Albert Pujols never liked the “El Hombre” nickname while he was in St. Louis, but the Angels decided to use it on their billboards promoting his arrival without asking him and Pujols isn’t happy.

Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles reports that there are 20 billboards around Southern California with the “El Hombre” nickname and Pujols’ picture (you can see a snapshot by clicking here).

Pujols explained in the past that he didn’t like the nickname because Stan Musial was “The Man” in St. Louis, and he reiterated that point to Saxon:

Like I say, I haven’t talked to them, but I prefer not to use that. I still have the same respect for him as I had, not just for what he’s done in baseball but for what he did for his country. That’s something you have to appreciate.

As someone who generally wishes there were more quality nicknames in baseball these days I’m sad that something as cool-sounding as “El Hombre” isn’t fine with Pujols, but it’s certainly reasonable and it sure seems weird that the Angels weren’t aware of the situation before posting the billboards.