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Volume CXXXIII, Number 16 |
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Red Sox fans beware: There's a new team in town
SHAUN GAGNON
STAFF WRITER
It is easy to get caught in the trap of thinking that the American League pennant race will come down to two teams in the American League East.
Many diehard fans of the Red Sox and Yankees may not realize that the sleeping giant of this year's season resides in a team that relies on a monkey to get the rally started.
The Anaheim Angels, if you remember, are only two seasons removed from winning a World Series Title. The Angels, to be frank, are scary.
This team is exponentially better than the mediocre team they assembled last year, which finished 19 games behind Oakland for the American League West title. Some would even argue this team is even better than that 2002 title team.
The additions of Bartolo Colon and Kelvim Escobar make their rotation one of the better five in baseball. If nothing less Colon will presumably be an inning eater, since he led the Major League in complete games last year with nine.
Add those two to the young starting rotation and a bullpen that is already in place that provides more security than Brinks, and I would say pitching will not be a problem. Potential All-Star signal caller in Bengie Molina will backstop the pitchers.
The lineup from top to bottom is also shaping up to be one of the top five in the American League and arguably one of the best in the majors on paper.
Darin Erstad will move from his centerfield spot to play first base this year, making room in the outfield for the prize talents of free-agent acquisitions Vladimir Guerrero and Jose Guillen.
And who will cover the duties of the other outfield spot? Just last year's All-Star Game MVP Garret Anderson. Anderson was in the top five in runs driven in last year in the American League with 116.
The table-setters are at the top with the likes of Adam Kennedy and David Eckstein who were each in double digits in steals last year at 16 and 22, respectively. If that was not enough, the Angels also have Time Salmon and Troy Glaus who should rebound from their "off years" this season.
There's been enough talk about all these additions and it's time for a little remorse for the Angels of the past who were not resigned for this year.
Scott Spiezio and his 200-something average will be missed I'm sure, along with the likes of Brad Fullmer. Their losses will be easily offset by the projected 60 or so dingers Guerrero and Guillen will add based on last year's stats.
To Red Sox and Yankees fans, this is a message to look out. I watched our teams spend the winter months trying to pull off major trades to improve our playing at the expense of team chemistry.
It would seem to me, however, that the Angels did the best job in getting the players they wanted without any great problem. Remember Sheffield thinking he was Scott Boras and trying to negotiate his own contract, or Nomar as a Dodger?
Well the issue of who is better on paper will be settled in one month when the teams hit the field. For now all we have to talk about are the paper champs. My view: the Angels benefited most from this off-season.
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