Morales is out for the year?

Morales will be out for all of 2011

Do you remember how you felt when you found out the Tooth Fairy wasn't real? Or that Santa Claus was actually mom and dad? I do. It was like the wind was taken from my sails.  Last night after I made a delicious dinner for my daughter and I, I was scouring the internet for news and notes for the Angels.  I wanted to see what the score was, I hadn't been listening or watching the game.  Prior to heading to MLB.com I was checking out twitter when I saw this.

Kendrys Morales done for the year. Will have a second surgery. #Angels #MLB

 -- Scott Miller CBS Sports Los Angeles (@ScotMCBSSports)

I even messaged him back "I wish you were lying!"  He replied with "Sorry, so do I!"  That didn't make me feel better.  I even reached out to my BFF Roger Lodge and asked him if he had "any comments of the biggest disappointment for the 2011 season?'  His reply was an optimistic "That's rough!  But let's see what Trumbo can do!!!"  And although I'm more than willing to give Trumbo an opportunity to play first base every day, he can't be expected to produce the way Morales on his 2009 campaign, where he had seen 152 starts, 566 at bats, 45 doubles, 34 home runs, 106 RBI, and average of .306, slugging .596 and and OPS of .924

Lets not forget it was nearly one year ago where on a Saturday Afternoon, Kendrys Morales Walk Off Celebration changed the face of the franchise for all of 2010 and now 2011 as well.  When Morales comes back it will be two years since he has faced major league pitching and to compound that, he will be an unrestricted free agent.  Of course the Angels will offer him arbitration, he will have a lot to prove when he comes back, if he comes back as an Angel.

Not only does this affect the Angels plans this season, but certainly next years as well.  Something that has been in the back of my head since the announcement of the second surgery is a lot of the pre-season talk from  Arte, Tony, and Scioscia has been about getting Morales back mid-season would be like a huge acquisition, where we didn't have to give up any players. This setback must certainly alter some of the front office planning.  Obviously their is pressure on the Front Office to make a deal for a big bat and it doesn't necessarily have to be a first baseman, but aren't Fat Albert and Cecil's Kid up for free agency next season?