Even Angels fans don't care much about Pujols' potential 600th home run.

Austin · Jun 1, 2017

There sure isn't much excitement surrounding Pujols' chase for 600 homers.
Pujols is at 599 homers, but Angel Stadium was 10,000 fans short of a capacity crowd last night despite the potential historical significance.

ESPN has been commenting how fans nationwide don't really care about the milestone.
Pujols has never been nearly as popular as Jeter or Arod or Trout or Harper or Ichiro or probably another dozen players.

Despite Pujols being presumably clean, has the steroid era ruined the excitement for big home run milestones? Why aren't this week's Angels games selling out?

joey12508 · Jun 1, 2017

I think being on the left coast has something to do with it. But the steroid guys don't help either.

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mrmopar · Jun 1, 2017

I hate to say it, but now that the top 3 are no longer 755, 714, 660 with the rest of the best in the 500s, it has kind of ruined 600 and to some extent even 700! The top 10 are now all 600+ except one (once Pujols hits his next one). The 500+ club is now 27 members strong. Still a significant milestone and nothing to sneeze about, no doubt, but even it probably has been tarnished a bit by steroids.

To put things back in perspective though, there are 3 active players with 400+ and Miguel Cabrera is probably the only guy in the trio that will break 500 before retirement. There are 5 more active players with 300+ and all are in their mid 30s. Some may not even make 400! Edwin Encarnacion seems to be in the best position to possibly break 500 from that group.

Looking at those in the 200s and using very unscientific methods (my novice opinion based on previous numbers), Giancarlo Stanton seems to be a top candidate to make the next serious run at 500 behind Cabrera, but few others look like they have serious shots, with many already in their early to mid 30s and possibly their best years behind them.

Then we wait and see how the current 20 something sluggers fair over time...

death2redemptions · Jun 1, 2017

I just don't feel like the chase for 600 home runs is nearly as exciting as reaching 500 HR. I'm just speaking for myself here but once a player reaches 500 jacks they will have pretty much cemented themselves into the HOF (assuming there were no previous steroid issues throughout the players career) so I'm feeling the excitement of that too as a fan. So by the time they are going for 600 I already know the player has reached greatness and on top of that by the time they are closing in on 600 home runs they are nearing the end of their career and barely getting by. Pujols closing in on 500 home runs was a much different player than the Pujols who is nearing 600.

Personally I wasn't excited at all either when Alex Rodriguez was chasing 600 but the situations were different than with Pujols. Rodriguez was still performing like an All-Star (.270-30-125-.850 4 WAR season) and playing for the largest market team that garnered huge media attention.

I can also understand why Angels fans aren't all that excited. A massive amount of money was spent on him and since signing with the Angels he hasn't been close to the player he once was with the Cardinals. He's been living in Trout's shadow for most of his career in Los Angeles. Had he remained with the Cardinals I truly believe there would be much more excitement right now although my original comment stands, for me, 600 just isn't as exciting as 500.

psj · Jun 1, 2017

I agree with deathy above. Once the player hits 500, everything else isn't as exciting. Even though 600 is still freaking incredible! His average isn't what it used to be, but he's still averaging 30 and 100 in every full season he's played for the halos. Even more impressive, he's never struck out 100 times in a year. Guy is gonna end up an all-time great no matter what. Angels fans suck I guess

Austin · Jun 1, 2017

I agree that 500 homers is the more famous milestone, but 600 is actually much more impressive and rare, and by one of the Top 10 hitters of all-time.

The fact that there aren't enough fans in massive Los Angeles to care enough to fill the stadium for a modern legend reaching a monumental milestone is embarassing. I understand LA residents are historically apathetic, but 10,000 people short of capacity?

johnryno · Jun 1, 2017

New season of House of Cards>Troutless Gaylos

bstanwood · Jun 1, 2017

Even as a big time baseball fan and watching through the steroid era when I read that pujols will be the ninth member of the 600 home run club it slapped me in the face like a frozen fish. I vividly remember as a kid thinking there are three over 600 and that might be it forever.
As mentioned above I think the biggest drag on the INCREDIBLE feat is the "drop off" in his production since his move out west. The west coast bias might explain why most of the country doesn't care but there must be at least 50,000 Angels fans within driving distance of the stadium and it's a crime they aren't showing up.

Even knowing that he's got four years left to limp through, which he will because he's a tough SOB, if the Sox had signed him to the crazy terms the Angels did and he gave the same production I'd be psyched and I'd drive the two hours for a chance to see him club no. 600.

Super Mario · Jun 2, 2017

Cardinals fan here that's watched the last three Angel games, and am currently watching them play the Twins hoping to see Albert hit #600 .

Nobody cares about Pujols reaching 600 because nobody cares about the Angels. Not even the people in Anaheim.

That stadium should be jam packed right now. And the fact that it isn't is pathetic. I would say that if he were still in St. Louis that the stadium would be a standing room only sellout, but then again (it usually always is anyway) if he were still in St. Louis he wouldn't be anywhere near 600 home runs. The only saving grace of his career is the power he still possesses and the ability to DH.

RagingAcid · Jun 2, 2017

What do you want us to do? Plan a party? Paint our faces?

Super Mario · Jun 2, 2017

RagingAcid said:
What do you want us to do? Plan a party? Paint our faces?

Maybe just a little.

bstanwood · Jun 2, 2017

RagingAcid said:
What do you want us to do? Plan a party? Paint our faces?

Seems like that would be fun and festive... anything to show some appreciation. Any Seinfeld fan knows David Puddy believes everyone's "gotta support the team" https://goo.gl/images/4TVbEq

rsmath · Jun 2, 2017

Austin said:
Despite Pujols being presumably clean, has the steroid era ruined the excitement for big home run milestones? Why aren't this week's Angels games selling out?

He's not in St. Louis. I'm an (almost) west coaster so I can watch Angels games all the time if I want to (but watch Dodgers and Rockies games much more) and his move to Anaheim killed him for me, plus he seems to suck in Anaheim/AL.

He killed his career IMHO by chosing money over popularity/publicity, etc.

It'd be cool for Pujols to get 600+ homers, but I"m not selecting the Angels games over the game I'm watching on MLB.TV when I get the Pujols 600 HR attempt notification box.

u2me57 · Jun 2, 2017

Like most everyone above has said, this is on the Angels fans. It's bad enough that they don't show up to games til the 3rd inning, but this is even worse. I'm not a Pujols or Angels fan but I was pumped when MLB cut to Alberts 1st AB in Thursdays game. I can just about guarantee you that Tigers stadium was sold out when Jim Thome hit back-to-back jacks for #599 and #600 . And he hit more homers against the Tigers in his career than any other team. Hitting 600 home runs is an incredible accomplishment and I applaud Albert for getting there, and doing it the right way.

Joey_peapod · Jun 2, 2017

Unfortunately baseball is a completely what have you done for me today sport. He obviously dipped overall and with the amount of money he accepted should be a lot better but if you look back on his cards in 20 years and see these lines you'd say he was still performing very well. I'm one of those people that doesn't care about WAR, I look at the power stats and go from there. His avg took a gigantic hit but he is still holding his own. It's not like he's only hitting 15 HR and 50 RBI.
Here are his HR and RBIs in Anaheim.

Here's Griffeys 600HR at the Marlins...

I feel like his popularity almost follows the same path as Griffey. Griffey was king 12-13 years and as soon as he got injured he had like a 4-5 year stretch where everyone pretty much wrote him off.

AnthonyCorona · Jun 2, 2017

rsmath said:
He's not in St. Louis. I'm an (almost) west coaster so I can watch Angels games all the time if I want to (but watch Dodgers and Rockies games much more) and his move to Anaheim killed him for me, plus he seems to suck in Anaheim/AL.

I'm a full blown West coaster. I have mlb tv and i rarely to ever watch the angels, unless they're playing the yankees. The Rockies are typically my first choice then the pathetic giants. Outside of trout, there's no desire for me to check out the halos

goobmcnasty · Jun 2, 2017

Angel fans are typical Orange County sports fans. They love running their mouths when their teams are in the hunt, but during seasons like this, they stay quiet (and away from the stadium.) I'd be willing to bet most Angel "fans" don't even know Pujols is chasing a historic home run.

WCTYSON · Jun 2, 2017

Austin said:
Pujols has never been nearly as popular as Jeter or Arod or Trout or Harper or Ichiro or probably another dozen players.

Did you miss a decade of baseball?

death2redemptions said:
I just don't feel like the chase for 600 home runs is nearly as exciting as reaching 500 HR. I'm just speaking for myself here but once a player reaches 500 jacks they will have pretty much cemented themselves into the HOF (assuming there were no previous steroid issues throughout the players career) so I'm feeling the excitement of that too as a fan. So by the time they are going for 600 I already know the player has reached greatness and on top of that by the time they are closing in on 600 home runs they are nearing the end of their career and barely getting by. Pujols closing in on 500 home runs was a much different player than the Pujols who is nearing 600.

Personally I wasn't excited at all either when Alex Rodriguez was chasing 600 but the situations were different than with Pujols. Rodriguez was still performing like an All-Star (.270-30-125-.850 4 WAR season) and playing for the largest market team that garnered huge media attention.

I can also understand why Angels fans aren't all that excited. A massive amount of money was spent on him and since signing with the Angels he hasn't been close to the player he once was with the Cardinals. He's been living in Trout's shadow for most of his career in Los Angeles. Had he remained with the Cardinals I truly believe there would be much more excitement right now although my original comment stands, for me, 600 just isn't as exciting as 500.

This is on point for most baseball fans and collectors.

death2redemptions · Jun 2, 2017

WCTYSON said:
Did you miss a decade of baseball?

Yeah, I remember when he was one of the most spoke of players in baseball while with the Cardinals. He was hugely popular during the first 10 or so years of his career (2001-2010) and his baseball card prices certainly reflected it. He was just as popular as Trout and Harper are now.

death2redemptions · Jun 2, 2017

johnryno said:
New season of House of Cards>Troutless Gaylos

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