Spending cash on top players doesn't always make you immidiate contenders.
Well that's the case for the Los Angeles Angels, who spent $164.5 million on power hitter Josh Hamilton, relievers Sean Burnett and Ryan Madson and starters Joe Blanton and Ervin Santana (club option exercised and was later traded to Royals) this off-season, are at the moment in fourth place of the American League West with a 9-15 record
Obviously I'm not pointing fingers at all those players as some are having a worthy start, but on the other hand, the Angels did bring left-hander C.J. Wilson and all-star first basemn Albert Pujols last year to make this ball club a potential candidte to win the World Series. Then again, the Angels began the 2012 season with a terrible start and at the end they failed to reach the post-season
What's going wrong now?
The principal players, Josh Hamilton, Albert Pujols and Mike Trout, are underperforming or in other words having a poor start to the season. Los Angeles does manage to get on base as they are 11th in the league in on-base percentage with .323, yet 21st in RBI's with 91 and 18th in runs with 97. No much to say, though it's atleast above average. Also, Aybar and Callaspo are both injured, so they're some missing pieces to the lineup as well.
Now the pitching is indeed struggling. With right-hander Jerad Weaver injured, LA is ranked 29th in ERA with a 4.72 along with a 1.51 WHIP which is rated at 29th as well. The starting pitching has a combined record of 5 wins and 11 loss alongside to a 5.18 ERA in 137 1/3 innings thus far. Though the bullpen is way better as they have a combined 3.94 ERA in 80 innings of relief.
Manager Mike Scioscia, who led the Angels to their only-to-date World Series championship in 2002, needs to get his team going as he can lose his job if the team doesn't make the playoffs.