came through with a grand slam in the sixth inning to give the Los Angeles Angels a 5-3 win over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday.  

Long balls from the Als, Callaspo and Pujols, provide the offense, and the pitchers continue being stingy as the Angels win their fifth in a row.SEATTLE — He's the other Alberto, the one who makes a fraction of what slugger Albert Pujols does and whose presence in the batter's box does not cause the heart rate of opposing pitchers to rise.  

A summer long hot streak now appears inevitable. It took a lot longer than most of us expected, but Albert Pujols has finally settled into his new home, and is nearing the dominant form the Los Angeles Angels emptied the bank for. If you need evidence ...  

Major League Baseball's career home run record is without a doubt the most hallowed record in American sports. It has a certain aura, and every little kid who ventures to pick up a baseball bat will daydream about breaking it at some point.That's something that's easier said than done. Babe Ruth held the record for close to 40 years before Hank Aaron broke it in 1974, and Aaron held the record for over 30 years before Barry Bonds broke it in...  

Albert Pujols did not hit a home run until May 6. Yet, he was tied for the Angels' team lead in home runs entering play Saturday, with six homers in his last 11 games. Now that Pujols is back, will the fans follow? The most startling statistic ...  

May 25, 2012 - Albert Pujols is cheating. No, he's not breaking any rules. Not any official rules, anyway. Thursday night against the Mariners, Pujols went 3 for 4, including two RBI and his 450th home run. I saw a graphic somewhere that said ...  

On Thursday, May 24, the Los Angeles Angels beat the Seattle Mariners 3-0 to win their third consecutive game. With the victory, the Angels moved out of last place and improved to 21-25 in 2012. It's been frustrating to watch the Angels' prized free agent ...  

SEATTLE — Albert Pujols had three hits ... The three runs were plenty for Haren (2-5), who tossed the 16th complete game of his career. He allowed only four hits and one Seattle baserunner to reach third. CLEVELAND — Justin Masterson ...  

MLB Draft 2012: Baseball America Projects College Hitter, Prep Pitcher For St ...SB NationThe St. Louis Cardinals lost Albert Pujols, but gained a pick in the 2012 MLB Draft. Not a fair trade, no, but a first round pick still holds a lot of worth, as a good, young player who vastly outplays his salary is one of the most valuable commodities ...and more »  

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are already starting to watch history being made in the Albert Pujols era.Pujols has broken out of his early season slump and is smashing home runs one after another again.In the first inning on Thursday night against the Seattle Mariners, Pujols became the 35th player in MLB history to hit at least 450 home runs.More impressively, at 32 years and 129 days, he was the fourth fastest member of the 450 home run...  

OAKLAND – Albert Pujols' return to his three-time NL MVP form is not happening overnight, but rather in what Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia described as "drips and drabs.'' Pujols has been more productive this month after a brutal April in ...  

“I don’t really know how it’s going to come,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said when asked today if last night’s 3-for-4 game and recent production from Albert Pujols was a sign he had finally turned around his season. “We haven’t ...  

SEATTLE (AP) — Albert Pujols (POO'-hohlz) had three hits, including the 450th home run of his career Dan Haren struck out a career-high 14 in tossing his sixth career complete-game shutout, and the Los Angeles Angels won their third straight with a 3-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners last night. The Angels and Mariners met for the first of 19 games this season and Pujols, a newcomer to the AL West rivalry, made his presence known immediately...  

But they're competent-Major-League-first-baseman numbers, so if you were really assuming (or maybe hoping) that Albert Pujols was now the worst player in Major League ... walks he's generated in 49 plate appearances; over the 130 plate ...  

Cardinals mow '10' into Busch Stadium lawnKSDKHe's no Albert Pujols, but St. Louis veteran outfielder Carlos Beltran has been ... St. Louis (KSDK) - There's a good reason for the big crowd at the baseball game Friday night. Fans and the team will be honoring former Cardinals Manager Tony La Russa.and more »  

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have waited all season for Albert Pujols to start producing and earning the deal that he was given in the offseason. Finally, it appears that Pujols is beginning to show signs of breaking out. Slowly but surely. After ...  

Albert Pujols had three hits, including the 450th home run of his career Dan Haren struck out a career-high 14 in tossing his sixth career complete-game shutout, and the Los Angeles Angels won their third straight with a 3-0 win over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night.  

Albert Pujols had three hits, including the 450th home run of his career Dan Haren struck out a career-high 14 in tossing his sixth career complete-game shutout, and the Los Angeles Angels won their third straight with a 3-0 win over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night.  

Albert Pujols had three hits, and Dan Haren struck out a career-high 14 in tossing his sixth career complete-game shutout, and the Los Angeles Angels won their third straight with a 3-0 win over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday.  

Angels 3, Mariners 0: Struggling slugger homers in first, slumping ace dominates Seattle with 14K, complete-game shutout | Anyone wondering why the Los Angeles Angels arrived at Safeco Field as a fourth-place team needed look no further than Albert Pujols and Dan Haren.  

SEATTLE (AP) -- The gem Dan Haren tossed Thursday night looked awfully familiar to Albert Pujols . Except this time instead of Pujols getting fooled by what Haren was tossing, he was helping the Los Angeles Angels ' right-hander put together one of the finest efforts of his career.  

SEATTLE – Struggling Albert Pujols had three hits, including the 450th home run of his career, Dan Haren struck out a career-high 14 in tossing his sixth career complete-game shutout, and the Los Angeles Angels won their third in a row with a 3-0 win over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night at Safeco Field.  

SEATTLE -- The gem Dan Haren tossed Thursday night looked awfully familiar to Albert Pujols. Except this time instead of Pujols getting fooled by what Haren was tossing, he was helping the Los Angeles Angels' right-hander put together one of the ...  

to be exact -- have resulted in ground-ball outs to the shortstop or third baseman. "It's probably from expanding the strike zone," the Angels first baseman said. "Forty thousand people in the stadium can see that. The people watching on TV can see it.  

SEATTLE (AP) — Albert Pujols had three hits, including the 450th home run of his career Dan Haren struck out a career-high 14 in tossing his sixth career complete-game shutout, and the Los Angeles Angels won their third straight with a 3-0 win ...  

Come on now. That's the worst month that he will have in his entire career.” Tony La Russa, Pujols’ former manager with the St. Louis Cardinals, said Pujols was struggling because his family is in Missouri until the school year ends.  

Albert Pujols had three hits, including the 450th home run of his career, Dan Haren struck out a career-high 14 in his sixth career complete-game shutout, and the Los Angeles Angels won their third straight with a 3-0 win over the Seattle Mariners.  

Albert Pujols had three hits, including his 450th career home run, and Dan Haren struck out a career-high 14 to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-0 win over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night.  

In a Spanish-language interview with USA ... I go two weeks without seeing my family and I go crazy.'' You've been getting better results of late: "It's just part of baseball, just like it can be hitting 10 home runs in the first month.  

SEATTLE - Albert Pujols had three hits, including the 450th home run of his career Dan Haren struck out a career-high 14 in tossing his sixth career complete-game shutout, and the Los Angeles Angels won their third straight with a 3-0 win over the Seattle ...  

SEATTLE (AP) -- Albert Pujols had three hits, including his 450th career home run, and Dan Haren struck out a career-high 14 to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 3-0 win over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night. The Angels and Mariners met for ...  

A couple of weeks ago, we focused on the troubles of Albert Pujols, but he’s not the only guy ... Today, we’ll look at five such cases, four young guys just starting out and a veteran seeking to remain relevant. Gordon Beckham was the ...  

Albert Pujols had three hits, including the 450th home run of his career Dan Haren struck out a career-high 14 in tossing his sixth career complete-game shutout, and the Los Angeles Angels won their third straight with a 3-0 win over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night.  

Primarily gaining value from his defense, Jones was well on his way to one of the great careers of all time. At his peak, Albert Pujols was clearly better than Andruw Jones was at his. From 2001 to 2010, Pujols posted an 82.9 WAR for an average of 8.3 per season.  

Alex is 30 years old and lives in South City Saint Louis with his wife and dog. He's proud to live in a town where one of the major TV networks would rather play an hour of Simpsons re-runs than the... Read full bio  

Albert Pujols, for lack of a friendlier word, has imploded since he signed with Anaheim.Meanwhile, in America's Second City, Alfonso Soriano has faded from relevance and Ryan Dempster has struggled with adversity for years.The only thing in common for all three is that their contracts have proven to be giant albatrosses for all parties involved.Only one solution remains, and while crazy, it solves problems for all involved; trade Pujols, rid...  

PHOENIX - The St. Louis Cardinals will retire Tony La Russa's No. 10 jersey Friday ... While Albert Pujols flounders in an Angels uniform, free-agent signee Carlos Beltran is doing what Pujols used to do for the Cardinals; being near the ...  

I wouldn’t want to be Ortiz if my mother hears this. Her soap is not very tasty.“Albert Pujols? Let me tell you something about Albert Pujols,” Ortiz says. “Albert Pujols is a bad mother f—-er. The baseball world needs Albert Pujols.”  

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- Albert Pujols is finding his power stroke at the plate again, and C.J. Wilson is feeling very comfortable on the mound - even at the Oakland Coliseum.  

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have been waiting for their slumping slugger Albert Pujols to break out for a while. Pujols has only three home runs and now there has been a website made to shed some humor on the subject. The website, Random Dudes with ...  

The St. Louis Cardinals on Monday unveiled a new $100 million plan for the first phase of the long-delayed $700 million Ballpark Village project, KSDK reports. The retail, entertainment, residential and business development will be located where the old Busch Stadium stood. The first phase, which is 80 percent pre-leased, will include a Redbirds themed restaurant and decks where spectators could buy tickets to watch a game. The Cardinals and...  

Probably not. So until such time that the latest Phase 1 of the St. Louis Cardinals' long-delayed Ballpark Village spawns a few more buildings, it's actually sort of a Ballpark Hut. It could be a pretty nice hut, according to the plans announced Monday by ...  

On Sunday, Albert Pujols hit a home run, and there was much rejoicing.There was much rejoicing, of course, because it was Prince Albert's first home run in a Los Angeles Angels uniform. It's been that kind of season for the former St. Louis Cardinals superstar, and it hasn't been fun to watch.Pujols' track record and simple common sense suggest that he's not going to struggle all year long. He's going to get in a groove eventually, and he's...  

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) C.J. Wilson and Ernesto Frieri combined on a one-hitter and the Los Angeles Angels broke out of their offensive slump in a 4-0 win over the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night. Albert Pujols homered for the third time in seven days ...  

OAKLAND, Calif. - C.J. Wilson and Ernesto Frieri combined on a one-hitter and the Los Angeles Angels broke out of their offensive slump in a 4-0 win over the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night. Albert Pujols homered for the third time in seven ...  

Things certainly haven't been going in the right direction this season for Albert Pujols and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.Currently in the basement and with no real sign of moving up anytime soon, the Angels have not been seeing much production from Pujols, who they broke the bank on this past winter.With only one homerun through 35 games, The Machine is looking like it needs some repair. But will Pujols ever shake out of this slump and...  

Angels slugger Albert Pujols is a pitchman for OhYeah! Nutrition. When slugger Albert Pujols came to the Angels, he brought his pre-game routines and rituals, and product placement. He drinks strawberries and crème-flavored OhYeah! nutritional ...  

Albert Pujols is going through a hellacious slump in his first couple of months as a Los Angeles Angel, but his peers still have faith in him. Especially Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, who knows a thing or two about fighting through power outages at the plate.  

OAKLAND - Albert Pujols is finding his power stroke at the plate again, and C.J. Wilson is feeling very comfortable on the mound - even at the Oakland Coliseum. The Angels are going to need everything they can get from their two prized offseason ...  

Los Angeles TimesAlbert Pujols: A new time in my lifeESPN (blog)It was a 16-7 Rangers loss to the St. Louis Cardinals at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. However, that game was weighing on my mind when I visited the Los Angeles Angels clubhouse Friday in search of Albert Pujols, who that day was 5-for-6 with two ...Texas Rangers Prepare for AL West Showdown with the Angels: Fan PreviewYahoo! SportsAngels focused on themselves, not RangersNew...  

Albert Pujols hit his third home run of the year and his second in as many days, but the Los Angeles Angels could muster no additional offense in a 6-1 loss to the visiting Chicago White Sox on Thursday. The White Sox struck first, scoring on an ...  

The Los Angeles Angels are willing to try anything to get their ... turn a few games without a DH in the lineup -- there have been talks of Albert Pujols moving to third base. Who would benefit from Pujols playing third? Whose idea was it ...  

OAKLAND, Calif. • Albert Pujols doesn't need to watch hours of video to know why so many of his at-bats — 58 of 174 (33 percent) to be exact — have resulted in ground-ball outs to the shortstop or third baseman. "It's probably from expanding the ...  

Something, perhaps, like those fireworks that erupted Wednesday beyond Angel Stadium's center-field wall, where Albert Pujols deposited his second home run as an Angel in a 7-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox. Dipoto said he thought "long and ...  

Who else could it be but Albert Pujols? He is the 40th ranked 1B, behind such sluggers as Ty Wiggington and Yonder Alonso. A .587 OPS sums up all you need to know about how bad things have been for Pujols. He needs a monster 100 games to approach what was ...  

ST. LOUIS— Representatives of the Oakland Athletics and Chicago White Sox will be on the field when the St. Louis Cardinals retire the No. 10 jersey of former manager Tony La Russa on Friday. Reds general manager Walt Jocketty, La Russa's ...  

To say that Albert Pujols' first month in a Los Angeles Angels uniform has been bad would be an understatement. But it is precisely because of that slow start that he and the franchise should be feeling really good right now. There is no way to sugarcoat the numbers that Pujols has put up in his first 126 at-bats in 2012. He has been terrible, at least offensively, in every conceivable way. The three-time National League MVP enters tonight's...  

Los Angeles Angles fans need to be seriously panicking over Albert Pujols’ laughably bad start to the 2012 season. This isn’t just a slump for the slugger, it’s a natural decline that the Angels organization should have seen coming from a mile away. Pujols has been declining for years but the Angels’ brass elected to invest $24 million a year in him anyway. They should already be taking heat from the fanbase for that misguided decision. So far...  

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Albert Pujols welcomed his new hitting coach to town with a go-ahead three-run homer and Vernon Wells added a two-run shot to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 7-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night.  

ST. LOUIS -- Adam Wainwright was so excited after throwing a shutout for the St. Louis Cardinals, he acknowledged he got emotional. "It was a huge sense of relief," Wainwright said. "A huge sense of feeling blessed. I've worked very hard to get ...  

To understand the magnitude of Albert Pujols's six-week slump to start the 2012 season (and I'm not going to lie, calling it a "slump" feels like a VERY lazy understatement), you have to remember...  

White Sox starter Gavin Floyd gave up seven earned runs and 10 hits in six innings as the Chicago White Sox fell to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 7-2 on Wednesday night ... while the Angels improve to 17-21. Albert Pujols hit his second ...  

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Albert Pujols welcomed his new hitting coach to town with a go-ahead three-run homer and Vernon Wells added a two-run shot to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 7-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night.  

Albert Pujols is finding his power stroke at the plate again, and CJ Wilson is feeling very comfortable on the mound — even at the Oakland Coliseum. The Los Angeles Angels are going to need everything they can get from their two prized offseason ...  

Prince Albert & The Educated Horse…together at last! What could be wrong with Pujols? We now have something of an idea of what has been wrong with Teixiera: inflamed airways which have created a terrible bronchial infection that even prednisone hasn’t been able to knock it out (snd believe me, I had that same #### several years ago and prednisone saved my life). Both Pujols and Teixiera are 32, and battling miserable slumps; has anybody...  

Big-money contract, new team, new fans, a brutally slow start to the season. Then comes the mounting pressure of all of that. If it sounds familiar to Angels fans, it sounds painful to Vernon Wells. Like Albert Pujols this season, Wells was that ...  

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Albert Pujols has hit his first regular-season home run since joining the Los Angeles Angels, ending the longest drought of his 12-year career after 33 games and 139 at-bats.Pujols' two-run shot into the left-field bullpen Sunday came in the fifth inning against Toronto's Drew Hutchison.Read More... More on Los Angeles Angels  

Stuff Fangraphs A's page Other Team page Probable Pitchers Do Your Homework! Score Your Last GOG - #15 The Questions 1. Series Outcome. 3 Games. [3 points] 2. Albert Pujols. Since the last time we saw him, Albert Pujols is doing quite a bit better at the plate, though his numbers will surely remain pretty terrible until a good bit of the season has gone. He even had an 8-game hit streak going into Sunday's game! Does he get a hit in...  

The Angels' Albert Pujols is congratulated after hitting an ... That ties him with Vladimir Guerrero and Jeff Bagwell for 35th place on baseball's all-time list. ... Vernon Wells underwent surgery Tuesday morning at the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic ...  

The 2012 season has not started well for the Los Angeles Angels. An 11-17 record, last place in the AL West, shutout six times and their quarter-billion dollar first baseman is in the worst slump of his career.Los Angeles had been shutout in back-to-back games against the Toronto Blue Jays when they made the decision to bench Albert Pujols yesterday. The offseason's biggest prize free agent, Pujols has been terrible in the early going. An 0...  

OAKLAND - C.J. Wilson and Ernesto Frieri combined on a one-hitter and the Los Angeles Angels broke out of their offensive slump in a 4-0 win over the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night. Albert Pujols homered for the third time in seven days ...  

Kevin Roderick: Pujols went 111 at-bats into his 10-year, $240-million new life in the American League before finally clubbing a home run on Sunday afternoon in Anaheim. It was the longest homerless drought in his career. When he got back to the dugout, his Angels teammates were nowhere to be found.  

Sale (4-2) restored order in his sixth major league start. The 23-year-old left-hander struck out seven and was working on a three-hit shutout in the sixth when he gave up a one-out homer to Albert Pujols and a double to Mark Trumbo and was ...  

Thanks to the new and improved Game Logs feature on FanGraphs, it's now amazingly easy to extract game by game data for a player, including wonderful peripherals. The first bit of data I wanted to examine closer is some context into exactly how badly Albert Pujols is struggling compared to the rest of his career. After exporting his entire career game log, I grouped the data into 35 game sections or the entirety of what he's played...  

Stu Ungar laughs ~ (tweak mission break) ~ laughs some more ~ (extended tweak mission) ~..................... A year ago, Albert Pujols was a postmodern Stan Musial. Today, he is a living, breathing “John Carter.” (“John Carter” cost $250 million or so to make and was a bust at the box office. Pujols cost $250 million or so to land and has been a bust at the ballpark.) Pujols thought he was going to Disneyland. Instead, he’s wound up in Dante...  

TSNAlbert Pujols lifts Angels with 3-run HR to down White SoxESPNAlbert Pujols welcomed Jim Eppard to town with a go-ahead three-run homer and Vernon Wells added a two-run shot off Gavin Floyd, leading the Angels to a 7-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night. Eppard was with the Angels for the first ...Los Angeles Angels Vs. Chicago White Sox 5/17/12: Tyrone's Free MLB Baseball PickSports Chat PlaceAngels Fly Over White SoxNBC...  

Ervin Santana struck out nine during 7 2/3 innings of four-hit ball, Albert Pujols drove in two runs with infield singles, and the Los Angeles Angels rebounded from yet another shutout loss with a 4-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night.  

TSNAlbert Pujols gets encouraging words from Adam DunnChicago Sun-TimesIf anyone can relate to Albert Pujols' problems, it's Adam Dunn. Dunn's first season in a new league in 2011 was horrible, and Pujols' first one in a new league in 2012 is just as perplexing, if not more. Dunn talked to the Angels' struggling superstar ...Sloppy defense, Wilson's wildness plague AngelsKansas City StarWhite Sox slip past AngelsFox NewsWhite Sox 6, Angels...  

Adam Jones spanked his 12th tater of 2012 last night in the 15th inning against the Royals. According to Yahoo!, Jones is currently ranked fifth overall, and is the fourth ranked outfielder behind Josh Hamilton, Carlos Beltran and Matt Kemp. More of the ...  

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim signed free agent Albert Pujols to a 10-year, $240 million contract during baseball's offseason. His career .328 batting average—33rd best all-time and tops of any active ball player at the time—along with all the home ...  

Chris Sale pitched effectively into the sixth inning, giving Chicago's rotation a much-needed solid outing, and the White Sox capitalized on some shoddy defense by the Los Angeles Angels for a 6-1 victory Thursday. After a three-game stretch in ...  

Albert Pujols welcomed his new hitting coach to town with a go-ahead three-run ... Jerome Williams (4-1) won his fourth straight decision, allowing two runs and 10 hits over eight innings with five strikeouts and no walks. Last Friday at Texas ...  

I was checking out Twitter last evening and saw a tweet from J.P. Breen, a writer for Disciples of Uecker, and he asked whether Brewers starter Zack Greinke was an ace. I responded yes. Greinke shutout the Mets for 7 innings last evening, giving up just 5 hits, no walks and 7 strikeouts. He is now 4-1 on the season, with a 2.88 ERA, 1.70 FIP, 2.23 xFIP, 1.12 WHIP, and a 9.54 K/9 and a 5.30 K/BB. Yep, he's an ace. It used to be...  

The Angels have been shut out an incredible eight times in the first 36 games of the season, matching the highest total for any team in the 95 years that baseball-reference.com can search through. Is it all Albert Pujols' fault? Of course not, but in the eight shutouts, Pujols is 3-for-31 (.097).  

Fair or not, Albert Pujols is being blamed by some for Hatcher's firing. When a player is hitting .212 with one home run on the season, at the beginning of a $240 million contract, who do you think is going to go? The star making all that money?  

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Albert Pujols circled the bases without showing much emotion after hitting his long-awaited first home run for the Los Angeles Angels — same as he did 445 times with the St. Louis Cardinals.  

especially when that slugger is Albert Pujols and your club just signed him to a $240 million, 10 year deal that stole him away from the St. Louis Cardinals. Leading into Sunday’s game only Angels’ Erick Aybar and the Chicago White Sox ...  

Stop me if you've heard this one before. The St. Louis Cardinals today released plans for the development of Ballpark Village. The open lot adjacent to Busch Stadium will become a mixed-use retai...  

The St. Louis Cardinals are off to a hot start this season (14-8) in large part because of several players who have stepped up their games after Albert Pujols left in free agency. I know the game is still a couple months away, but All-Star voting is now open for fans. As the NL Central leaders and current World Champions, the Cardinals deserve to have several players in the All-Star Game. Let’s take a look at five players who deserve All-Star...  

His season-long batting average on balls in play, a number that largely reflects chance, is a low .236, per FanGraphs. His career BABIP is a much more normal .309, and his 2012 number should begin to slowly revert back to that norm soon.  

The Angels aren’t hitting, so they fire the hitting coach. Seems logical, right? Yes, that was sarcasm. Mickey Hatcher has been the Angels’ hitting coach since 2000, the only hitting coach that his former Dodger teammate Mike Scioscia has worked with ...  

It was a special time tonight for sure.'' Not sure about him wearing Paul O'Neill's number, though. Quote of the Day: "He has been as advertised." — Rangers manager Ron Washington on Yu Darvish, after Texas beat the A's 4-1. Darvish struck out seven ...  

COMMENTARY | If Albert Pujols is going to break his season-long slump any time soon, now is a good time to do it. It's only a matter of time before the talented Angels begin to mesh and find their stride as a unit. Mike Scioscia is too good a manager to ...  

It’s not that Albert Pujols won’t be a significant part of the Los Angeles Angels offense at some point in the 2012 MLB season—he just won’t be that Albert. That is, that Albert who could bash 14 home runs and 32 RBI like he did in April 2006—the same year he led the St. Louis Cardinals to their 10th World Series title. That Albert who hit 40-plus home runs for four straight years. That Albert who was feared every time he came to the plate...  

With the first quarter of baseball coming to a close shortly, there has never been a better time for the Peckin’ Order to get back into the swing of things, no pun intended. Teams are approaching their 40th game of the season and as much as we have had ...  

He’d served in the position for 13 seasons, an eternity for a position coach. Hatcher, a friend and former teammate of manager Mike Scioscia with the Los Angeles Dodgers, had been with the Angels since 2000. In 2009, the Angels set franchise ...  

Here is our weekly foray into number crunching that usually ends with us shaking our heads. That is the breakdown of how many crucial free throws the king of the hill missed in game 1 against the Pacers, the amount of rings James will garner passing the ...  

In 2009, U.S. News and World Report estimated there are 27 million general managers across all professional sports in the U.S., men (and women), who make a regular practice of assessing player talent, drafting said talent, and forming long-term strategies for their respective teams.   Of course, these are fantasy  GMs but the point is made—the casual fan is a dying breed, and it is probably fair ...  

Disclaimer: Nobody who watched Albert Pujols play for the St. Louis Cardinals last year expected him to hit .208/.255/.292 through his first month in a Los Angeles Angels uniform. (Maybe hoped, but never expected.) That said, there were warning ...  

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Angels fired hitting coach Mickey Hatcher on Tuesday after Albert Pujols and many of his teammates got off to dismal offensive start this season.Hatcher's dismissal was announced about 90 minutes after the Angels had 12 hits in a 4-0 victory over Oakland. A day earlier, Los Angeles lost 5-0 to the Athletics – its major league-worst eighth shutout loss already this season.Read More... More on...  

We all know about Mark Teixiera's reputation for slow starts, but this is ridiculous. The injuries notwithstanding, the primary reason the Yankees are not in first place right now is because Tei...  

2. CIA agents are hired to ensure no sensitive information is ... The bench coach henceforth serves a dual role as caddy for the avid golfer Albert. 6. The new team name is the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Dominican Republic by way of Kansas ...  

Albert Pujols circled the bases without showing much emotion after hitting his long-awaited first home run for the Los Angeles Angels -- same as he did 445 times with the St. Louis Cardinals. But when he returned to the dugout, he had it all to ...  

Compared with all other major-league first basemen, Gaby Sanchez has driven in more runs than the Dodgers’ James Loney — but only Loney. And he has a higher average than the Angels’ Albert Pujols, but barely.  

Baseball NationThe Deceptiveness Of Albert Pujols' Home RunBaseball NationBy Jeff Sullivan - Editor Some time ago, Albert Pujols finally hit his first home run as an Angel. "Pujols is back!" they said. No, he's not. May 11, 2012 - Last Sunday morning, there were jokes. "Dee Gordon has more home runs than Albert Pujols!Albert Pujols: Dreadful Start for Superstar Gives Angels Reason to Be OptimisticBleacher ReportAlbert Pujols: The Los Angeles...  

Erick Aybar hit an RBI double in the bottom of the second inning to open the scoring, but the White Sox struck back in the top of the third. Dayan Viciedo hit a solo homer to tie the game and Chicago took the lead with an RBI double by Gordon Beckham.  

Considering that Pujols had a problem with Hatcher that went public, it was easy for the Angels' front office to make this decision. When the choice comes down to keeping a star player who is signed for 10 years and $240 million happy, or a hitting coach ...  

Compared with all other major-league first basemen, Gaby Sanchez has driven in more runs than the Dodgers’ James Loney — but only Loney. And he has a higher average than the Angels’ Albert Pujols, but barely.  

It's too bad the Los Angeles Angels didn't just fire Ron "Papa Jack" Jackson. His "somebody's gotta pay" mantra would have been quite appropriate for the situation. The Angels fired hitting coach Mickey Hatcher on Tuesday night (see Los Angeles Times ...  

Does it seem like the St. Louis Cardinals are just one of those teams that catches all breaks? Take 2006, for example. The birds win 83 games, get into the playoffs, and then win the whole darn thing. This past winter, they lost a guy who ...  

ANAHEIM - Albert Pujols circled the bases without showing much emotion after hitting his long-awaited first home run for the Angels - same as he did 445 times with the St. Louis Cardinals. But when he returned to the dugout, he had it all to ...  

but Santana struck out Seth Smith on three pitches. Trout hit his third homer of the season to straightaway center leading off the seventh. The 20-year-old rookie is cementing an everyday job in center field since his latest call up on April 28 ...  

The great thing about baseball more than any other sport is one minute you are a hero, the next a goat. With the length of the season, a player may be on both sides of that fence many times. Case in point - Brandon Inge and Albert Pujols.  

You don't have be an inside trader to know Josh Hamilton is red hot. And now that he's in Oakland, the same goes for Brandon Inge. Jon Heyman also examines the continuing free-fall of $240-million man Albert Pujols.  

And if I do that, there's nothing to be sorry about." Pujols circled the bases without showing much emotion -- same as he did so many times with the St. Louis Cardinals. But when he returned to the dugout, he had it all to himself. There was nobody home.  

The Pujols Family Foundation also holds an annual golf tournament to raise money to send dentists to the Dominican Republic. From 2001 to 2005, Pujols hit 201 home runs, second all-time for the most hit in a player's first five seasons.  

He is old. He is hurt. He is pressing too much. He misses his family. He’s lost it completely. We just heard his old manager Tony Larussa chime in. Joe Strauss with the St. Louis Post Dispatch wrote “During a speaking engagement last week La Russa told ...  

He continues: But I’ll say it anyway. I think [Terry Francona's] completely wrong. Pujols' swing looks nothing like it did. The wide stance has narrowed significantly. His legs used to be tree trunks; a hurricane could not move this guy. Not anymore.  

An under-the-weather C.J. Wilson got roughed up early, surrendering four runs and six walks and failing to get out of the fourth inning as the Chicago White Sox beat the Angels 6-1 Thursday. The Angels' only run came in the sixth, on Albert Pujols'...  

Expectations were sky high after the Angels added Pujols, baseball's best hitter, and pitcher C.J. Wilson to an already solid roster. A 10-16 start and Pujols' .202 average aren't what they had in mind.Hope arrived in Anaheim this week with three consecutive wins by the Angels, capped by the euphoria of Jered Weaver's no-hitter.  

If we were to put all Major League Baseball hitters on a spectrum right now, Josh Hamilton would be on one end, and Albert Pujols and Jose Bautista would be at the other end.If you've been paying attention, you'll know that Pujols and Bautista are on the bad end.It's been a rough season for both sluggers so far, and it's actually pretty remarkable how closely their numbers mirror each other's. Bautista has the clear edge as far as power is...  

Albert Pujols' struggles have evolved from a slump to a new reality. And that ugly reality shows, beyond any ability to argue otherwise, that he is going to be the biggest bust that free agency has ever seen. I mean, if you just sat down and tried to imagine a scenario for the biggest bust ever, you would have a hard time beating this. This past offseason, Pujols inked a reported 10-year contract worth $240 million.It wasn't just money either...  

Angels' brass is panicking behind closed doors right now ... Not even St. Louis Cardinals fans have much bad to say about him. He's done everything the right way since he came into the ranks of Major League Baseball, and that's why the sports world ...  

His biggest challenge came in the top of the sixth when Albert Pujols led off with a double to the left field wall. Seth Smith's throw barely missed gunning down Pujols at second base. However, Milone was then able to strike out Mark Trumbo and get Kendry ...  

As Angels center fielder Mike Trout settles in to a regular spot in Mike Scioscia's lineup, we've began to see a glimpse of what he is capable of. Between May 5 and May 11, Trout was 9-for-16 at the plate with one home run and six RBI. Although he has ...  

Fantasy baseball owners were always a panicky bunch. It was always tempting to jump ship when your first-round pick was batting .220 in mid-May and someone was willing to buy. Then 2011 happened and many owners "bought low" on Adam Dunn, the safest 40-HR bet in baseball. And then he just got worse. I wasn't the only fantasy analyst saying he HAD to get better and people should "get on board for pennies on the dollar while you still can." This...  

I switched from the Dodgers game to the Phillies-Nationals game on ESPN last evening, and saw Bryce Harper get hit by a pitch, go from first to third on a single to left field and then steal home when Phillies starter Cole Hamels threw to first base to keep Jayson Werth close. The guy keeps doing things on the field that tell you he will be pretty damn special once he gets comfortable. Angels first baseman Albert Pujols sat out...  

Cal Sport Media/AP ImagesHitting coach Mickey Hatcher was fired. Albert Pujols then hit two home runs. It’s been an interesting last few days for the Angels. They got rid of hitting coach Mickey Hatcher Tuesday and Albert Pujols homered on ...  

The Angels' $240-million slugger, in a career-worst slump with a .194 average and no homers, is not in the lineup Saturday against Toronto. Manager Mike Scioscia says it's just a night off to recharge.The Angels figured Albert Pujols would have the bat taken out of his hands this season by opponents looking to intentionally walk or pitch around the slugger, not by their own manager.  

Albert Pujols signed a 10-year contract for $240 million in the offseason and currently has an OPS (on base-plus-slugging percentage) lower than Jamey Carroll's. Ouch. Pujols, a superstar with the St. Louis Cardinals and an 11-year veteran, hasn ...  

When the Angels put this team together, they assumed that plugging one hole in the lineup was going to be enough to cure all that ailed them. To be fair, Pujols has not done anything on his own to fix the offense—he is hitting .196/.234/.275 with one ...  

Albert Pujols was having one of the greatest starts to an MLB career of all-time. In Pujols' 11 full seasons, all with the St. Louis Cardinals, he hit at least .299, 30 homers, scored 99 runs, and drove in 99 more in all of them. However, it's clear Pujols ...  

I'm not going to lie; sometimes it's not easy being a Cleveland Indians fan. The team hasn't won a World Series in my generation's lifetime, and our beloved superstars either bolt for larger contracts or get traded away before the inevitable bolting happens.  

Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton had more home runs Tuesday night than the Angels' highly paid and underachieving first baseman Albert Pujols has thus far in the season. But you probably already knew that, particularly if you were on ...  

After earning the sweep of the National League Central leading St. Louis Cardinals last weekend, the Atlanta Braves split a two-game series with the Cincinnati Reds at Turner Field and followed it up with another two-game split with the Miami Marlins.  

Still Has Not Hit a Home Run in 2012" />Still Has Not Hit a Home Run in 2012" />Still Has Not Hit a Home Run in 2012" src="http://thebiglead.fantasysportsven.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Pujols-flashes-O-Face-at-big-boobed-Road-Beef.jpg" alt="Albert Pujols Still Has Not Hit a Home Run in 2012" width="152" height="200" />We're all patiently waiting, Albert.  

Today, he is a living, breathing "John Carter." ("John Carter" cost $250 million ... which is marketing malarkey. (It's like real estate that's labeled, "Beverly Hills adjacent," which means you live near the rich but not among them.  

"If I hit a home run today,'' Pujols told USA TODAY Sports before the game, "I'll make Mike Scioscia look like a genius.''The USA TODAY reporter failed to mention that the slugger did the little quote-thingy with his fingers as he said the word genius. Bill Hicks Ringtone  

Pujols is a bit perturbed at hitting coach for discussing the slugger's attempt to instill confidence in teammates.Add one more dynamic to the Angels' hitting woes: Albert Pujols is a bit perturbed at hitting coach Mickey Hatcher for discussing the slugger's attempt to instill confidence in teammates at a closed-door hitters meeting on Monday.  

#albertpujols It was bound to happen and it could not have happened to a better player human being. One day after Mike Scioscia sat the struggling first baseman, Pujols came back and knocked one out of the park-his first of the year. It was just the kind of classy and professional move expected of a player of Albert's caliber and lesser players could only hope to imitate. For his effort, the...  

ANAHEIM – If it was Jim Eppard's idea for Albert Pujols to start hitting home runs, the Angels' new hitting coach was a fine addition to the staff. In their first game since Eppard replaced Mickey Hatcher, the Angels got a three-run home run from...  

Albert Pujols was booed in his home park last Friday and ... and Ozzie Guillen and Delmon Young have been suspended over their spoken words. But strangest of all has been watching the greatest hitter of this generation slump so badly for so ...  

Ervin Santana struck out nine during 7 2/3 innings of four-hit ball, Albert Pujols drove in two runs with infield singles, and the Los Angeles Angels rebounded from yet another shutout loss with a 4-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night.  

Matt Cain kept trucking along Thursday at AT Park, without his best stuff or his typical results. "I'm going to keep battling for these guys," Cain later said of his mentality. "Hopefully they do the same for me." For once, the Giants were ...  

In theory, the Angels beating the Twins 6-2 on Wednesday night should have been reason enough for everyone to go home happy. Even the completely awful Albert Pujols didn’t suck in the effort – ultimately going 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Unfortunately, the ...  

The Cards' former top prospect was a vital piece in the Cardinals' championship year, but not because of what he did for the team, but rather what he was able to bring back in a trade involving ... everyone on the team, getting on base with a  

ESPNDallas.com's Richard Durrett helps us understand exactly what we saw in Baltimore from Josh Hamilton and the complications of his contract negotiations. Darvish has many pitches, including two different curveballs. Almost 15 percent of ...  

If you're a dice player, you know exactly what six the hard way is, a 3/3. This is my spin on a 3 up 3 down piece. I'll identify players who are in the middle of hot streaks or possibly on the verge of doing their best Will Ferrell impression. I'll also look at those players who are currently disappointing owners. Over the past seven days, there have been numerous top performers, but has anyone been hotter than Edwin...  

As the slugger — seeking to adjust to AL pitchers — takes pitches early in at-bats, opponents are going right at him and his slump continues.A masterful start by Dan Haren and a much-needed victory over the Indians on Saturday couldn't obscure what has become a major concern for the Angels: Albert Pujols is in a deep funk, one he's shown few signs of breaking out of, and that's putting a serious drag on the offense.  

Although the Oakland Athletics weren't thrilled by a mid-afternoon start time at Angel Stadium, they realized Ervin Santana deserved much more of the blame for their dismal offensive performance. Los Angeles Angels first baseman Albert Pujols throws out Oakland Athletics' Daric Barton during the second inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, May 15, 2012. Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Bartolo Colon throws to a Los...  

Albert Pujols welcomed his new hitting coach to town with a go-ahead three-run homer and Vernon Wells added a two-run shot to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 7-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night.  

A year ago, Albert Pujols was a post-modern Stan Musial. Today, he is a living, breathing “John Carter.” (“John Carter” cost $250 million or so to make and was a bust at the box office. Pujols cost $250 million or so to land and has been a bust at the ballpark.)  

LOUIS (AP) - Adam Wainwright threw a four-hitter and the St. Louis ... He is 0-3 in four career starts at Busch Stadium with a 6.50 ERA. St. Louis took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Matt Carpenter hit a double to left field and appeared ...  

The Los Angeles Angels have seen just about everything go wrong for them in 2012. Despite many experts and analysts picking LAA to make a deep playoff run, the club is just 14-19 against some pretty mediocre competition and have struggled to ...  

AP Photo/Mark J. TerrillWilmer Valderrama, throwing out a first pitch, has made a successful career after "That '70s Show." Hispanic actor/activist Wilmer Valderrama has lived in Los Angeles since the age of 13, and he's embraced the local ...  

Albert Pujols finally hit his first home run of the season over the weekend, depositing an 84 MPH hanger from Toronto's Drew Hutchison into the Angels bullpen in Anaheim. Immediately the boos directed towards Arte Moreno's $245 million investment turned ...  

Albert Pujols finally hit a home run for the Los Angeles Angels, ending the longest power drought of his career Sunday in a 4-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in Anaheim, Calif.  

Albert Pujols was slumping, Bobby Valentine was getting booed and Derek Jeter was ... With Yu Darvish on his way to winning 20 games and Josh Hamilton leading a beastly lineup, the Rangers will shake off the disappointment of losing two straight ...  

Today, he is a living, breathing “John Carter.” (“John Carter” cost $250 million or so to make and was a bust at the box office. Pujols cost $250 million or so to land and has been a bust at the ballpark.)  

ANAHEIM, Calif. – OK, maybe now, says Albert Pujols, taking a deep breath himself Sunday, everyone can finally exhale. Maybe now, the speculation can stop. The boos will be silenced. The theories will discontinue. And the amateur psychologists ...  

2012 has been the year of surprises thus far. Teams like the Washington Nationals, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Baltimore Orioles are all looking like completely different teams than the squads we have become accustomed to watching lose recently. Players like ...  

Albert Pujols put Los Angeles in front Wednesday and launched the Angels to a 7-2 win over the Chicago White Sox. It was only the second homer as a member of the Angels for Pujols, who came into the ...  

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Albert Pujols circled the bases without showing much emotion after hitting his long-awaited first home run for the Los Angeles Angels - same as he did 445 times with the St. Louis Cardinals.  

The Baltimore Orioles began the week with the best record in the majors, with Bryce Harper and the Washington Nationals close behind. Albert Pujols was slumping, Bobby Valentine was getting booed and Derek Jeter was hitting nearly .400. This combination made from file photos shows, from top left, Los Angeles Angels' Albert Pujols, Boston Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine, and Washington Nationals' Bryce Harper; from bottom left, Texas...  

Lance Berkman played a huge role in the St. Louis Cardinals 2011 World Series victory against the Texas Rangers. In fact, he had an outstanding 2011 season in general, hitting .301 with 31 home runs and 94 RBI. He was a leader both on the field and in the ...  

Albert Pujols welcomed his new hitting coach to town with a go-ahead three-run homer and Vernon Wells added a two-run shot to lead the Angels to a 7-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night.  

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Albert Pujols welcomed his new hitting coach to town with a go-ahead three-run homer and Vernon Wells added a two-run shot to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 7-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night. Jim Eppard was with ...  

ANAHEIM - The Angels' new hitting coach was probably wondering what all the fuss was about during his first game in the dugout. Albert Pujols welcomed Jim Eppard to town with a go-ahead three-run homer and Vernon Wells added a two-run shot off ...  

When the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim signed free agent slugger Albert Pujols following the 2011 season, they thought they had gained one of the best hitters in baseball. And who can blame them?  In his 11-year career, Albert Pujols had earned ...  

Finally, Albert Pujols owners can exhale. It took 110 at-bats, but the new Angel hit his first home run for his new club on Sunday. Hopefully that monkey is off his back now. Carry on. Don’t look now, but B.J. Upton is batting .333 with seven runs scored ...  

Albert Pujols hit a three-run home run to help the LA Angels of Anaheim take a 7-2 win over the Chicago White Sox in the opener of a two-game set. Vernon Wells hit a two-run home run and scored twice while Alberto Callaspo and Mark Trumbo added ...  

Albert Pujols welcomed Jim Eppard to town with a go-ahead three-run homer and Vernon Wells added a two-run shot off Gavin Floyd, leading the Angels to a 7-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night. Eppard was with the Angels for ...  

So far so good for most of my teams – all but two of my nine money league teams sit in the top half of their leagues. The two that don't? Albert Pujols was the first (or most expensive, in the auction) pick. For all you Pujols owners out there, I feel your pain.  

200 mark. But the first weekend of May seems to have warmed up ... early-season slumps and are ready to put up the numbers we're accustomed to seeing. Albert Pujols, Los Angeles Angels The long national nightmare is over. After 28 games, each of which ...  

ANAHEIM—As Albert Pujols swung and the ball sailed majestically towards the left-field stands, Angels players were on the dugout’s top step yelling, “Get up! Get up!” When the ball landed in the home team bullpen for the slugger’s first home run ...  

Manager Mike Scioscia informed the 32-year-old slugger Friday that he was going to rest him. Pujols, in the first year of a 10-year, $240 million contract, has gone a career-worst 33 games and 137 at-bats without a home run.  

(AP) -- Game No. 1 under Los Angeles Angels new hitting coach Jim Eppard would have to be considered an overwhelming success. The team plated its most runs in more than a week, and most importantly, Albert Pujols homered. Hoping a change to the hitting ...  

Every one wanted to pretend Albert Pujols was back after he cranked one home run. Let's pump the brakes on that idea.Our last update was April 30. At the time, Pujols was treading water above the Mendoza line, hitting a meager .216. As of today, that ...  

Albert Pujols has been one of the worst players in fantasy baseball so far this season. Owning him has been a serious problem for many owners who likely drafted him in the first few picks of the first round. Not only has he been playing like ...  

In his third at-bat Sunday and 111th at-bat of the season, Albert Pujols finally broke his homer drought, connecting on a two-run shot off Blue Jays rookie Drew Hutchinson that gave the Angels a 4-2 lead in the fifth. Now it’s time for him to ...  

All 25 players, manager Mike Scioscia, the coaches and the trainers scrambled to follow Hunter down the steps and into the narrow tunnel that leads to the clubhouse. So, by the time Pujols got back to the helmet rack, there was nobody around to ...  

Josh Hamilton hit four two-run home runs in a win over the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday night. He rounded the bases four times with the swagger of Samuel L. Jackson out for a Sunday walk in the park. That's 4 home runs, 8 RBI and one mention of Shawn Green.  

Albert Pujols has finally hit home run numero uno. Ultimately, the collective media continent will find something new to talk about, but before they do, it's time to impress your co-workers with a dizzying array of Pujols barbs and ...  

Albert Pujols hit his first home run since joining the Los Angeles Angels with a $240 million contract, ending the longest regular-season drought of his Major League Baseball career at 110 at-bats. Pujols, who had been jeered by some home fans ...  

Hey look, it's a St. Louis-area baseball writer writing about Albert Pujols even though Albert Pujols hasn't played for St. Louis since last October. It's like, get over it already, right? Except actually it's not like that at all. Here's Bernie ...  

Albert Pujols, stumbling through the longest home run drought of his 12-year career, was not in the Los Angeles Angels' starting lineup Saturday for the first time this season. And the three-time N.L. MVP wasn't happy about it. When a group of ...  

On Sunday, May 6, Albert Pujols launched his first home run in a Los Angeles Angels' uniform in the team's 4-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. Jerome Williams struck out four hitters and gave up just two earned runs in 6.2 innings for the victory. He improved to 3-1 on the season.  

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Clutch hitting by Dayan Viciedo and Gordon Beckham quickly vanished Wednesday night for the Chicago White Sox. That's because Albert Pujols cranked a three-run home run in the third inning to vault the Los Angeles Angels to a 7-2 win.  

Baseball NationThe Angel Who's ImprovedBaseball NationBy Jeff Sullivan - Editor The 2012 regular season has not quite gone as the Los Angeles Angels planned. But one player in particular seems to have elevated his game. May 15, 2012 - Last December, the Angels swooped in and signed Albert Pujols as a free ...Can Albert Pujols Be the Catalyst for a Los Angels Angels Turnaround?Yahoo! SportsBig-spending baseball teams are strugglingVictoria...  

Drew Hutchison gave up a home run to Albert Pujols. Big deal ... committed his first error of the season with a bad throw to second trying for a forceout. Kelly Johnson followed with an RBI single to make it 4-3. Angels lefty Scott Downs, who had taken ...  

Albert Pujols finally hit his first home run with the Angels on Sunday, leading some to wonder if the free agent signee is finally ready to bust out of his Orange County-sized slump. He certainly could -- like a lot of power hitters, Pujols ...  

The Baltimore Orioles began the week with the best record in the majors, with Bryce Harper and the Washington Nationals close behind. Albert Pujols was slumping, Bobby Valentine was getting booed and Derek Jeter was hitting nearly .400. Signs of the season, or mere mirages?  

ANAHEIM, Calif., May 17 (UPI) -- A three-run homer in the third inning by Albert Pujols put Los Angeles in front Wednesday and launched the Angels to a 7-2 win over the Chicago White Sox. It was only the second homer as a member of the Angels ...