2022 Topps Angels Team Set (Blister)

2022 Topps:  I think I picked these up in Wal-Mart.  It was May 2022 and while I'd normally only grab Atlanta and Boston I couldn't pass Ohtani and Trout as well.  Picking up this team set also gives you the chance to get both Ohtanis at once.  And while I pulled multiple Ohtani inserts from this set, I never got a base card so this was a win.

I had pulled a 2022 Trout before, but I'll never complain about more Mike Trout on cardboard...or on the field.  DANG those injuries that he can't get past.

Shame Ohtani and the Angels never had any real success.  Los Angeles spent a lot of money trying but injuries, lack of young players developing, and some bad moves doomed them.

I like those old school Angels unis.

Luis Rengifo has developed into a nice hitter.  Not great but good.

Is he waiting for the ball to come in from an outfield throw?  Stretching?  We'll never know.

Jo Adell was one of those players who was thought to be a big star in the making but never got there.  Raisel Iglesias on the other hand came from Cincy as an established dominant closer but the Angels just weren't that good and moved him to the Braves.

Fun pack of cards and the $6 or $8 I paid for this pack was probably an overpay but the Ohtani and Trout cards are keepers for me.

BREAKDOWN:

Total Cards - 17

Mike Trout Close to Signing 10-Year $360M Extension

2019 Topps Base Card, Variant, and Topps Now

Mike Trout is reportedly close to signing a 10 year $360M extension.  I for one think he deserves every penny.  For as good as Bryce Harper and Manny Machado are they don't hold a candle to Trout.  He has put up massive numbers over his career.  I'd even say he gave the Angels a hometown discount.  Some are saying he should leave the team - they're no good - but they now have 12 years together to figure it out.  Also Trout doesn't seem like one who seeks out the limelight or drama and I think he is comfortable with the Angels and not looking for change or chasing uncertainty.  I love the idea of Trout spending the entirety of his career with the Angels.  We don't see that enough.  This is great for both he and the Angels.  I think he is the best all-around player I've ever seen in my 40 something years of watching the sport.  And the man can mash the ball.  He's fun to watch and after seeing free agency play out like a Greek tragedy over the winter baseball really needed a good story like this.  

Albert Pujols Hits Homerun #600

Albert Pujols hit homerun number 600 for the Los Angeles Angels last night against the Minnesota Twins.  His grand slam put him 9th on the all-time list with a real chance of moving past Ken Griffey Jr. (630) for 6th place next year.  He also has a good chance of passing Willie Mays (660) during his career if he stays relatively healthy.  Living near St. Louis I'm very familiar with Albert Pujols.  Albert is one of the greatest right handed hitters of all-time.  That is a fact.

Unfortunately since joining the Angels injuries have limited what Pujols has been able to accomplish. Combined with a 10 year, $240M contract that has been criticized since he signed it and Albert is not looked upon as well as he once was. Pujols is 37 now and still has four years left on the deal.  He has had three years of 30+ homers with the Angels but his .265 batting average and .793 OPS shows he is not the Albert that came to prominence in St. Louis.

And it is shame.  Angels' fans have not embraced Pujols for the great hitter he is because they have rarely seen him play as well as they expect him too.  They see a huge contract and a player that is constantly hampered by injuries though he has played 152+ games in four of his five full seasons with the team.  The lack of coverage of his chase or 600 homeruns has in itself shown  how far Albert Pujols has fallen.  Him leaving the Cardinals was right for both sides.  St. Louis couldn't afford him at that price at his age and Albert could get so much more money with the Angels.  The Angels are seemingly the losers here.  Again it is a shame.  He was such a great, not very good, great hitter with the Cardinals and MLB and fans should be touting his rise up the charts.  Unfortunately too many things worked against him.  It is still a monumental achievement and I, for one, are more than happy to appreciate Albert for what he is in MLB history and enjoy his rise up the homerun chart. 

 

Miguel Cabrera and Mike Trout Get Big Deals

Miguel Cabrera and Mike Trout both signed big deals this week.  They are both in the upper echelon of players in baseball today but are at different points in their career and were paid much differently.  Cabrera got a 10 year $292 million dollar deal while Mike Trout signed a six-year $144.5 million dollar deal.  Cabrera is 30 years-old while Trout is a 22 year-old. 

Cabrera is by almost any standard the best hitter in baseball and has been for some time.  This doesn't mean his contract hasn't made some shake their head.  He will be 40 when the contract ends and the contract is drawing comparisons to the deal Albert Pujols received from the Angels at age 31.  Puljols had an off year his first year with the Angels and was then only able to play 99 games last year due to injury while batting a career low .258.  No matter what the comparisons may be these are two different players.  While Pujols had been a relatively healthy player it was known he had some health issues specifically some feet problems when he left St. Louis.  Cabrera has also been healthy but doesn't seem to have any issues right now that makes me particularly worried about his health.  My thought is that this is a good deal.  He was two years away from free agency but locking him up now takes away all that drama.  In two years he might have commanded more than $30 million a year and maybe they lose him to another team.  Even as good as he is I doubt this deal looks good past year five - at best.  But there is no reason to believe he can't be productive even after that.  The rest of the money is just to ensure he is a Tiger for the remainder of his career.  Maybe his numbers dip with Prince Fielder no longer behind him in the lineup but he was a stud long before Fielder came along.  I like the move and hope it works out for both sides. 

Mike Trout has been a great young player who has lived up to the hype.  The Angels are as much paying him for his future production as they are what he has done the last three years when he made the minimum each year.  This also sets both parties up for the future when his contract runs out.  Trout will be in his prime when the contract ends and assuming he is playing well will be ready for a huge payday.  He'll be 29 and will be able to get a long term monster deal that will set him up for life.  Again I'm assuming he continues to put up good numbers.  The Angels if they want, and can afford to pay him at that time have the franchise player locked up for what may be the rest of his career.  If they don't want to keep him at that time they can walk away.  Trout is truly one of the most dynamic players we've seen in a long time.  This deal seems very fair to both sides and ensure the Angels have one of the game's current studs locked up for at least six years. 

Josh Hamilton Signs with the Angels

Josh Hamilton signed a 5 year $125 million dollar contract with the Los Angeles Angels.  A surprising signing to me since the Angels opened up their pocket books last year by signing Albert Pujols to a 10 year $240 million dollar contract.  Wow.  What a lineup.  While the $25 million a year is a lot I was impressed the Angels were able to get him for only 5 years.  I think this is appropriate given his injury history.  He's played six seasons and reached 130 games only three times.  Hamilton is definitely one of the premier bats in the league.  Combining him with the right handed Pujols in the middle of the order gives Los Angeles a heart of the order few can match.   Maybe Detroit with Cabrera and Fielder?

 

The Angels have underachieved the last few years not making the playoffs in the last three.  Rumor has it a trade may be in the near future that might include Mark Trumbo.  If you are an Angels fan you have to love it.  It also helps soften the blow of losing Greinke.  I doubt this the Angels' last move.  Assuming Hamilton doesn't break down he should give them some nice power for years to come.  Whether or not it gets the Angels over the hump is another thing.  All the moves last year didn't equal a spot in the playoffs (see Greinke, Pujols, C.J. Wilson).  Oh and remember Vernon Wells?  He is their 5th outfielder who is making over $20 million dollars.  So if Angels fans are still leery I wouldn't be surprised.