The Los Angeles Angels are not exactly having the season they planned on. After acquiring marquee players like Josh Hamilton to put alongside Albert Pujols and signing several starting pitchers in the offseason, the Angels were expected to contend as one of the league's best overall teams. However, that is not the path the 2013 season is taking for the team. Owner Arte Moreno is not worried as defends his team to USA Today.
The Angels are currently 33-43 on the season. It is their worst start in 20 years for the franchise. They have just four more victories than the Houston Astros, yet their payroll exceeds a $105 million difference. They just split a weekend series with the Pittsburgh Pirates after the Pirates made an improbable comeback in the ninth inning on Sunday. Moreno knows his team is struggling and does not need the media to call him out about it.
"They want to tell you how screwed up you are and how screwed up you team is. Why do you do this? Why didn't you do that? It's like that Richard Pryor joke when he goes in and sees the doctor. 'Doc, it looks really bad. What are the symptoms? The doc says, "You're looking at the symptoms," Moreno said.
Moreno was once thought to be baseball's best boss. He spent $375 million on Pujols and Hamilton alone. Hamilton has turned out to be the league's biggest flop this season. He is hitting a mere .207 with a .262 on-base percentage and has dropped to seventh in the lineup. Pujols has been inconsistent at best. While hitting .260 and 15 home runs, knee and foot injuries have limited his impact this season. At 31, his injury history does not bode well for his contract that lasts until 2021. Not to mention, the team acquired pitchers like Joe Blanton and Tommy Hanson who are contributing to the forth-worst ERA in baseball.
Some have called for the firing of manager Mike Scioscia, but Moreno insists that will not happen in the middle of the year. Scioscia has spent 14 seasons with the Angels and currently has a contract that goes through 2018. Moreno is convinced he is one of the league's best despite the recent record.
"Mike has earned an opportunity to get this thing straightened out. I'm not going to judge Mike on the first two, three months of this season. I think here's a great manager," Moreno said.
Moreno is not placing blame on the team's struggles on any one player. He believes Hamilton will be with the team for a while and just going through a rough patch.
"I owe it to the fans to give them hope. I'm not trying to tell you we're doing everything right all of the time, but it's not because we're not trying."