Los Angeles Angels: Do Angels Fans Regret Signing Albert Pujols?

Do Los Angeles Angels fans regret the fact that they signed Albert Pujols to that massive contract?

Mickey Hatcher sure does.

Hatcher was the Angles' hitting coach. I say "was" because the Angels fired Hatcher, as Pujols and company have floundered at the plate so far this season. 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? Or the lowly hitting coach who has been with the organization for 13 years?

Not a tough decision to make.

To be fair, Hatcher had grown unpopular with Angels fans prior to Pujols' arrival. Having said that, the lowly hitting coach really isn't the story here.

Pujols is the story.

I hate to say "I told you so," but...I told you so.

Sorry, I just had to say it. You see, I called it back in August, before the Cardinals made the playoffs or won the World Series, before Pujols ever officially hit free agency. I said then that the Cardinals should not re-sign Pujols unless he was willing to give the Cardinals a hometown discount.

The great Pujols, now 32 years old, is breaking down before our very eyes. The Angles will be paying him $30 million per year when he's 39 years old!

Please don't take this as the rant of a die-hard Cardinals fan who is thoroughly enjoying watching Pujols struggle after he left the best franchise in all of baseball for more money. Hey, I still have Pujols' No. 5 jersey hanging in my closet. I didn't burn it, even though I wanted to. I've moved on, and like I said then, the Cardinals are better off for having not paid Pujols the kind of money the Angels did.

My question, Angels fans, is this: If you had a do over and it was your call, would you have signed Pujols to that massive contract?

I think we all know how Mickey Hatcher would vote.