Live discussion: Stumbling Dodgers, struggling Angels

Join Times Dodgers writer Dylan Hernandez and Angels writer Mike DiGiovanna at 11:30 a.m. today as they discuss their respective teams in a live video chat to be held on this blog post.

This really wasn’t how the teams were supposed to begin the season. The Dodgers are 7-6 and in fourth place in the NL West; the Angels are 4-9 and tied for fourth in the AL West.

Also troubling for the Angels is the fact Albert Pujols’ knee and foot are still troubling him. As Kevin Baxter wrote earlier this week:

“Albert Pujols was supposed to start Sunday’s game at first base, but shortly after the lineup was posted Angels Manager Mike Scioscia changed plans, taking Pujols out of the field and using him as the designated hitter for the fifth time in 12 games.

“Scioscia explained the switch by saying that Josh Hamilton, the original DH, wanted to continue familiarizing himself with right field at Angel Stadium. But it’s clear that Pujols’ surgically repaired right knee and the plantar fasciitis in his left foot are bothering him.

“He’s battling some stuff that he’s had before,” Scioscia said of Pujols, who played with plantar fasciitis for parts of 2004, 2005 and 2006. “It comes and it goes. Obviously coming off of knee surgery there’s some things that make it a little more complicated.

“But there’s one thing that we need Albert to do for our team and right now that’s to be comfortable in the batter’s box.”