Morales Lost For Season

Morales is injured for the second straight
season due to the same broken ankle.

The American League Western Division caught a break Wednesday with Oakland left-hander Dallas Braden's season possibly over due to a shoulder injury, they just caught another. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have struggled to score runs this season, even though they are leading the AL West by two games. The Halos were anxiously awaiting the return of their switch-hitting first basemen Kendrys Morales, after missing most of the '10 campaign with a broken ankle.

    That return is not coming, at least not any time soon. It has been determined that Morales will need a second surgery on his left ankle to get him back to full health and will miss the entire season for the second straight year.

    The Cuban slugger had been going through an up and down rehabilitation process trying to get back as soon as possible to help this ailing Angels lineup. Morales was injured back in May of last year celebrating at home plate with his teammates after a walk-off grand slam. During the celebration Morales would break his ankle causing him to miss the entire season and putting the middle of the Angels lineup in flux the rest of the way.

    Morales was emerging at an elite first baseman in Major League Baseball after a breakout campaign in '09. The 225 pounded was beginning to make the loss of All-Star first basemen Mark Teixeira to the New York Yankees a thing of the past and a forgotten memory. That season Morales batted .306 with 34 home runs and 108 runs batted in. Those numbers were very similar to the numbers Teixeria put up in his first season in the Bronx.

    Although Teixeira got the last laugh as his Yankees defeated the Angels in the ALCS, and went on to capture their 27th World Series in the franchises history.

    Angels manager Mike Scioscia, who is fresh off his 1,000 career win as a manager, has preached small ball in his twelve years at the helm, and has had to manufacture runs any way possible. The Angels brought in All-Star outfielder Vernon Wells in a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays this offseason, and so far have not seen the results.

Anaheim will need Trumbo to provide
pop with they want to make the
postseason.

    Wells is batting .183 with only 4 home runs after hitting 31 across the border a year ago. Nine-time Gold Glove winner Torii Hunter, who has batted cleanup most the season for the Halos, has driven in 90 runs the past two season, but is also off to a slow start striking out 33 times in his first 37 games. Rookie first basemen Mark Trumbo has added a much needed punch to Los Angeles's lineup pounding out 6 home runs in limited playing time, but he is no Morales.

    You have to wonder if and when Morales returns to Anaheim, will he stay healthy and pick up right where he left off with his career now in doubt. Angel fans will wait the return of their Cuban Missile.