Albert Pujols to the Los Angeles Angels: Are the Angels Now AL Favorites?

This morning the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in California (or whatever city they hail from these days) signed Albert Pujols to a 10-year, $250 million deal.  Most thought it was just down to the St. Louis Cardinals, but the Angels swooped in under the radar and signed him.

The AL West has good reason to be worried about that team.  The Angels have pace on the base paths, pitching, Pujols and the "p" that everyone wants: power.  

Don't worry ,American League teams, it'll be okay.  Pujols is a machine.  It'll be argued that he is the greatest baseball player to ever touch a diamond, but he won't get the Angels into the playoffs.  The Angels lineup is pretty pedestrian outside of Pujols.  

Nobody hit .300 in their lineup last year.  Howie Kendrick was close, with .288m but no one was higher than that.  Nobody hit 30 home runs.  They scored nearly 200 fewer runs than their divisional rival, the Texas Rangers.    

Jared Weaver is great.  For the past two years, he's been someone that can shut down opposing offenses.  Dan Haren is also solid.  C.J. Wilson just signed with the Angels, but he is proving to be a guy who is easy to solve.  The rest of the AL West has seen him a ton.  At least his glove and uniform can always coordinate.  We all know that's what is important.  

After that their staff is less than impressive.  Ervin Santana had his hot streak in September but he finished the year 11-12 and he'll probably be dealt.  Who's their No. 5?  Give me Joel Pineiro.  You can tee off on that guy (ERA 5.13), and Tyler Chatwood won four and lost 11.  

Pujols is great, but he's not getting younger or better.  I'm not saying he won't compete for MVP of the American League, simply that it's three years removed from his best seasons.  He's on the decline.  The decline from the best player on the planet is still really good, but it isn't anything to overreact about.

In baseball, a team's chances of getting in the playoffs is based on its division.  

Let me introduce you to the Texas Rangers.  Their offense is ridiculous.  Their pitching is well above average.  Until someone beats them, they are the best team in the American League.  They'll also get better.  I know keeping up with the MLB Winter Meetings and the offseason is like being at a high school dance—a lot of rumors and dancing at arm's length—but the Angels seemed to have scored big this morning.  Jon Daniels will make his moves before the dance is over.  That guy closes.

Mike Scioscia will keep the Angels in the conversation like he always does.  Pujols will only bat four or so times a game.  Their offense wasn't scary last year and their pitching was something that won't be duplicated.  The Rangers will live Napoli-ever-after and the Angels will struggle to pay the back end of that contract.  

Just this morning they spent $325 million.  They still have to play Texas about 20 times in 2012.  In the words of Jamey Newberg, "Bring it."  

The Angels aren't the favorites in their own division, much less the American League.