Join us for the AngelsWin.com 2012 Spring Training Fanfest!
This annual event is a blast for the whole family! Meet your favorite AngelsWin.com members, talk Halos baseball, enjoy food and drinks with everyone in attendance!
As always, we'll be having surprise guest speakers! In years past we've enjoyed stories from Rex Hudler, Victor Rojas, Dennis Kuhl, Terry Smith, Darren Chan, Tim Mead, Steve Physioc and Jose Mota (to name just a few). Some of the Angels farmhands have also joined us over the years, mingling, eating and drinking with AngelsWin.com members & Angels fans joining us for the first time.
Here's the information on the time to attend, dinner menu and pricing information.
Menu
Salad/Choice of Dressing
Choice of one of these Pasta Entree
Penne Alfredo
Bake Ziti
Garlic Bread
Chef’s Choice Desert
Coffee/Decaf/Iced Tea
Where: Fiesta Resorts, Tempe, AZ (2100 South Priest Drive, Tempe, Arizona 85282) Time: 5:00 for gathering. 6:30 for dinner Cost: $15 Adult $5 Children under 15 Note: Beer & Alcoholic Beverage will be served as cash and carry
Please have all payments in by March 1st. Payments can be made via PayPal to angelswinevents@gmail.com
Life is full of ups and downs. Wins and losses. Victories and defeats. Some days you sign Gary Gaetti, some days you sign Albert Pujols. It's the nature of baseball. It's the nature of life.
It is with this in mind that we must announce that the AngelsWin.com 2012 Spring Training Fanfest at Boulders on Broadway has been canceled. We're very sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
There ... now we've got the bad new out of the way. Onto the good news ...
It is with much joy and excitement that we announce the AngelsWin.com 2012 Spring Training Fanfest will now be held at The Fiesta Resort and Conference Center on Priest and Broadway! Response to the Fanfest has been so overwhelming, we simply outgrew Boulders on Broadway! When it became clear that Halo fans were going to show up in droves to this annual event, we began the task of seeking a new location. However once it appeared that a new location had been secured, we realized that the list of paid RSVP's continued to grow at an unprecedented rate! We outgrew the second location before we were even able to book it! That's when it hit us ... we needed to follow Arte's lead. Go big, or go (stay) home! And so we find ourselves at The Fiesta Resort and Conference Center.
With the change of location will also come a change in menu and a switch from buffet style service to a sit down dinner (I know right? How swanky are we?!?!) Here is a outline of the menu ...
Menu
Salad/Choice of Dressing
Choice of one of these Pasta Entree
Penne Alfredo
Bake Ziti
Garlic Bread
Chef’s Choice Desert
Coffee/Decaf/Iced Tea
It's not too late to join us! The Fanfest dinner will be held on Saturday, March 10th! We need all payments made by March 1st. Even though there is a change of location, the costs will remain as originally advertised, $15 per adult and $5 for all kids 15 and under! If you're interested in joining us, RSVP here and send payment for dinner here.
Ask any Angel fan about the teams from the 1970’s and two names usually get thrown out there pretty quickly; Nolan Ryan and Frank Tanana. The Ryan/Tanana duo combined for 240 wins during their time in an Angel’s uniform. They were fixtures in the rotation and during the early to mid 70’s they were the faces of the franchise. A case could easily be made that the dynamic duo were two of the best pitchers ever to pitch for the Angels. For eight seasons either Tanana’s or Ryan’s name was printed at the top of the Angels rotation, that is of course until 1981. For the first time in eight seasons, the California Angels did not have either Tanana or Ryan taking the mound for them. Ryan departed after the 1979 season and Tanana after the 1980 season. The Angels, needing a power arm for the rotation turned to young 20-year old rookie, Michael Atwater Witt. Witt seemed like the perfect fit for the thin Angels rotation as he stood 6 foot 7 inches tall, possessed an above average curve ball, a power fast ball and to top it all off he was a hometown kid from Fullerton, California. Witt settled into the Angels’ rotation nicely his rookie season, finishing 8-9 with a 3.28 era which was the rotations second lowest behind only Ken Forsch (2.88 era). Witt would go on to post a combined 15-20 record the following two seasons with a 4.21 era. Witt’s first three seasons in the rotation were mediocre at best. It wasn’t until the 1984 season that Witt finally broke out, going 15-11. At times throughout the season, Witt was downright dominating. On July 23 of that year, while playing the Seattle Mariners, Witt struck out 16 batters during a complete game 5-hitter. The real highlight of the season though came on September 30th against the Texas Rangers when Witt struck out 10 batters and needed only 94 pitches to throw the 11th perfect game in MLB history. For you trivia buffs out there, the perfect game was only the second one thrown in MLB history on the last day of the regular season. Also, Witt’s perfect game was the first thrown with a score of 1-0 since Sandy Koufax’s game in 1965.
While Fernando-Mania was being shoved down the throats of every Southern California baseball fan, Witt was quietly becoming the ace the Angels had been searching for since the departure of Tanana and Ryan. Witt went on to prove that the 1984 season was no fluke, as you can see below, Witt and Valenzuela averaged very comparable numbers over the four span Witt was in his prime:
Player Seasons Avg. Wins Avg. ERA Avg. K’s
Witt 1984-87 16 3.47 194
Valenzuela 1984-87 16 3.15 220
From 1984 to 1987 Witt lead the Angels in wins (64), starts (139), complete games (39), strikeouts (776) and innings pitched (1,012). Witt joined Dean Chance (1962-65) as the only pitcher to lead the Angels in wins four straight seasons. The baseball world took notice and Witt was elected to the 1986 and 1987 American League All-Star team. It seemed Witt was well on his way to becoming one of the best pitchers in team history when his fortunes suddenly changed. During the 1988 season, at only 27 years old, Witt inexplicably started to decline. Witt produced a respectable 13-16 record with a 4.15 era but his pitching clearly was not at the level it had been in previous years. Witt saw his strikeout rate drop from 7.0 per nine innings to 4.8. His “stuff” was not nearly as overpowering as it once had been yet there was no clear reason why. Word spread around the league that Witt just wasn't the same, that he'd lost his confidence. And, according to Witt, it was true. In a 1990 interview with the L.A. Times Witt admitted "I started thinking too much and was getting hit harder and harder, I don't care who you are, the less batters you get out, the more confidence you lose. I started wondering if I'd ever get outs consistently again on this level.”
Witt would go on to struggle throughout the 1999 season posting a 9-15 with a 4.54 era. Witt, still searching for an explanation for his sudden regression thought maybe he had a tired arm. Witt stated he, “had too many doubts. During my good years, I was just on a roll. Everything was automatic." After five straight seasons as the Angels “ace” and opening day starter, Witt lost his spot in the rotation and was moved to the bullpen. The move to the pen however allowed Witt to catch lightning in a bottle one last time. During the 1989 offseason, the Angels signed left-handed pitcher Mark Langston to a lucrative $16 million deal. Langston, who was coming off of a very successful 16 win season in which he posted a career low 2.74 era with the Seattle Mariners and Montreal Expos, seemed ready to take over as the “ace” of the rotation with Witt having been demoted to the bull pen. On April 12, 1990, Mark Langston made his debut as a member of the California Angels. With 25,632 fans looking on, Langston held his former team, the Mariners, hitless through seven innings. Langston had walked four, struck out three and thrown 98 pitches. Usually, with only six outs remaining and a pitch count under 100, Managers will allow their starter the chance to close it out; Langston however took that decision away from Angels Manager Doug Radar by telling him that he had “hit the wall” and didn’t have much left in the tank. Looking to secure the win and preserve the no-hitter, Rader immediately knew who he wanted to bring in to close the game out, Mike Witt. Although not the choice most fans would have made due to his recent struggles, the decision was an easy one for Rader. You see, 5 ½ years earlier, when Witt had thrown his perfect game to end the 1984 season, it was Rader who was the manager of the opposing Rangers. Rader would later state the perfect game Witt had thrown was the most dominating pitching performance he ever witnessed. Even though his manager had confidence in him the fans in attendance didn’t, the crowd booed when Witt came out of the bullpen to take over for Langston at the start of the eighth inning. The fact that Witt walked the first batter he faced on four pitches did not help endear him to the crowd either. Witt would eventually settle down and get the remaining six outs without giving up a hit, even though he was not the starter on record he still took great pride in the accomplishment. For Witt it was a bit of redemption and a positive in what seemed to be a string of negatives. Witt would make only a handful of relief appearances for the Halos during the 1990 season before he was traded to the New York Yankees in exchange for Dave Winfield. Rather than becoming dejected and upset over the trade to the Yankees, Witt looked at the trade as a new opportunity and a fresh start. The Yankees, convinced that Witt just needed a change of scenery to return to his winning ways, immediately put him into the starting rotation. Unfortunately, there is no happy ending to Mike Witt’s baseball career. Witt would play parts of three seasons for the Bronx Bombers, making 27 starts and compiling an 8-9 record with a 6.62 era before finally retiring after the 1993 season.
After retiring, Witt returned home to Southern California. In 1996, at the age of only 36, Witt was approached by Donn Munsell, the head coach of the Dana Hills High School baseball team. Munsell, who knew Witt lived nearby, reached out in an attempt to have Witt assist the team. One thing led to another and Witt found himself as the team’s pitching coach. Witt has rediscovered a passion for the game through the eyes of his students. In a 1997 article with the L.A. Times, Witt explained he doesn’t try to force his ideas or opinions on players; he simply tries to show them how to take care of their arms and the process of the game.
Witt was a dominating force in baseball during the mid 1980’s. He was bridge from the Tanana/Ryan duo to the Langston/Finley duo. He was the pitcher that quietly became an “ace” when Fernando-Mania was exploding. He was the anchor of a rotation that nearly took the Angels to the World Series in 1986. While growing up, Mike Witt was one of the first pitchers I remember wanting to see pitch in person as often as possible. When he took the mound you never knew if he’d strike out 15 or throw a no-hitter but you did know that he would pitch one heck of a game and give the Halos a chance to win. Although his prime was shorter than expected, I think we can all agree that Mike Witt played an important role in the history of the Angels’ franchise.
Interview Conducted on February 17, 2012 by David Saltzer, AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
Making the Major Leagues is the goal for every Minor League player in every organization. However, along the way, there are other opportunities to shine in ways that most of us will never experience. One of those opportunities is to represent your country in an international competition. That’s exactly what Matt Shoemaker did this winter. In the Pan Am Games, Shoemaker pitched 1 inning of relief in a combined shutout win giving up 1 hit and striking out 2. In the Baseball World Cup, Shoemaker had one rough outing (earning a loss against the Dutch National Team) but bounced back strong to earn a win on 5 shutout innings, giving up 2 hits, 1 walk, and striking out 4.
Named as the Los Angeles Angels Pitcher of the Year for 2011, Shoemaker ranked #7 on the AngelsWin.com Top-50 Prospect List. This spring, Shoemaker earned his first Major League Camp invitation to Spring Training. AngelsWin.com caught up with Shoemaker on the eve of his departure for Spring Training to find out what his winter was like and how he plans to approach the 2012 season. Listen below to our interview with him. Hopefully we can continue the conversation with him at our Spring Training Fanfest to get the true insights into all the inner-workings of Major League Camp.
This year has been particularly challenging for us to create our Top-50 List—not because the talent pool is so shallow. Instead, this year was very challenging because the talent pool is rather deep. Unlike other national rankings which only look at the Top-10 or Top-30 prospects, AngelsWin.com provides a list of the Top-50 Prospects to give a full and complete picture of the state of the organization.
AngelsWin.com believes that overall the Angels organization is in the upper half of all minor league systems. The Angels have one prospect that everyone in baseball knows: Mike Trout. But, the Angels also have plenty of other players that everyone will come to know. And, they also have plenty of players who will play important roles within the organization.
Looking back at the year that past, the Angels had two of their full-season farm teams make it into the post season. Only 6 organizations in baseball had more of their full season teams reach the post season for their leagues. Add in the two short season teams that made the playoffs, or won their division, and the organization shows strength, particularly at the lower levels. This talent will blossom over the next few years.
Most of the talent in the Angels organization had been depleted from Triple-A Salt Lake in 2011. With players such as Bourjos, Chatwood, Trumbo, and Walden having all made the jump to the Majors, and others such as Amarista, Conger, and Romine shuttling back and forth at times, the talent was mostly not there. As a result, the team finished in last place in the Pacific Coast League with a 62-82 record, 15.0 games out of first place.
The team at Double-A, the Arkansas Travelers, however, did much better. The Travelers clinched a playoff spot by winning the first half of their season, posting a 36-31 record, and a 68-69 record overall. In the post season, the Travelers made it to the Championship Series for the Texas League, but unfortunately were swept in a best of 5-game series.
In the California League, the Angels’ newest affiliate, the San Bernadino 66ers also made it to the playoffs. AngelsWin.com was particularly proud of how the 66ers played hard to make the post season and sponsored the team in its post season run. Playing without top prospects for most of the season, the 66ers saw several players take major strides forward and jump up the Top-50 Prospect List for 2012. The 66ers played hard in the post season, but, unfortunately could not get past the Wild Card round.
At 61-78, the Cedar Rapids Kernels finished a disappointing 21.0 games out of first place for the season in the Midwest League. While the lower levels of the Angels organization generally were strengths, the Kernels couldn’t seem to get into a decent groove across the entire season. AngelsWin.com hopes that 2012 brings better luck to this Single-A affiliate.
The Short-Season Orem Owlz finished in first place for the Pioneer League, going 46-30 overall. Featuring many of the Angels top players, the team put on quite an offensive display. Unfortunately, that offense wasn’t quite enough to get the Owlz into the championship series for the Pioneer League.
At 28-28, the AZL-Angels finished in 2nd place in the AZL-Eastern Division. They fell 3.0 games out of the Wild Card spot. While winning is always important, in the AZL League, players throughout the organization often came and went as they rehabbed injuries or worked on specific skills.
The best overall record in the Angels organization belonged to the Dominican Summer League Angels (DSL-Angels). At 52-18, they finished with a whopping .743 win percentage! They finished 17.5 games ahead of the second place team. Because of their tremendous production, and, because of some strong reports AngelsWin.com has received, we are including a special section called “8 Dominican Players You Should Know”. Until we see how they adjust to playing in America, which presents a cultural challenge for many, we will hold off on ranking them. But, we have some high hopes for some of these players.
As always, AngelsWin.com considers many factors when ranking players. We consider the age of the player, the league in which he played, the competition against whom he played and the needs of the Major League club. A player who is older than his league may not be ranked as highly as his stats would otherwise indicate. A pitcher playing in a hitter’s league may still be ranked ahead of a pitcher with a lower ERA in a pitcher’s league even if his numbers appear to be inferior.
Additionally, AngelsWin.com talks with scouts, coaches and front office personnel from both within and outside of the organization to make our rankings. We listen to their comments about a player to see if struggles are a result of working on a specific skill or if a player’s success is because of his talents have finally blossomed. We try to get as thorough an analysis of the player as possible.
Finally, in making our list, AngelsWin.com goes to see the players. We use our own judgment of the player’s talents. When our discussions present conflicting opinions, we have our own analysis to use to distinguish a player’s rank.
This year, making our Top-50 Prospect List has been particularly challenging. There are several players in the “Keep An Eye On” category that we thoroughly debated including in the Top-50 Prospect List. Not making this year’s list, or even seeing a player’s ranking drop should not be construed as a necessarily negative comment on the player. The competition was that fierce in some cases.
Because AngelsWin.com considers the likelihood of a prospect making it to the Major Leagues, organizational depth and backlogs at certain positions affected the rankings for some prospects. Over time though, one should see a general progression for prospects as they continue to develop their skills and move closer to the Major Leagues. New players will continue to push their way on the list and begin the process of working their way up the chain. And, as other players graduate from the list, space will open for them.
By Robert Cunningham - AngelsWin.com Feature Writer
Major league managers, coaches, and scouts always talk about the importance of pitching depth. However, and perhaps just as importantly, catching depth is also critical to a team’s success. The Angels have created a catching corps of Chris Iannetta, Hank Conger, and Bobby Wilson to provide Mike Scioscia with options for the 2012 season.
First of all, we are well aware of how important the catching position is to Mike Scioscia. The Angels manager has always emphasized a “defense-first” mentality along with the ability to call a good game in his catchers. This was the crux of Mike’s argument in playing Jeff Mathis over Mike Napoli over the last handful of years. However, that particular situation has ended, but a discussion of the current situation needs to be explained and understood.
The acquisition of Iannetta from the Rockies appears to be a solid transitional move for the Angels. Clearly the coaching staff and front office feel that Conger is not quite ready for the starting position from a defense and game calling standpoint. By bringing in Iannetta, the Angels are giving Conger the opportunity to progress and improve his catching abilities to prepare him for a possible starting role in 2013/2014 (dependent on whether Iannetta voids his 2013 option or not).
If Conger does show the improvement that Mike Scioscia and Jerry Dipoto want to see, then I think Conger becomes our primary catcher next year (assuming Iannetta voids his option). Or, if Iannetta stays one more year with the Angels, then Conger will start in 2014. But what happens if Conger doesn’t improve this season? What do the Angels do then?
I think that this year will really decide Conger’s fate with the Angels. If he becomes the MLB player that we all hoped for, then all is well. However if he doesn’t improve, or shows regression, I think that we will see the Angels attempt to sign a free agent such as Yadier Molina (who is good friends with Albert Pujols) to be the primary catcher. Conger would likely be traded within the next 2 years once the Angels front office can acquire additional catching depth (either through trades or the development of prospects like Abel Baker, Carlos Ramirez, Jett Bandy, et. al.).
However the Angels do have to be wary of their team budget moving forward. Conger is cost-controlled for the next two seasons, making the league minimum, and then would enter arbitration in 2014. He will become a free agent after the 2016 season. Yadier Molina would cost a minimum of $6-7 million per year and more likely would command a salary in the range of $8-10 million per year. I think the decision will come down to two factors: Can Conger improve enough to satisfy the coaching staff and is Yadier Molina willing to sign with the Angels, at a reduced salary, to play with his good friend Albert? I think it is the former but everything rides on Conger’s shoulders.
Moving beyond the discussion of who becomes our primary catcher of the future I think it is important to discuss the thinking behind the acquisition of Iannetta and the platoon arrangement and depth that this trade provides. Here are Iannetta’s, Conger’s, and Wilson’s Major League career numbers:
Major League Career Numbers
Name
Age
AVG
BB%
K%
OBP
SLG
OPS
ISO
BABIP
Iannetta
28
0.235
13.90%
21.90%
0.357
0.43
0.788
0.195
0.272
Conger
23
0.204
9.50%
19.90%
0.284
0.345
0.629
0.141
0.234
Wilson
28
0.206
7.70%
17.50%
0.268
0.344
0.612
0.138
0.233
There are a few things that we have to consider regarding the numbers above. First of all, Iannetta has played in the Major Leagues for a total of 6 seasons in contrast to Conger, who has two seasons, and Wilson, who has 4 seasons. The latter two haven’t yet played a full season, unlike Iannetta who has 4 full seasons under his belt. This is one of the primary reasons the Angels brought Iannetta onboard because of his MLB experience and endurance to play over a full season.
Another thing to consider is the fact that due to Conger’s and Wilson’s limited play over the course of their MLB careers the numbers above do not completely and accurately reflect either players true potential. For instance, Conger’s .204 AVG (Batting average) and .141 ISO (Isolated Power, a statistic that simply measures a hitter’s ability to hit for power) do not reflect the type of hitter he was in the minor leagues where he had a career AVG of .298 and an ISO of approximately .170 (solid above-average power).
To continue, we also need to understand each players career splits (how each hitter does versus Left-Handed Pitchers and Right-Handed Pitchers). Remember that Conger is a switch-hitter:
Major League Career Splits
# of MLB Seasons
Career AVG vs. LHP
Career AVG vs. RHP
Chris Iannetta
6
.252
.229
Hank Conger*
2
.154
.207
Bobby Wilson
4
.256
.176
* Switch-hitter
Conger’s numbers need to be taken with a grain of salt. His limited MLB playing time has skewed his numbers as evidenced by his minor league season splits found here. When you look at Conger’s minor league splits you notice that he hits right-handers particularly well. In fact Conger has experienced periods of difficulty against left-handers which helps to explain why the Angels coaching staff has limited his Major league at-bats to right-handed pitchers up to this point. However it should be noted that Conger generally improved his hitting against lefties as he rose through the minors and should still be given the opportunity to show he can handle them moving forward.
By looking at these numbers it is easier to realize why the Angels front office put these three players together in a platoon:
• Iannetta hitting mainly against LHP and some RHP, Conger mainly against RHP, and Wilson as a reserve (preferable to substitute him against lefties, possibly as a pinch hitter for Conger in late game situations against LHP).
• Iannetta provides 1-2 years of veteran catching experience and can mentor Conger and Wilson.
• Iannetta has 4 full seasons of playing time and endurance under his belt.
• Conger has an opportunity to improve his defensive and game-calling skill set in 2012 without the pressure of being the primary starter.
• Conger can, with a good 2012 season, take over full-time catching duties in the 2013-2014 season time frame.
• Iannetta and Wilson currently, have a better overall batting average against left-handed pitching.
• Conger has a very strong minor league track record of crushing right-handed pitching and should be able to hit left-handed pitching at under or close to a MLB average level (about .240-.260 or so) as he progresses in his game.
• Finally Conger or Wilson can be late-inning pinch-hitting options versus righties and lefties, respectively, capable of punching an extra-base hit in a close game.
Iannetta was brought in as a stop-gap measure to allow the Angels to observe and evaluate Conger’s performance through the 2012 season. Conger has the ability to hit for a .280 batting average and 10+ HR’s on an annual basis. Once Iannetta is gone, Wilson should be a great complimentary platoon player for Conger by slotting in against left-handed pitchers as Wilson has a career OPS of .800 against them. Assuming Conger begins to improve and be more consistent against lefties he will eventually have the bulk (100+ games) of the catching duties.
The Iannetta trade was, upon reflection, a good move for the Angels although we did have to give up a young, cost-controlled starting pitcher in Tyler Chatwood (who, at best, probably would have been a #4 or #5 type). It gives us starting catcher depth which is needed over the course of a long season (ask the Tigers who just lost Victor Martinez for the season with a torn ACL) so that if we do lose Iannetta or Conger, to injury, Wilson can effectively back them up until they return.
I see Iannetta catching 90+ games for the Angels this season, providing above average defense and game calling along with power and the ability to get on-base. Conger will play at least 50+ games (I suspect he will play about 60 or so) while continuing to develop his defense, game-calling, and hitting against right-handed pitchers in most situations. Conger also has the ability to maintain an above average OBP (he has a career minor league OBP of approximately .360). Wilson will probably maintain a career as a back-up, platoon catcher who has some gap/HR power which fits in well with the current situation. Additionally Wilson is out of options so I see the Angels carrying 3 catchers to start the season (and most likely all the way through to, hopefully, the playoffs).
2012 Projections:
Iannetta - .245/.375/.425 and 15 HR’s (in 255 At-bats) Conger - .265/.320/.420 and 8 HR’s (in 180 At-bats) Wilson - .205/.270/.355 and 2 HR’s (in 115 At-bats)
If I were to tell you that the Angels once traded for a scrawny catcher who in his first four seasons in Major League Baseball averaged only 6 HR’s and 34 RBI’s while hitting only .251, you would think the Halos re-acquired Jeff Mathis wouldn’t you? As good of a guess as that would have been, you would have been wrong. The Angel player I am referring to is actually the great Brian Downing. During his playing days in an Angel’s uniform, Downing could best be described as a fearsome hitter whose powerful bat and determination to win endeared him not only to Angel fans but to Gene Autry himself. Believe it or not, Downing was never supposed to be as good as he actually was. As a matter of fact, while attending Magnolia High School in Anaheim, CA, Downing tried out for the school team. Downing successfully made the team but received practically no playing time and was actually cut. Downing would go on to graduate from high school and enroll at nearby Cypress College. While attending Cypress College, Downing decided again to try out for the baseball squad but this time he failed to even make the team. Despite his lack of success with baseball in high school and college, Downing stuck with the game and eventually participated in an "all comers" Chicago White Sox tryout in 1969. After an impressive showing, scout Bill Lentini signed him as an amateur free agent on August 19, 1969. Downing made his Major League debut in 1973 and the results were not very promising. On the first pitch of his first inning in his first Major League game, while playing third base, he severely damaged his knee making a diving catch, sliding down the dugout steps and landing on the 60 day DL (Downing made the “dugout tumble” cool long before Mo Vaughn was around). Downing would return the following year and hit a mundane .225 with 10 HR and 39 RBI’s. After returning from the injury Downing would play mostly catcher and would put up similar numbers in Chicago for the next three seasons before being traded December 5, 1977 to the California Angels as a part of a six player deal. The trade brought Downing home to Southern California and out from under the bright lights and high pressure atmosphere of Chicago. It gave Downing’s career new life and it was a trade that Downing would later say saved his career.
In a 2000 interview with the L.A. Times Downing stated he reported to Spring Training in 1978 feeling proud and eager, tongue-tied and excited, blessedly lucky and furiously ready to be an Angel. Although his numbers for his first season with the Halos were uninspiring (.255 batting average, 7 HR, 46 RBI) it did motivate Downing to make a drastic change in the offseason. Downing fully committed himself to serious weight training and also changed his batting stance for the upcoming 1979 season. It seemed as though the drastic changes paid off as Downing hit an impressive .326 (good for third in the American League) along with a career high 12 HR’s. He also made the AL All-Star team for the first and only time. It seemed as though Downing was on the verge of becoming a breakout star until he suffered a broken ankle which shortened his 1980 season. The Angels were determined to keep the newly found offensive force in the line-up however and once Downing returned from the injury he was moved from catcher to left field. Despite having very limited range Downing did have very good hands from his years as a catcher. In 1982 Downing played 158 games in leftfield without making one error. Downing’s extensive weight training also seemed to pay off as he slugged 28 HR’s and had 84 RBI’s. Downing would continue his power surge, hitting 20+ home runs in six of the seven seasons from 1982 to 1988. Downing would become the Angels full-time designated hitter in 1988 and would remain the everyday DH until he departed the team in 1990. Due to lingering injuries, Downing was limited to only 96 games in 1990 yet he still managed to hit 14 HR’s with 51 BRI’s and had a .273 average. It was after this disappointing season that then Angels General Manager Mike Port made a business decision, one that would take Downing over a decade to recover from. Brian Downing, the beloved Angel who had an intense desire to win, who left it all out on the field every inning of every game he played, who grew up in the shadow of the Big A and always had dreams of finishing his career with his hometown team, was allowed to walk away from the team he loved via free agency without any effort on the Angel’s part to re-sign him and without so much as a thank you. One of the reasons Downing took the split from the Angels especially hard was because he felt Port had not been upfront with him about his intentions to let Downing go. Downing also was not put in the starting line-up the last home game of the season, fan appreciation day. Downing, feeling betrayed and bitter, would go on to sign with the rival Texas Rangers where he would play two seasons before finally retiring. Even though Downing’s last hit did not come in an Angel’s uniform, it did happen at Angel Stadium. During the last game of the 1992 season, Downing got a pinch-hit single for the Rangers off former team mate Bert Blyleven. As Downing stood on first base, Angel fans in attendance rose to their feet to give Downing a standing ovation. In addition to the fans, players for both the Angels and the Rangers stood on the top step of the dugout to show their respect for the veteran. It may not have been what Downing envisioned his last game to be like, but it was something truly special for the hometown guy to experience before calling it a career.
Downing would not linger around the game of baseball; in fact he distanced himself from it as much as possible. Downing and his wife Cheryl moved to Celina, Texas, a town of approximately 1,700 people where few followed baseball. This was your “Friday Night Lights” type of town where everyone ate, slept and lived football 24/7. Downing appreciated the fact that nobody recognized him and he was able to fade into obscurity. Through the years the Angels attempted several times to contact Downing in an effort to honor his accomplishments and add him to the team’s hall of fame but Downing refused all attempts. Downing was still hurt over his bitter departure from the organization and was very content with his life that consisted of raising chicken, geese, ducks and pigs in Texas. It wasn’t until the 2000 season that Downing and the Angels organization were brought back together. By no means had Downing forgotten that he had simply been discarded by then GM Mike Port, this reconciliation was not necessarily for the front office, it was for the fans. A poll had taken place asking Angel fans to select the all-time Angels team to commemorate the Angels 40th anniversary. Downing, always a fan favorite, was selected to the all-time team. It was then, after nearly a decade of bitterness and heartache that Brian Downing agreed to return to the “Big A” (a.k.a Edison International Field of Anaheim). Each member of the all-time Angels addressed the sell-out crowd much to Downing’s surprise. His wife Cheryl, who had handled all of the arrangements for Brian to appear at the ceremony decided to not mention to him that he would be asked to speak for fear he would back out due to cold feet. When it was his turn, Brian took to the podium while a tribute video playing on the jumbo screen highlighting his time with the Halos. Downing, who had tears in his eyes only managed to utter a few words to the crowd in attendance, “I was pushed out two years too soon”. Downing would return to Celina, Texas where he continued to live his peaceful life until 9 years later he was informed the Angels wanted to again induct him into the team’s hall of fame. Unlike previous years, Downing gladly accepted the invitation and again returned to the Big A where on August 27, 2009 he, along with long-time friend and former teammate Chuck Finley, received the ultimate honor from the franchise. This time Downing, fully expecting to address the crowd, commented, “"I just truly appreciate everybody that supported me all those years and the great support our team had.”
Brian Downing never won a World Series championship, only made one all-star team and most likely will never make major league baseball’s hall of fame. Downing didn’t reach 300 home runs, he didn’t collect 3,000 hits, and he was only a career .267 hitter. Although Downing will never be mentioned as one of the greatest of all time, he will go down as a player that epitomized the Angels organization. The lanky kid with wire framed glasses that grew up in Southern California, practically in the shadow of the Big A, will always be regarded as one of the organization’s greats. Downing, always the underdog, left it all out on the field and it wasn’t for a big payday or fame, it was for each and every one of us fans.
Interview Conducted by David Saltzer - AngelsWin.com Senior Writer
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a Minor League Baseball Player in the Angels organization during the offseason? How about trying to adjust from college baseball to pro-ball? Finally,
To answer some of these questions, AngelsWin.com caught up with Frazier Hall, an Angels prospect drafted in the June, 2011 draft. Frazier played under legendary coach Tom Kotchman and was part of a playoff bound team that featured a lot of the Angels developing talent. Frazier put up very lofty numbers while playing 1B, posting a .355/.391/.575 line.
With Pujols signed this offseason, Morales on the mend, Trumbo in the Majors, and C. J. Cron all playing the same position, Frazier recognized that he would have to do more to make it to the Majors. He went to Instructional League (“Instructs”) to work on expanding his defensive options. He worked on playing catcher and the outfield.
Click the play button below to listen to Frazier Hall as he talks about his life during the offseason as a Minor League player. He shares a passion and dedication that should help him continue to stand out. And, if he continues to perform like he did in Orem, he will shine. Listen to this very interesting interview to see what a quality prospect he is. More importantly, listen to this interview to get to know a bit about Frazier Hall before meeting him at the Spring Training Fanfest on March 10th.
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