That's really the only logical explanation for the role reversal we witnessed during the opening month of the 2012 baseball season.
While David Ortiz continues to feast on American League pitching in the early going, Albert Pujols is having a hard-time making the transition to the Junior Circuit, finishing the month without a home run in 98 plate appearances. That's a stark contrast from what we typically see out of the two sluggers.
Ortiz's career batting average, on-base percentage and OPS for April are lower than his career marks for any other month, yet the Red Sox DH finished this April hitting .405 while posting a .457 on-base percentage and a 1.184 OPS — all tops in the American League.
Pujols, on the other hand, has been no stranger to hitting the ground running in recent years, but has fallen victim to an ice-cold April this time around. In addition to his homerless streak, which spans 29 regular season games dating back to last year, the Angels first baseman hit .217, got on base at a .265 clip and compiled a .570 OPS — all shockingly low numbers for the three-time NL MVP.
Some may say it's the pressure of Pujols' new contract. But have we forgotten this is a guy who's won two World Series titles while hitting at a .330 career clip in the postseason? Pressure has never been in Pujols' vocabulary, so it's hard to imagine he packed it in his suitcase for the trip out West this offseason.
The fact of the matter is that the Angels (8-15) have been abysmal to start the season, particularly offensively. And what we've seen is somewhat of a trickle-down effect.
With the No. 1 and No. 2 hitters in the Angels order hitting .183 and .227 and getting on base at a .240 and .250 clip, respectively, Pujols' opportunities to drive in runs have been minimal. That does little to explain Pujols' complete power outage, but it's obvious that pitchers are able to approach him differently when the bases are clear.
Just over 64 percent of Pujols' at-bats this season have come with the bases empty, which is major increase over the 53.9 percent mark of his career. Ortiz, for comparison, has gone up to the plate with the bases empty about 56 percent of the time this season.
The Angels are 24th in runs scored (80), 24th in batting average (.236) and 27th in on-base percentage (.290) through one month, while the Red Sox are first (127), second (.281) and seventh (.336) in those categories, respectively. Those numbers are certainly impacted by Pujols and Ortiz's respective contributions, but it's also clear that Ortiz has had far more protection.
Only three players on the Angels — Mark Trumbo (.304), Kendrys Morales (.299), Torii Hunter (.294) — have a batting average higher than .250. The Red Sox have eight.
Vernon Wells leads the Angels in home runs with four. The Red Sox have four players with at least four dingers.
Just one hitter in the Halos lineup — Hunter (12) — has a double-digit RBI total, and that number is less than four Boston players, including Mike Aviles, who has taken over the leadoff duties in Jacoby Ellsbury's absence.
Pujols will, in all likelihood, turn things around this season. He has too much talent and his track record is too impeccable to suggest otherwise. But the magnitude of that turnaround could hinge on the Angels offense's ability to flip a switch as a complete unit.
One hand washes the other, and right now, both hands are dirty out in Anaheim. Until Pujols and the Angels find a way to clean them, the April Fools' Day joke could linger into May.
