New Report: Albert Pujols, “I feel healthy 100 percent..."

[Revad]

Are we a bit butt-hurt here?  If it was a matter of willpower Albert would be the MVP.  I hope he surprises all of us.

[Ohtaniland]

He’s already on his way to Tempe.

 

[tdawg87]

9 minutes ago, OHTANILAND said:

He’s already on his way to Tempe.

 

No that's me on my way to Tempe. I sold my plane ticket for that scooter.

[Tank]

15 minutes ago, OHTANILAND said:

He’s already on his way to Tempe.

 

stupid.

 

 

 

we all know that's trout.

[VariousCrap]

I think we will see him come to spring training in the best shape he has been in in several years.  It will be tough for his feet and knees to hold up over a long season, but I'm hoping for the best.

[ten ocho recon scout]

32 minutes ago, VariousCrap said:

I think we will see him come to spring training in the best shape he has been in in several years.  It will be tough for his feet and knees to hold up over a long season, but I'm hoping for the best.

Ill be the homer here and agree.we clown him, but i think his ego and the negative spotlight probably motivated him this winter.

He'll still be old and not nearly as in shape as we'd like. But i think we'll see more of a 2015 version than last year.

[Docwaukee]

2014

http://articles.latimes.com/2014/feb/13/sports/la-sp-0214-angels-pujols-20140214

Healthy, upbeat Albert Pujols reports early to Angels spring training

2015

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/healthy-albert-pujols-hitting-well-for-angels/

Healthy Albert Pujols hitting well for Angels

2016

https://www.ocregister.com/2016/03/01/fryer-albert-pujols-health-is-big-key-to-success-for-angels-mike-trout/

 

etc. etc.  

[beatlesrule]

 

[ten ocho recon scout]

38 minutes ago, beatlesrule said:

 

To be fair, shaq is an ironic entry for out of shape dude saying hes ready to go at the beginning of the year.

[Redondo]

Hopefully he lost a good amount of weight. That will help him the most with his feet and legs.

Quite skeptical about him being in good shape as we have heard this before.

[the dude abides]

7 hours ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

A calendar. 

Halley's comet.

[Dtwncbad]

I am glad that Pujols FEELS great for 2018.  So do I.  I'm just not delusional that I can be an effective cleanup hitter in the majors at my age and declined skill set.  But I feel great.  100%.

[Rollinghard]

When teams figure out the super shift they will be throwing him out at 1st from left field. Its going to embarrassing.

 

[Ace-Of-Diamonds]

6 hours ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

To be fair, shaq is an ironic entry for out of shape dude saying hes ready to go at the beginning of the year.

Basketball would be impossible for anyone with Albert's legs.

[Blarg]

Wrong again, Ace. 

[bloodbrother]

8 hours ago, Dochalo said:

2014

http://articles.latimes.com/2014/feb/13/sports/la-sp-0214-angels-pujols-20140214

Healthy, upbeat Albert Pujols reports early to Angels spring training

2015

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/healthy-albert-pujols-hitting-well-for-angels/

Healthy Albert Pujols hitting well for Angels

2016

https://www.ocregister.com/2016/03/01/fryer-albert-pujols-health-is-big-key-to-success-for-angels-mike-trout/

 

etc. etc.  

[nate]

10 hours ago, Angelsjunky said:

BSOHL aside, I have also said that I think he'll dead-cat bounce a bit in 2018, maybe hit something like 2016. Pretty much what Scotty said.

Best-case scenario: .270/.320/.550 with 40 HR.

More likely: .250/.300/.470 with 30-35 HR.

I think .240/.290/.400 25-30 HR

[VariousCrap]

8 hours ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

Ill be the homer here and agree.we clown him, but i think his ego and the negative spotlight probably motivated him this winter.

He'll still be old and not nearly as in shape as we'd like. But i think we'll see more of a 2015 version than last year.

That is what I'm hoping for.  If he could do .270 25+ 100+ and do so consistently for the season, I'll be happy with his performance.

[wopphil]

Imagine if he was able to dial it back a year and give us 2016 production: .268/.323/.457/.780, 113 OPS+. 

Those numbers would be huge. The DH spot would go from black hole to positive. It would probably be a 3-win swing over his 2017 numbers.

[Dtwncbad]

Man I dont want to be too negative but my hope for Pujols is he guts out a .700 OPS.

If I had to actually bet money on a prediction, I come up with:

.235/.280/.380 for a .660 OPS.

That's 600 at bats, 15 doubles, 25 homers.

Even healthy it seems insane to think he is going to hit better than .235.  He can't run.

His strikeout to walk ratio in his prime was almost 3 to 1.  Now it's 1 to 2.

That's not a health thing.  That's an old hitter than either can't pick up pitches anymore and is guessing or just has no discipline anymore.

I find it almost impossible to believe Pujols could possible put up some of the numbers I am seeing in this thread.

I have loved this guy in his career and have great respect for what he has done, but he is a shell of his former self in every way.  It sucks but thats reality.

Pujols could INCREASE the greatness of his legacy right now (in my book) if he took a clubhouse leadership role as his primary job and professionally accepted a drastically reduced role like 400 plate appearances.

 

 

 

[Jeff Fletcher]

11 hours ago, Scotty@AW said:

Honestly though, I think Albert will have a better season than he had in 2016 and 2017. He won't be an all-star or anything, and he'll still have holes in his game (struggles not pulling the ball, poor OBP), but I think his BA and HR's will all trend upward.

I think he'll deliver .250/.300 and 35 HR's.

But inevitably I think this will he Albert's last hurrah. Next year it won't be pretty and with Thaiss and Ohtani pushing for AB's at 1B and DH, cone 2020 Albert will choose to be a player-coach, logging the occasional start at DH but for the most part serving as a coach and mentor.

Even if he isn't producing, he's still Albert Pujols, and that carries a lot of weight in the clubhouse and front office. 

I don’t understand why people keep thinking Ohtani is going to play 1B. He’s a DH, and before he was a DH, he was an OF. Asking him to learn a new position is a bit much to put on the guy considering you’re already asking him to do something no one has done in 100 years. 

[Jason]

1 minute ago, Dtwncbad said:

Man I dont want to be too negative but my hope for Pujols is he guts out a .700 OPS.

If I had to actually bet money on a prediction, I come up with:

.235/.280/.380 for a .660 OPS.

That's 600 at bats, 15 doubles, 25 homers.

Even healthy it seems insane to think he is going to hit better than .235.  He can't run.

His strikeout to walk ratio in his prime was almost 3 to 1.  Now it's 1 to 2.

That's not a health thing.  That's an old hitter than either can't pick up pitches anymore and is guessing or just has no discipline anymore.

I find it almost impossible to believe Pujols could possible put up some of the numbers I am seeing in this thread.

I have loved this guy in his career and have great respect for what he has done, but he is a shell of his former self in every way.  It sucks but thats reality.

Pujols could INCREASE the greatness of his legacy right now (in my book) if he took a clubhouse leadership role as his primary job and professionally accepted a drastically reduced role like 400 plate appearances.

 

 

 

I'm with you on this. He's also going to be playing the field more so that's just added wear and tear.

[Adam]

If he's still 250 pounds it doesn't matter how he feels

[Stradling]

4 minutes ago, Dtwncbad said:

Man I dont want to be too negative but my hope for Pujols is he guts out a .700 OPS.

If I had to actually bet money on a prediction, I come up with:

.235/.280/.380 for a .660 OPS.

That's 600 at bats, 15 doubles, 25 homers.

Even healthy it seems insane to think he is going to hit better than .235.  He can't run.

His strikeout to walk ratio in his prime was almost 3 to 1.  Now it's 1 to 2.

That's not a health thing.  That's an old hitter than either can't pick up pitches anymore and is guessing or just has no discipline anymore.

I find it almost impossible to believe Pujols could possible put up some of the numbers I am seeing in this thread.

I have loved this guy in his career and have great respect for what he has done, but he is a shell of his former self in every way.  It sucks but thats reality.

Pujols could INCREASE the greatness of his legacy right now (in my book) if he took a clubhouse leadership role as his primary job and professionally accepted a drastically reduced role like 400 plate appearances.

 

 

 

The guessing part of what has become most prevalent in his hitting could be one of two things, one, his bat slowed down, two his bottom half isn’t healthy. If you can’t trust your legs you won’t be a good hitter, you’ll be guessing and pulling a ton of pitches.  Over the last couple of years, when Albert hit the ball the other way he was effective.  If he can get back to driving the ball the other way because of healthy legs, then he could be effective again.  I have no idea whether or not he can, my guess is he will be better than 2017, but that isn’t saying much.

[Hubs]

55 minutes ago, Jeff Fletcher said:

I don’t understand why people keep thinking Ohtani is going to play 1B. He’s a DH, and before he was a DH, he was an OF. Asking him to learn a new position is a bit much to put on the guy considering you’re already asking him to do something no one has done in 100 years. 

I think the Scotty meant Thaiss at 1B, and Ohtani at DH respectively.