Baseball fans in Orange County love their Angels. We like teams that win, are exciting and have unforgettable characters.
We used to have it all. Now we have little.
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have lost their groove. Many sports writers have commented on the baseball team’s decreased productivity and performance.
But to longtime Angel supporters, it is much more than that. The Halos have lost their identity, personality, loveable characters, fierce competitors and their leaders on the field and in the dugout and clubhouse. They are without the usual Angel swagger and mischief.
This is not to overly criticize management, as it must evaluate players with attention to advancing age, past injuries and declining performance. These factors must be balanced against individual salaries, total payroll and contract lengths. All this has become increasingly difficult, as many older players still want long contracts.
Add to this baseball’s restrictive salary caps and the formula for success becomes even more complicated as the money must go to the right players.
Take 2006’s $50 million, five-year contract with Gary Matthews. The Angels not only lost their investment with his recent offseason move to the New York Mets, but also the opportunity to sign or retain other productive players during Matthews’ time as an Angel.
In the past two years this resulting chess game has meant the loss of Francisco “K-Rod” Rodriguez, Chone Figgins, John Lackey, Vladimir Guerrero and Darren Oliver. Although the Angels might have survived the loss of one or two of these players, their departures in the aggregate have been self-defeating and demoralizing.
The Angels were considered a running team until Figgins went to the Seattle Mariners. He could “pilfer” a run by beating out an infield hit, stealing second and third and coming home on a short fly ball. When on base, Figgins could distract the opposing pitcher enough to force a bad pitch that resulted in a hit or walk. When he was the lead base runner, the Angels were off to the races.
In the past, Guerrero might come up with that big game winning hit. Although he could make you a little crazy with his wild strike zone, at least he generated excitement, like he’s doing now with the Texas Rangers.
K-Rod lit up the end game with his fire and flames—irritating at times—but never dull. What’s wrong with an occasional altercation like his recent one with the Mets bullpen coach? Remember, he initially was a fine set-up man prior to becoming a closer. Boy, could we use him now.
Likewise the ornery Lackey, now with the Boston Red Sox, was the go-to starter for the big game. The other starting pitchers drew confidence from him.
Now at Texas, Oliver could hold together a game in middle relief that the current Angels bullpen usually gives away.
Think back to the Angel TV commercials from a short time ago. Who did we see? A smiling Figgie, a toothy Vlade, a pumped up K-Rod or a sassy Lackey. The Angel PR squad knew to show the fans their favorite charismatic characters.
The stars of today? The tired Angels theoretically could start an outfield of Hideki Matsui, Juan Rivera and Bobby Abreu—an all ex-New York Yankee outfield of years bygone.
Their hot infield “prospects” of Brandon Wood, Erick Aybar, Howie Kendrick and catcher Jeff Mathis remain just prospects five years later.
Perhaps this indicates some flaw in the Angels’ assessment and development programs.
Additionally, winning teams usually get some big surprises like the successful young gun arms of early 2010. The Los Angeles Dodgers came up with John Ely, a virtual unknown a month ago. It has been years since the Halos had a big surprise.
One of the team’s current stars, largely homegrown Kendry Morales, now could be out for the rest of the season after a freakish walk-off grand slam celebration accident that broke his leg on May 30, a further demoralizing blow to the Angels and their fans.
None of this means we should give up on the Angels. The team hopefully will be back. They have five of the first 40 draft choices in this week’s draft. They need some speed guys who hate to lose.
For some reason players with fire and passion don’t survive long with the Angels. Maybe robotic manager Mike Scioscia needs to loosen up a bit.
The Yankees are the model for player evaluation and procurement. It is less well known that Brian Cashman, general manager of the Yankees, hired a Yale math wizard and sports statistician as his right hand adviser.
Michael Fishman was an actuary before Cashman signed him. In these days of baseball as big business, you need someone to put together all the permutations, combinations, stats, salaries and player chemistries.
Maybe Fishman has a brother the Angels can sign fast.
Momentarily, the Angels have lost their direction and destination. They need to find their halo. When you don’t know precisely where you’re going—all roads will take you there.
Glueck of Newport Beach is a doctor by training who usually writes on medical-legal issues but in the spring his old man’s heart turns to baseball.
