At first, it was just an odd coincidence. Then it was an annoying one. Then it started getting downright uncanny. But now, now it is an actual problem.
Jered Weaver’s recent back injury is what pushed this series of unfortunate events from eerily bad luck to possible curse. Literally every player that the Angels have signed as a free agent, been acquired via trade or agreed to an extension with since late last season has been smote by the baseball gods to one degree or another.
Weaver and his out-of-nowhere back injury despite a history of being an invincible workhorse may be the most recent stroke of bad luck, but it serves to show where the curse originated as his extension was the next to last move made by deposed GM Tony Reagins. I say next to last because clearly Reagins cast some sort of voodoo spell over the franchise on his way out the door.
BEWARE THE RUNE OF REAGINS!
This isn’t just an overreaction to Weaver’s injury, just look at what has happened to the players who signed with or got got traded to the Angels since Weaver re-upped:
- Howie Kendrick signed an extension this off-season and is now having the worst season of his professional career.
- Chris Iannetta had to undergo wrist surgery due to an injury suffered while catching a no-hitter.
- Albert Pujols signed his massive contract and then infamously got off an epically awful start to the year and is only just now coming out of it.
- C.J. Wilson has performed very well with the Halos, but before the season even began, he was caught in a PR firestorm thanks to an ill-conceived “prank” on Mike Napoli.
- Ryan Langerhans finally got called up, only to wreck his shoulder when slamming into the outfield wall and is now on the disabled list.
- LaTroy Hawkins broke a finger and landed on the disabled list.
- Erick Aybar signed his extension then immediately forgot how to hit.
There are only two who have been immune to the evil enchanment thus far and those are free agent signing Jason Isringhausen and stellar trade acquisition Ernesto Frieri. But if I were either one of those two players, I’d be scared to leave my house for fear of an anvil being dropped on my head. But those two exceptions aside, the Curse of Reagins has ravaged this team to the point that nobody should be too upset if they sacrifice a chicken in the clubhouse before Frieri’s elbow explodes or something.
But what makes the sorcery even worse is that several players who have escaped the Halos during the same timeframe have seen their careers take off. Fernando Rodney is suddenly channeling 2005 Mariano Rivera. Bobby Abreu got released and joined the Dodgers where he magically started looking like an All-Star hitter again. Heck, even Jeff Mathis is having a career year, by his standards, since being banished to Toronto.
Like I said eery, especially since the hits just keep on coming (i.e. Weaver’s injury) even in the midst of the Angels eight-game and counting winning streak.
You know what, just to be safe, maybe the Angels need to up it from sacrificing a chicken to sacrificing a human… oh, wait, they already did that with Mickey Hatcher.
This is some bad withcraft. If only Reagins had used this wizardry for good back when he actually ran the team.