Angels Favorite For C.J. Wilson, Mystery Team For Pujols

Despite the late night Twitter rumblings about the Angels being the mystery team for Albert Pujols, it appears the Angels main target is still C.J. Wilson. Pujols seems to have 10 year, $220 million offers from Miami and St. Louis, numbers the Angels wouldn’t seem to be able to top. Owner Arte Moreno was part of Bug Selig’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement brain trust and would have to have a big change in heart about over spending.

That could happen though. I suppose. Moreno made a big splash early in his ownership when the Angels weren’t even a mystery team but ended up signing Vlad Guerrero in some fly-by-night awesomeness. I don’t see it this time around. Ten years is an awful lot to give to a probably-31-year-old corner infielder. With the Cardinals matching the 10-year deal the Marlins offered, St. Louis is back in the driving seat for Pujols. At least, that’s the buzz Jerry Cransick is reporting on Twitter.

Fine by mine. As much as the Angels could use a bat and as much fun Pujols would be for the first four or five years, I’m afraid the backend of that deal could be painful to watch. Maybe not Vernon Wells painful but only because Wells is cruel and unusual punishment.

As for Wilson, I’m not too excited about him either…

Wilson, also 31-years-old, is coming off of his two best and only seasons as a starting pitcher. There has to be some concern about his arm staying healthy throwing over 200 innings over the next five or six years. Much like the potential addition of Pujols, the first few years of Wilson would undoubtably be fun for Angels fans. A starting rotation of Jered Weaver, Dan Haren, Wilson, Ervin Santana and, say, Jerome Williams is as good as it gets in baseball.

Of course, Santana could be trade bait if Wilson is signed and the Angels would still have to find a way to score runs. If it takes, gulp, 6-years and $100 million to sign Wilson, the Angels need to run, not walk, away from the deal. Five years scare me. Four years make me nervous. Angels GM Jerry Dipoto must have a stronger stomach than me. The Angels look like the favorite for Wilson…

And yes, I realize in my old age I’ve becoming incresingly anti-free agent or so it seems. I’ve also been screaming at those kids to get off my lawn! I’m four hours of watching the Weather Channel every day away from becoming my grandpa.