SCOTT JACOBS

While the Marlins and Cardinals hogged the spotlight in the Albert Pujols derby, a third ‘mystery team’ was waiting in the wings. Hello Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Shortly after Miami pulled their $200 million offer to Pujols, it was assumed that Phat Albert was a lock to return to the Red Birds.  The sides were allegedly a few million dollars apart.  And then came the Angels, who you could say swooped in from the outfield and broke the bank for the iconic St. Louis slugger.

10 years, $250 million: an albatross of a contract that may be the most ridiculous deal in sports history.

As I outlined in my column yesterday, Pujols was a risk at $220 million.  Well, he’s an eye sore at $250 million.  This is the most outlandish, unexplainable contract since the inception of free agency.  A-Rod’s was pretty bad too, but this is just dumb.  Inexcusable.  It almost reeks of desperation.

The Angels are pinning their ears back and committing $25 million a year to a guy who turns 32 in January.  They’re banking on the 3 time MVP, who hit .300 with 30 home runs and 100 RBI’s his first 10 seasons in the bigs (the only player ever to do so) to not only age gracefully, but to continue his dominance until at least his late 30’s.

In my mind, it’s one of the dumbest contracts ever handed out.  Pujols is coming off a really good year, but not a great one in which he struggled with injuries yet still hit 37 home runs, batting .299 with 99 RBI’s. He’s a 3 time MVP, and has finished in the top 10 of MVP voting 10 times.  That’s amazing.  He has more MVP votes in history, with the exception of one Barry Bonds. That’s insane.

And yet, this contract is still hilariously misguided.

This feels more like a lifetime achievement award, then a contract.  Los Angeles of Anaheim is basically looking at the situation in a fluid manner, with the idea that they have the chance to pounce and grab a stranglehold of the LA market, with their neighbors, the Dodgers in financial disarray. I get that this was their opportunity to make headlines, spend some money with their new TV deal set to kick in, and that the AL West is wide open – especially since they hurt the Rangers by also grabbing C.J. Wilson.

But that doesn’t validate the length of this deal.

If the Angels goal is to seize Pujols prime, they better be competitive and a World Series contender every year for the next half decade, because it’s a lock that Pujols’ numbers are going to continue to decline as he gets older.  So like I said yesterday about the Marlins, the Angels better know what they’re committing to.  And if Albert gets hurt and misses work (Aflac!) well, forget about it.

The Angels have missed the playoffs two years in a row, and they were desperate to remedy that.  They have a deep, talented roster without Pujols.  With him they’re a World Series contender for sure.  But in the uncertain economic climate that we’re in, giving him 10 years is a big-time risk.

From a numbers standpoint the Angels needed hitting, so unlike the Marlins, this was a need, and not a luxury piece.

Los Angeles of Anaheim finished 17^th in runs last season, 15^th in batting average, 21^st in on base percentage, and 14^th in slugging percentage.  Assuming Pujols stays healthy those numbers figure to rise significantly.

And considering that they had nary a single player hit 30 HRs in 2011, well Pujols’ bat and power will certainly be a welcome addition. Three Angels had 20 or more homers last year.  No Angel hit .300. Mark Trumbo led the team with 87 RBI’s.

So in the short term, it’s pure brilliance.  Pujols plugs a massive offensive hole in the middle of LA’s lineup.  His presence immediately means more hittable pitches for the guys behind him and in front of him.  There’s no doubt about that.

Jered Weaver and Dan Haren are a legitimate 1-2 punch on the mound.  The Angels boasted a team ERA of 3.57, good for 6^th in all of baseball last season.  Their pitchers ratcheted 98 quality starts, which put them 5^th in MLB.  Like the Dodgers, pitching was their strength.

Throw in new signing C.J. Wilson as a 2^nd or 3^rd starter and the Angels may have the best 1-2-3 punch in the league.  There is no excuse for them not to be great in the short term.

My questions come in the long term.  It’s not that the Angels don’t have the money: they’ve been throwing out big money for years now under their current ownership.  The question becomes how valuable their current assets will be in the future.  Albert Pujols at the age of 36, with 5 years left on a gargantuan deal is not a sexy trade piece and no one in their right mind would take that contract on. It’s kind of a moot point anyways, because his deal comes with a full no-trade clause in his contract.

Of course in the short term, you have Vernon Wells’ massive contract on the books as well.  Wells who signed a 7 year, $126 million deal in 2006 with Toronto still has 2 years left.  He made an astonishing $26,642,857 last year, giving the Angels a whopping .218 batting average (Okay, maybe that’s the worst contract ever).

The Angels are not afraid to spend as evidenced by their payroll last year, which was 4^th at $138,999,024.  They have at least 6 guys on their roster who were already making $8 million or more last season.  Tack on Pujols and Wilson, and now that number jumps to 8.

It’s bold. It’s risky.  And it makes the Angels the must-see team to watch for 2012. And hey, the Angels may know what they’re doing.  If the world ends in 2012, I’m pretty sure that would void the last 9 years of this deal.

Let the hype begin: Albert Pujols his taking his talents and his greed to Hollywood.  How’s that for an E! True Hollywood Story?

Photo: Getty

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