Angels sign starting pitcher Joel Pineiro

The Los Angeles Angels will add one of the top remaining free agents available on the market, right handed starting pitcher Joel Pineiro to their 2010 rotation. Filling the void left by the defection of John Lackey via free agency.

Pineiro and the Angels have agreed to a two-year contact worth an approximate sixteen million dollars, pending a tomorrow's physical.

The 31 year old pitched last season for the 2009 NL Central Division Champion Cardinals, posting a 15-12, 3.49 ERA record in 32 starts. Pineiro walked only 27 batters to 105 strikeouts in 214 innings. He also posted a 60.5 percent ground-ball rate, with a very solid infield defense featuring Erick Aybar, Howie Kendrick, Macier Izturis and Brandon Wood, Pineiro should do well with the Angels.

Pineiro has previously pitched in the American League spending ten seasons with the Seattle Mariners and one with Boston.

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A to Z Angels: Bobby Bonds

Name: Bobby Bonds
Nickname: Bobby
Position: Right fielder
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Number(s): 25

Years Played As an Angel: 1976-1977

Angels’ Stats: .264/.340/.808 (47 HRs, 169 RBIs, 71 SBs)
Career Stats: .268/.353/.471 (332 HRs, 1,024 RBIs, 461 SBs)

How He Was Acquired: Bonds was traded in December 1975 by the New York Yankees to the Angels for Ed Figueroa and Mickey Rivers

Why You Should Know Him: Bonds was the first player to have more than two seasons of 30 HRs and 30 SBs, doing so a record five times (the record was matched only by his son Barry) and was the first to accomplish the feat in both major leagues; he became the second player to hit 300 career HRs and steal 300 bases, joining Willie Mays. Together with Barry he is part of the most accomplished father-son combination for home runs, runs batted in and stolen bases.

Memorable Moments/Games: In 1977 Bonds tied the club record (37) for most home runs in a season.

Anecdotes and Quotes: Bobby Bonds was a 3 time All Star, and was MVP of the 1973 All Star game. He also was a 3 time Gold Glove Award winner.

Where is He Now?: Bonds passed away in 2003 at the age of 57

Contributed by Bruce Nye - AngelsWin.com Columnist

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A to Z Angels: Steve Bilko

Name: Steve Bilko
Nickname: Stout Steve
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Position: 1st baseman
Number(s): 20

Years Played As an Angel: 1961 -1962

Angels’ Stats: .282/.388/.916, 28 HRs, 97 RBIs
Career Stats: .249/.336/.444, 76 HRs, 276 RBIs

How He Was Acquired: Drafted by the Angels from the Detroit Tigers in the 1960 expansion draft.

Why You Should Know Him: He was a home run hitting great in the 1950s enjoying his greatest fame with the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League from 1955 to 1957. His greatest year came in 1956 when he won the PCL’s Triple Crown with a .360 batting average, 55 home runs and 164 RBIs.

Memorable Moments/Games: Stout Steve was a fan favorite and fittingly muscled out the last home run hit in Wrigley Field in 1961.

Anecdotes and Quotes: During his brief stay with the Cubs, announcer Bert Wilson placed Bilko at the end of what he hopes would soon be a famous double play combination of Ernie Banks, Gene Baker and Steve Bilko. The name for that was “Bingo to Bango to Bilko.”

Where is He Now?: Steve Bilko passed away at age 49 in 1978

Contributed by Bruce Nye - AngelsWin.com Columnist

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Steve Physioc: My Friend Rory Markas

Interview conducted by David Saltzer - AngelsWin.com Senior Columnist

In the early hours of January 5, 2010, the Angels family suffered another loss with the passing of veteran announcer Rory Markas. Known to Angels fans for closing out every Angels’ win with “Just another Halos victory” and forever associated with the team for his call at the end of Game 7 of the 2002 World Series “Here’s the pitch to Lofton. Fly ball centerfield. Erstad says he’s got it . . . Erstad makes the catch! The Anaheim Angels are the champions of baseball!” Rory was a beloved announcer for the team. We recently had the opportunity to speak with Steve Physioc, one of Rory’s good friends and colleagues to find out more about Rory Markas, the man.

Angelswin.com: On behalf of everyone at Angelswin.com, thank you very much for taking the time to speak with us today. We know that it is a tough thing for you to do, but very much appreciate your comments.

Angelswin.com: How are you today? Are you still numb from the loss?

Steve Physioc: I was absolutely shocked because I had just seen Rory just a couple of weeks earlier and I don’t think he ever looked better. He was thinner. The color in his face was terrific. He had such great spirit. He said that he was “feeling great”. I can’t understand it. Obviously Southern California lost a great voice, and a great, great person. He was a joy to be around. He never had a bad word to say about anybody. He was a real earnest friend.

Angelswin.com: Last night you covered the USC game for Rory. What was it like filling in for your friend?

Steve Physioc: Well, one of the beautiful things about doing the USC game last night was we dedicated the broadcast to Rory for the rest of the season. I only did that one game because USC asked me to do that game and I’m doing so many PAC-10 games this year that it makes it almost impossible because usually when USC plays I’m doing a game somewhere else. But, I was very glad to do that and also very glad to work with one of Rory’s best friends Jim Hefner. They worked together for 13 years doing USC Basketball. Just to be able to share stories of our adventures with Rory through the years. My years with him with the Angels—whether it was sharing dinner or lunch, or sitting in the airplane and talking history or politics or baseball or basketball, it really didn’t matter. He just was a good guy. And that was the same thing that Jim Hefner was talking about last night during the USC-Stanford game. Rory was just one of those loyal friends that as I said earlier didn’t have a bad thing to say about anybody. You wanted a Rory Markas as your friend. That was one of the joys of working with him.

Angelswin.com: What was it like working with Rory for 8 years?

Steve Physioc: Our working relationship was pretty consistent because whether he was doing radio or I was doing radio we always had each other on for pre-game shows because we had a segment with the broadcasters. Whether it was Mark Gubicza, Rex Hudler, Terry Smith, Jose Mota, or myself, we would come into each other’s booth and share information. Or, if Rory were having a pre-game show, he would invite myself and Rex Hudler and have a segment to talk baseball. We’d talk whether the Yankees were in town. We’d talk about who was the best hitter in baseball. Who has the best curveball? And so we’d talk those stories on the air. When I was doing radio, I’d do the same thing. I’d ask Rory to join me, and he might come in with Jose Mota and we would have a little round table discussion about the game of baseball. It’s those moments that I really enjoyed.

To be quite honest with you, it was the time away from the game. I think I’ve shared with several people his love of history. And he had a great affection for former President Jimmy Carter. When we were in Atlanta for inter-league play a few years ago, Rory was invited because the individual who was putting together the leadership conference knew that Rory was going to be in town and knew of his love of Jimmy Carter. So, he got this phone call saying “Hey, Rory, we would love to have you join us for this council/luncheon that former President Carter was having.” And oh my gosh, Rory was just delighted! That evening, when we ate together in the media lunch room, his face was all lit up. And he goes “Phys, I have got to show you these pictures.” And it was pictures of him with former President Carter together and shaking hands. And he told me what some of the questions were because obviously Jimmy Carter is a big baseball fan and had questions about the Angels. He was just so tickled to share that experience and I was glad to be part of it because I am a big fan of former President Carter myself. It was just wonderful to be able to share it with Rory.

Angelswin.com: Did you know Rory prior to him coming to the Angels?

Steve Physioc: Just a little bit. You know, when I would do an ESPN game and he was doing the Milwaukee Brewers, or different events along the way. But not nearly as much as I had when we shared our time with the Angels because we were travelling together. When you are on the airplane or having a dinner or a glass of wine after a ballgame, those are the times that you really have an opportunity to share.

Angelswin.com: Are there any good stories that you can share?

Steve Physioc: He had the quickest wit, and it was a very dry wit. We might all be in conversation being silly on the airplane, and then, all of a sudden, out of nowhere, Rory would have the absolute perfect comment about the situation, and we would all break up. It was just perfect. He had a very educated, dry sense of humor.

Angelswin.com: What advice did you give him when he started with the Angels?

Steve Physioc: Oh, I didn’t give him any advice. He was already a tremendous broadcaster at that time with experience with the Brewers, the Clippers, the PCL teams. There was no advice given by me. We’re both the same age and he was already a veteran, so I was ready to help him get going.

I think it was more sharing our baseball experience and growing up. I grew up in the state of Kansas and he grew up in Southern California. But we both shared the same kinds of experiences being out on a fall afternoon listening to a college football game or a summer afternoon and he would be listening to Vin Scully to the Dodgers games and I would be listening to Fred White to the Kansas City Royals games. It was our love of the game and of story-telling. Those that made us the fans that we obviously became. And who were the voices that we listened to growing up. For me, it was the voices from the mid-west. For Rory, it was the voices of Southern California, Mr. Scully, Mr. Hearn, and Mr. Miller—three Hall of Famers.

Angelswin.com: Can you tell us more about Rory’s public appearances on behalf of the Angels?

Steve Physioc: Well, I think all of us are. And thankfully, whatever the Angels ask us to do we’re there because the Angels have a wonderful baseball foundation. And then of course, Mike Scioscia has his youth baseball program up in that Thousand Oaks area. Rory lived far away—he lived in Palmdale, he would come down and he would be a part of that program every single year. Rory took great delight and wanted to be there every single year. I think Mike always appreciated that greatly.

Angelswin.com: Rory may probably be most remembered by Angels fan for his call at the end of Game 7. What is your greatest memory of Rory in the broadcast booth?

Steve Physioc: Here is my greatest memory, and it is not that call because I was there at the ballgame. And I don’t say that out of disrespect, I say that out of respect because I’ll tell you, the story is Game 6. While he was doing Game 6, Game 6 was the only game I missed and that’s because I was doing the UCLA game against Colorado State for Fox Sports Net. On the drive back, the Angels were trailing 5 to 0. And I said to myself, “You know what? I don’t want to watch the Giants celebrate on our field. So, I’m going to get into the car, and just in case we come back, I’m going to drive the stadium right now and hopefully we’ll come back.”

Well, there was a horrible traffic jam on Interstate-5, and I have no idea if there was an accident or what it was. So, I had plenty of time to get to the stadium, but I never made it. I was at Valley View or almost to the 91 when the game ended. All I can tell you was that during that jam, I was listening to Rory and his description of the Angels’ comeback was so compelling that I had tingles going up and down my spine. Every time someone hit a homerun, lights started flashing and horns started blaring because people were on the interstate listening to Rory Markas describe the action. And then Erstad hits the homerun to make it 5-4. Glaus hits the double to give the Angels the incredible come from behind victory.

The next day, on Game 7, I did have a chance to go, and I went right to that radio booth and I said “Rory, I want you to know that I rarely get to listen to you (because we’re usually working at the same time), but you were fantastic last night! It was such a joy to listen to you in the car.” Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it to the game to watch that incredible comeback, but I said “I pictured it in my mind listening to you.” And that is my greatest memory of listening to Rory Markas broadcast Angels baseball.

Angelswin.com: This past year has been a year with a lot of loss for the Angels’ family. It started off last year at this time with the passing of Preston Gomez, then Nick Adenhart, and now Rory Markas. The Angels brought in some counselors to help with the loss of Adenhart. Did they give you some advice that you could share that might help with the loss of Rory?

Steve Physioc: You know, I am very strong in my faith and what I do is every single morning I go and have my prayer time. And that’s the way I get my compass needle the way I look at it back to North, back to G-d. And so, in these times of crisis, whether it was Nick Adenhart or Rory Markas, I start my day in prayer. That’s the only way that I can get through these times—through that understanding that knowing that we have a blessing of the Holy Spirit in our lives and in these kinds of situations. It has worked incredibly well in my life at a time of suffering when we lose a loved one, a friend, a family member. I’ve lost my dad. The only way I was able to get through those with any kind of understanding was because of my faith. And that is what I am using at this time to get to the understanding of a Nick Adenhart or a Rory Markas passing. I’ve been praying not only for Rory, but also for his mom, his brothers that he left and his girlfriend because they are the ones who are really doing the grieving. I feel so badly for them.

Angelswin.com: Is there anything you can think of that Angels fans can do to help them at this time?

Steve Physioc: You know, I don’t know. I have not heard of a service yet. But, there might be a way to go to the Angels Baseball Foundation and donate in that. Or maybe Rory has a foundation that he has donated to in the past. But, I’m not aware of that information right now. I do know that all of us support the Angels Baseball Foundation because that is a tremendous cause and it has helped so many young people out.

Angelswin.com: Once again, on behalf of Angelswin.com, thank you for taking the time to speak with us under these tragic circumstances.

Steve Physioc: You bet. Thank you for calling.

To find out more information about the Angels Baseball Foundation, fans are encouraged to log onto here.

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A to Z Angels: Bo Belinsky

Name: Robert “Bo” Belinsky

Nickname: Bo

Position: Pitcher

Throws: Left

Bats: Left

Number(s): 36

Years Played As an Angel: 1962-1964

Angels’ Stats: 21-28, 3.74 ERA, 399.1 IPs, 296 Ks

Career Stats: 28-51, 4.10 ERA, 665.1 IPs, 476 Ks

How He Was Acquired: Bo was first acquired by the Los Angeles Angels during the expansion draft of 1961.

Why You Should Know Him: When Andy Warhol spoke of 15 minutes of fame, it could be said that Bo made more out of that 15 minutes as well as 28 career wins than anyone else who played the game, and did so with absolutely no regrets. Originally signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1957 in the amateur draft and subsequently traded to the Baltimore Orioles, who then left him unprotected in the 1961 expansion draft, Bo Belinsky made his claim to fame in his first full major league season as a starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels.

Although Bo is probably remembered by Angels fans as the man who pitched the team’s first no-hitter, he was probably more famous to everyone else for his jet- set Hollywood lifestyle, poolside chats, and relationships with Hollywood actresses such as Mamie Van Doren and Ann Margret, among others.

Memorable Moments/Games: May 5, 1962, with Buck Rodgers behind the plate, Bo Belinsky forever found his way into Angels lore by becoming not only the first Halos pitcher to toss a no hitter, but also the first major league pitcher to ever do so on the west coast. He struck out nine and walked four in the game. According to Rodgers, Bo had an over powering fastball that set up a knee-buckling screwball.

Anecdotes and Quotes: "You know, I've probably gotten more mileage winning 28 games in the majors than most guys who've won 200."

Where is He Now?: After retiring from baseball in 1970, Bo married & divorced twice before coming to terms with his alcoholism which he felt was a major cause of his bladder cancer. Shortly before his death in 2001 from a heart attack, he celebrated 25 years of sobriety; certainly an achievement that many who faced the same challenges that Bo faced in his life would give up anything for.

Contributed by Jim Streifel - AngelsWin.com Columnist

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Angels Sign Relief Pitcher Fernando Rodney

By Eric Denton - AngelsWin.com Senior Writer

The Los Angeles Angels have signed 32 year-old reliever Fernando Rodney to a reported two year, $11 million dollar contract.

In 2009 for the Detroit Tigers, Rodney saved 37 out of 38 games, Rodney led the league in save percentage and games finished, held opposing hitters to a .207 batting average and .366 slugging percentage with runners in scoring position, and had a 1.40 ground ball-to-fly ball ratio, which ranked first among free-agent closers.

It is currently unclear if Rodney will be replacing Brian Fuentes as closer in 2010 or will serve as a set-up man joining Scot Shields, Jason Bulger and Kevin Jepsen in the middle innings.

Fuentes lead the league in saves in 2009 with 48 but also blew six saves. He was particularly shaky during the second half of the season 4.81 era, 1.61 ERA with more walks (15) than strikeouts (12).

Fuentes post season performance wasn't reassuring, blowing the save in Game 2 of the ALCS, giving up a game tying home run to Alex Rodriguez. He did save Game 5 but only after getting himself out of a bases loaded jam. In 4 post-season innings he walks 4 and struck out 3.

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Angels interested in Javier Vazquez

By Chuck Richter - AngelsWin.com Executive Editor

According to a reliable source, the Angels are talking to the Braves about starting pitcher Javier Vazquez. The Braves, however, would prefer to deal Derek Lowe (and his $45M contract). The names of the players in a potential deal are not known, but it is no secret the Braves are looking for a power hitting left fielder and are said to be interested in Juan Rivera.

Atlanta has six starting pitchers as it stands now: Jair Jurrjens, Tim Hudson, Derek Lowe, Javier Vazquez, Kenshin Kawakami and Tommy Hanson. Jurrjens and Hanson are considered untouchable and Tim Hudson just signed a three-year contract with the Braves.

Kawakami will not bring the Braves the solid power-hitting left fielder they're seeking in a trade. The Japanese right hander, who started 25 games for the Braves in 2009, finished the season in the bullpen after Hudson's return from the DL. Kawakami posted a solid 3.86 ERA and is considered a solid back of the rotation starter, a role in which the Braves envision Kawakami again in 2010 .

Atlanta needs to cut one of its two remaining high priced starters this offseason and both have been rumored to be available. Lowe is owed $15M each year through 2012. Vazquez is due to make $11.5M in 2010, the final year of his contract. He has a limited no-trade clause blocking deals to NL West and AL West clubs, however, casting doubt upon a deal to the Angels.

Juan Rivera would have to be involved in any deal for Vazquez, a player the Braves and Mets have been rumored to be after. Rivera has one of the best contracts in baseball for the amount of production he gives to a team. Rivera is set to make $4.25M in 2010 and $5.25M in 2011. The Braves have said they're going to give Jason Heyward a shot to make their club in spring training, either in right or center field, but they'd like to add another established outfielder to go along with Nate McClouth; one that could give them 25 home runs and a decent amount of RBI. This way they could start Heyward somewhere at the bottom of the order as they bring their top prospect along without any pressure while he gets Major League experience.

It is doubtful that the Angels will take Lowe's contract in any trade unless the Braves absorbed the remaining two years of Gary Matthews, Jr.'s albatross of a contract. Lowe's 1.52 WHIP and 232 hits allowed in 2009 wouldn't exactly play out well in the American League, however.

If Vazquez waives his no-trade clause to a West Coast team, the Angels would be getting a solid front-of-the-rotation starter. In nearly 220 innings pitched in 2009, Vazquez won 15 games, sported a sparkling 2.87 ERA and fanned 238 batters, good for second in the NL behind Tim Lincecum. Former GM now adviser Bill Stoneman, who knows Vazquez well from their days with the Montreal Expos, is said to have kept "in touch" with the right hander over the years since they both left Canada. It's possible a two- or three-year contract extension could entice the Vazquez camp to waive the no-trade clause.

If the Angels trade Rivera, they could look to add a free agent outfielder like Xavier Nady, Marcus Thames or Jonny Gomes on a one-year deal to fill the void in left field. The team could also find a trade partner, perhaps for a speedy outfielder who can lead off like Nyjer Morgan from the Nationals or Michael Brantley from the Indians.

Whatever the case may be, the Angels are most certainly not done this offseason. I expect a few more press conferences like the Hideki Matsui one we had today before pitchers and catchers report to Tempe. The Angels are a better team with a solid replacement for the departed John Lackey, rather than moving Weaver or Kazmir to the No. 1 spot and giving the ball to Matt Palmer every fifth day at the back end of the rotation. This would also allow the Angels top prospect Trevor Reckling to get a full season with the Salt Lake Bees in Triple-A and potentially replace Vazquez in the rotation in 2011.

As I learn more about this potential trade, I will update our readers here.

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Eddie Bane on Aroldis Chapman

As many know Chapman threw two five-minute sessions yesterday for many team's scouts, including the Angels' own Director of Scouting Eddie Bane. The Cuban fireballer was reportedly clocked in the 92-93 MPH range with his fastball, topping out around 96 MPH. He also showcased his slider and change-up. It has been reported that Chapman's fastball has been clocked as high as 100-mph.

Eddie Bane who is a regular contributor at AngelsWin.com and featured monthly in our 'Bane Connection' throughout the season, had this to say after the visit.

Fellas and Gals; Aroldis Chapman, the lefthanded Cuban defector worked out yesterday in Houston. He is represented by the Hendricks Brothers who are a high profiled agent group out of Texas. They are a first rate group and rep a lot of big time players including our own, Kendry Morales.

The bullpen was just the beginning of getting to know more about Aroldis and it is a work in progress. We are always interested in extra talented players, but with Kendry in our system we think it would be a nice fit if Aroldis and his group think it would be. It is far too early to see what is going to happen, but we have to just move along in the process and see where we end up. Thanks for the interest folks.

Eddie Bane.

I specifically asked Eddie if the Angels were interested in Chapman after they watched him throw. His answer of "with Kendry in our system we think it would be a nice fit if Aroldis and his group think it would be" pretty much answers that.

Quick recap of what we learned today.

* The Angels are interested in signing Aroldis Chapman after the visit.

* The Angels believe Aroldis Chapman is an extra talented player after watching him throw.

* It may be some time before a deal is reached with Aroldis Chapman as it "is far too early to see what is going to happen".

* The Hendricks Brothers are a high profiled agent group out of Texas who also represent Kendry Morales.

What are your thoughts on the Angels signing Aroldis Chapman? Let us know on our AngelsWin.com Forum

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Dealing With The Devil We Know

By Eric Notti - AngelsWin.com Contributor

In the LA Times this morning this little tidbit prompted me thinking about an interesting scenario where the Angels could take advantage of the Dodgers dilemma.

Colletti said Thursday, "We're going to have some conversations, and we'll see if we can't do something," with agents for some of the young Dodgers. While Colletti wouldn't reveal the names, they are believed to be Loney, Broxton, Kemp and Andre Ethier.

Unable to afford Randy Wolf if he were to accept arbitration, the Dodgers gave up the chance at a first round draft pick when he departed. This leads me to believe Colletti is unable to extend payroll this year for any proven veterans to bolster the Dodgers pitching staff and are also under the gun to get all of their club control guys signed after arbitration.

The Dodgers have 9 players eligible for arbitration. George Sherril is in his 3rd year, Martin, Ethier, Repko, Broxton all in their 2nd year and Kemp, Loney, Billingsley and Kou all in their 1st year. They only have 5 players under contract for 2010 and their payroll is sitting at about $65.3 million. They are still saddled with 5 more years of paying for Andrew Jones $3.5 million a year for the time he spent with them. With the divorce and club ownership questions hanging over their heads, just how many of these young guys can they afford and still field a competitive team?

This is where the Angels come in to play. The Dodgers really need pitching in a bad way. The Angels have a couple of arms they can spare that are cheap. No, I'm not talking about Saunders or Weaver but of Palmer and Loux, both shown to be serviceable pitchers in the very hitter rich AL. So get out your trade calculators and think in terms of payroll relief for the Dodgers and outfield upgrades for the Angels.

Either would be a prime target in that he is a 2nd year arbitration candidate that put up a big year for the Dodgers and will be looking at a sizeable raise. He may be considered untouchable but then again he may be considered a payroll liability when you hear Colletti talking about having to try and make a deal with their agents. Plus side is he is a left handed power bat that can move into right field and shifts Abreu to the DH role, two problems solved.

The next target is Matt Kemp, a right handed hitter that can slide over and be the left fielder for the Angels. Nice power, very durable, young and a better glove than Rivera with more range. This moves Rivera to right field and Abreu to DH, again solving a couple issues.

Now the question is what package does the Dodgers the most good considering they are tied to both Juan Pierre and Manny Ramirez and lost their 2nd baseman to free agency. I would say a sign and trade of both Palmer and Izturis (returning a name to the Dodgers organization that fans may have missed) and possibly a low prospect for either Either or Kemp with salary relief, the Angels paying part of Palmer and Izturis' one year contracts.

Would it be possible? Considering the Dodgers are pitching poor, need a second baseman and are financially in bad shape, the Angels could present a package that sends the Angels a player, as good as or better than Bay that they could lock up with a multiyear contract without stripping their club of critical players. It also avoids being tied to another outfielder on the other side of 30. In return the Dodgers get an arm better than their farm system can produce a quality second baseman that they need badly and it actually gives them two leadoff type hitters in Izturis and Pierre to use next year.

Can the Angels even talk to Colletti about a deal being cross-town rivals? I'd sure like to see if they could. This would free up plenty of payroll room to re-sign John Lackey and it keeps the core of the rotation in place and doesn't sacrifice any more of the left side of the infield.

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A to Z Angels: Gene Autry

Name: Gene Orvon Autry
Nickname: The Singing Cowboy
Position: Owner
Number(s): 26 (retired)

Years As an Angel: 1961-1998
Angels’ Regular-Season Records (1961-1998): 2917-3109
Angels’ Post-Season Records (1961-1998): 6-10

How He Was Acquired: He bought the team on December 6, 1960.

Why You Should Know Him: As the founder and owner of the Angels, Gene Autry was the beloved man for whom most of the Angels players played and in whom most of the fans placed their hopes and dreams of seeing a championship team. Considered to be the 26th man on the team, the number 26 has been retired by the Angels in his honor.

Prior to coming to the Angels, Gene Autry had an impressive career in the film, radio, recording, and television industries. As the story is told, one summer night in 1927, Gene was working the four-to-midnight shift in a telegraph office in Chelsea, Oklahoma when he set about playing the guitar to pass the time. A customer strolled in and told Gene to keep playing and then asked him to play some more. When Gene finished, the customer said that Gene should go pursue a career in radio, and with some hard work, it might pay off for him. That customer was Will Rogers, one of the most famous actors, comedians, and singers of the day.

Gene did pursue a career in radio and music and on October 9th, 1929, he cut his first record with the songs “My Dreaming of You” and “My Alabama Home” for RCA Victor. Gene’s first breakthrough record came in 1931 with the song “That Silver-Haired Daddy of Mine” co-written with his friend Jimmy Long. That record sold 30,000 copies within its first month, and, by the end of the year sold over 500,000 copies. To honor the occasion, American Records presented with Gene Autry with a gold-plated copy of the record. When sales of the record reached the 1,000,000 mark, American Records presented Gene with a second gold-plated record. And thus, the tradition of the Gold Record Award was born.

Over his career, Autry recorded, wrote, or co-wrote over 300 songs including his theme song “Back in the Saddle Again” and has sold over 100 million records. But, Gene’s most memorable and popular songs include his children’s song “Peter Cottontail” and his Christmas songs including “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, “Frosty the Snowman”, and, “Here Comes Santa Claus (Down Santa Claus Lane”.

In an effort to help bridge the gap between B-movie Westerns and “talking movies” Autry made the jump into the film industry in 1934 and appeared in the movie “In Old Santa Fe” where he sang a song and called a square dance. The combination of a professional musician in a movie worked, and Autry soon appearing in 8 movies a year for Republic Pictures appearing under his own name and riding his horse, Champion. In total, Gene completed 93 movies during his career.

Like many of his generation, Autry’s movie and recording career was interrupted by World War II. On July 26, 1942, Gene enlisted during a live radio broadcast as a Technical Sergeant. Not one to shy away from a fight, Gene rose to the rank of a Flight Officer (having had a private pilot’s license) and served in the China-India-Burma theatre of operations. Gene flew many harrowing missions during the war, including flying supplies over the “Hump”—the treacherous route of the Himalayas. Additionally, during the war, Gene continued his radio show and helped with war-bond drives.

After the war, Gene was one of the first major motion picture stars to appear in a television series. On July 23, 1950, Gene became a pioneer in the new medium with his weekly show, “The Gene Autry Show”.

By 1960, Gene had expanded into a number of business ventures including several radio stations. One of those stations, KMPC, based in Los Angeles, had the broadcasting rights for the Dodgers. However, in 1960, Walter O’Malley, the Dodgers’ owner, decided to switch stations. At the same time, the American League decided to expand from eight teams to ten. In order to shore up his radio station’s broadcasts, Gene Autry went to the Winter Meetings to try and secure the radio broadcasting rights for one of the expansion teams.

Over the course of those meetings, it became evident to Autry that he would be far better off buying the team outright rather than trying to secure just the broadcasting rights. After many twists and turns, Autry emerged as the new owner of the first American League franchise on the West Coast, the Los Angeles Angels.

Baseball had always been a passion for Gene. Growing up, he played shortstop for some semi-pro teams and had even been offered a professional contract to play in the minor leagues for the St. Louis Cardinals.

As an owner, Autry was the Cowboy. He was well known for going down and spending time talking with the players. He never shied away from the fans, but, at the same time, he didn’t go running to the publicity hounds.

On April 11, 1961, the Angels won their first game ever, beating the Baltimore Orioles in Memorial Stadium. Playing their home games in Los Angeles’ Wrigley Field, he Angels finished 1961 with a 70-91 record—the highest winning percentage for any expansion team.

In 1966, Gene changed the name of the team to the California Angels, and relocated the team to its present location in Anaheim. Having played second fiddle to the Dodgers in both Wrigley Field and Dodger Stadium as tenants, Autry was free to finally develop the team and fan loyalty in Orange County.

In 1979, the Angels under Autry won their first ever American League West Championship. This was followed again by championship seasons in 1982 and 1986. Unfortunately, the Angels were never able to win a World Series for the Cowboy. In tribute to him, after Angels won the World Series, Jackie Autry brought out his cowboy hat during the post-game festivities.

In 1988, Gene and Jackie Autry opened the Museum of Western Heritage (now renamed as the The Museum of the American West) in Griffith Park, Los Angeles. Gene’s vision was to “build a museum which would exhibit and interpret the heritage of the West and show how it influenced America and the world.”

Gene Autry died on October 2, 1998. He died just a few months after Roy Rogers, another celebrated cowboy, had passed. Gene is the only person to have 5 separate stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame—one each for radio, records, film, television, and live performances. During his lifetime, Gene received numerous honors and awards, including being honored as a 33rd Degree Mason. He did not have any children.

Memorable Moments/Games: The Angels first ever game played and first ever victory on April 11, 1961. The Angels’ first American League West Title in 1979. Their second American League West Title in 1982. Their third American League West Title in 1986.

Anecdotes and Quotes: Gene Autry is best known for his Cowboy Code in which he set forth the themes and rules for his movies, television and radio shows. The ten rules of the Gene Autry Cowboy Code are:

1. The Cowboy must never shoot first, hit a smaller man, or take unfair advantage.
2. He must never go back on his word, or a trust confided in him.
3. He must always tell the truth.
4. He must be gentle with children, the elderly, and animals.
5. He must not advocate or possess racially or religiously intolerant ideas.
6. He must help people in distress.
7. He must be a good worker.
8. He must keep himself clean in thought, speech, action, and personal habits.
9. He must respect women, parents, and his nation’s laws.
10. The Cowboy is a patriot.

Where is He Now?: Gene Autry is resting comfortably at Forest Lawn-Hollywood Hills, singing, riding his horse Champion, and playing ball with the Angels.

Contributed by David Saltzer - AngelsWin.com Columnist

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A to Z Angels: Joe Adcock

Name: Joe Adcock
Nickname: Billy Joe
Position: 1B
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Numbers: 6

Years with the Angels: 1964-66

Angels stats: .259 53 HRs 159 RBIs
Career stats: .277 336 HRs 1,122 RBIs

How Was He Acquired: Joe Adcock was traded to the Los Angeles Angels (along with two other players) by the Cleveland Indians in 1964 for Leon Wagner.

Why You Should Know Him: Adcock, 36 at the time, was nearing the end of his playing career. He was with the Angels when they changed their name to California Angels in mid-1965 and moved to the new stadium in Anaheim in 1966.

Adcock’s best years were with the Milwaukee Braves where in 1957 they won the World Series defeating the New York Yankees. The Louisiana native broke into the major leagues with Cincinnati and later traded to the Braves.

Memorable Moments/Games: He was a prodigious home run hitter who once had four HRs in a game. The Angels released Adcock in October 1966 and he retired from playing baseball but became the manager of the Cleveland Indians for one year in 1967. The 6’ 4” 220 lb. Adcock’s best year was in 1956 when he was 2nd in the National League in HRs, 2nd in RBIs and 2nd in slugging percentage.

Anecdotes/Quotes: Another notable home run was the blast that ended the epic duel between Lew Burdette and Harvey Haddix on May 26, 1959, in which Haddix took a perfect game into the 12th inning. Adcock did not get credit for a home run, however, because Henry Aaron – who was on first base – saw Felix Mantilla, the runner ahead of him, score the winning run and thought the hit had only been a double and walked back to the dugout, causing Adcock to be called out for passing him on the base paths. (Eventually, the ruling was that instead of a 3-run home run for a 3-0 Braves victory, Adcock got a double and 1 RBI, and the Braves won 1-0.)

Joe Adcock passed away in Louisiana in 1999.

Contributed by Bruce Nye - AngelsWin.com Columnist

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The Alberto Callaspo Trade

Yesterday, Angelswin.com Executive Editor Chuck Richter posted his thoughts on Royals 2B Alberto Callaspo: "Despite his [Callaspo] off the field issue, the dude can hit. He has a 94 percent contact rate and a great batters eye. He's hitting .358 and that's after an 0-5 game last night. His 10 walks to 5 strikeouts is pretty solid too. His minor league track record was solid before being jerked around by the D-Backs. In 2005 he hit .304 with 29 doubles, 2 triples, 11 homers and 80 RBI in 139 games. In 2006 he hit .337 with 24 doubles, 12 triples, 7 home runs and 68 RBI in 114 games. Along the way, Callaspo walked 229 times while only striking out 145. Just for fun, is Callaspo > Bulger and Aybar?...perhaps we [Angels] traded the wrong MI a couple years ago?"

Alberto Callaspo is an interesting topic to discuss because the Royals and Angels open a three game series tonight in Anaheim and Alberto Callaspo is a key player for the first place Royals. Callaspo is also a former member of the Salt Lake Bees and I have closely followed his career. I don't believe Chuck was being critical of the Angels for trading Callaspo but the trade is a timely topic for discussion.

Chuck's question is in regard to the February 2006 trade where the Angels sent Alberto Callaspo to the Arizona Diamondbacks for relief pitcher Jason Bulger. In evaluating the Angels' decision to trade Callaspo, fans should keep in mind the state of the Angels organization when the trade was made. At the Major League level the Angels were set with Orlando Cabrera, Chone Figgins, Macier Izturis, and Adam Kennedy ready to man the middle infield positions. Eric Aybar and Howie Kendrick were coming off great years in Double A and were ready to take over SS and 2b for the Bees. One level behind Aybar and Kendrick was Minor League Player of the Year Brandon Wood who had a monster season in 2005. Callaspo had a good year at Salt Lake in 2005 but he was blocked from moving up and the Angels had what appeared to be better players behind him. It is unfortunate that Jason Bulger has yet to work out for the Angels but moving Callaspo for pitching depth made perfect sense in the winter of 2006.

From the Royals perspective, GM Dayton Moore deserves credit for acquiring Callaspo. Callaspo is exactly the type of pickup the Royals will have to make if they are going compete for the playoffs. Callaspo is a solid contact hitter with excellent strike zone judgment and plate discipline. He is currently hitting .359/.417/.565 and is second in the American League in doubles. I don't believe anyone expects him to keep up this pace for the entire season, but Alberto Callaspo should remain a productive part of the Royals lineup.

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The Forgotten Catcher: Bobby Wilson

By Kevin Mark - Angelswin.com Columnist

Bobby Wilson is an "odd man out" for the Angels. Currently, Wilson is blocked by the Angels Major League catching tandem of Mike Napoli and Jeff Mathis and approaching from behind is Angelswin.com #1 ranked prospect Hank Conger. Baring an unforeseen trade or injury, Wilson will return to Salt Lake for a third straight season and it appears circumstances will prevent Wilson from ever being a part of the Angels Major League roster. This is unfortunate because Bobby Wilson is a better player than Jeff Mathis and he would do a good job as the Angels #2 catcher in '09.

Bobby Wilson's strength is his defense and I rate his defensive skills as Major League ready. Behind the plate he displays excellent footwork and does a good job of blocking balls in the dirt. He has a strong, accurate throwing arm. For the Bees in 2008 he threw out 43% of runners attempting to steal. He handles the pitching staff well and the Salt Lake pitchers seem to have a great deal of confidence in him. I have seen the majority of home games that both Jeff Mathis and Bobby Wilson have caught in AAA and I would give the edge to Wilson as a defensive catcher.

Wilson is not a spectacular hitting prospect. He is a line drive type of hitter with little power. But he does make solid contact and he hits the ball with authority. Wilson's 2008 hitting line of .312/.386/.435 was better than any season Jeff Mathis had for Salt Lake. In my observation, Wilson has more hitting potential than Mathis.

It is highly unlikely Bobby Wilson has much of a chance to make the 2009 Angels squad in 2009. Jeff Mathis is familiar with the current Angels pitching staff and Mike Scioscia has a lot of faith in him. This entry is not a knock on Jeff Mathis and I believe he will have a nice rebound season in 2009. But in terms of baseball ability, Bobby Wilson is a better player than Mathis. It will be nice to have Wilson back in Salt Lake this year but I hope he is soon able to move to another organization. There are several teams who could use Bobby Wilson to fill their #2 catching slot.

This entry also appears on the Rounding Third and Heading Home blog.

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Tim Mead - The face of Angels Baseball

Tim Mead speaks to the Angelswin.com gathering at Tempe Diablo Stadium

By Chuck Richter - Angelswin.com Executive Editor

“I do what I do because I love it, and the same applies to you, also. Personal recognition is not a goal in comparison to the satisfaction of assisting others.”

Those are the words from the Angels Vice President of Communications Tim Mead after a recent exchange I had with him. In a moment, we'll look at what he means when he says "the satisfaction of assisting others,” but first a little background on Tim.

Tim is a native of Athens, Greece. He was adopted at six months old and lived in England for two years before moving with his adoptive family to the United States. He graduated in 1980 from Cal Poly Pomona with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications. Tim talks about the time when he first started out with the Angels.

“When I went to college, I actually wanted to be a writer. After I realized I wasn’t going to play, I wanted to be a beat writer for a Major League team. As an intern in 1980, a particularly bad year for the Angels, I got an insider’s viewpoint of the relationships between the athletes and the members of the press. I did not think I would have had the fortitude to ask those tough questions of people. That wasn’t part of my makeup. I decided to try a different route and the Media and Public Relations departments were best suited for my likings.”

With nearly 30 years in the organization, Tim has held the position of Vice President of Communications for the last 10 years, previously holding positions as Assistant General Manager, Vice President of Media Relations and Assistant Vice President of Media Relations. As Director of Media Relations, he was awarded the Los Angeles/Anaheim Chapter “Good Guy” Award in 1985 and 1990. In 2000, he received the Robert O. Fishel Award for Public Relations Excellence in Major League Baseball. He became the 20th recipient of the award in his 20th season with the Angels. In the process, Tim had his name placed on a plaque with previous winners in baseball's Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

Tim has a warm spot in his heart for those who serve our country and in April 2002 he took part in the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC), designed by the Department of Defense. He was one of 60 civilians chosen by the Pentagon to attend the conference, traveling to the Pentagon, Norfolk Naval Air Station in Virgina; Sheppard Air Force Base, Sheppard, Texas; Fort Bragg and Camp Lejeune, N.C.; and Ofutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Neb., to see the United States Strategic Command Center. The trip featured briefings and meetings with key military generals, admirals and enlisted men and women from each branch of the service. The trip is designed to present a clearer picture and understanding of the military to civic and community leaders across the country.

Tim is also a Member of the Board of Directors for the Orange County Sports Youth Association and assists other charitable groups such as Amigos de los Niños and Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County. Mead also serves on the advisory committee for the Sports Management Program at Long Beach State and the Dean’s Advisory Board for the College of Communications at Cal State Fullerton. He and his wife Carole have one son, Brandon, and reside in Diamond Bar.

Assisting others is truly one of Tim’s best qualities. Tim talked to us awhile back about what it has been like working for the Angels over the years:

"I never consider a day with the Angels as work. I’ve been both blessed and fortunate with this work. There are a lot of people, players who taught me early on that I have so much respect for today.

“Being with this organization has not just been a job, but the journey has been a long road. The evolution in adulthood, from 22 into my 50s; I’ve watched death through this organization. The longer you’re someplace, the more it becomes a part of your life.

“The game within the game has had a profound effect on me. I’ve watched the beauty of it all. I owe baseball everything, baseball owes me nothing; we are just caretakers for an absolute priceless establishment. I hope I can walk out on my own terms and I hope they can say, “He bled for the Angels” when I leave. That’s my hope. In the end, that’s all I really care about. I know how hard people have worked, even in some of the failures or disappointments. I witnessed hard working men and women within the organization that gave it their all and I have the utmost respect for them.

“I wish people would put sports into perspective, the role that it has in its community, the people in the organization, the players that have made an impact in a positive way behind the scenes -- so much goes unseen. I’m proud of the people I work with and they care."

Those of us at Angelswin.com are proud of you, Tim. We’re proud of how you’ve represented the Angels so well over the years. We’re proud that you’ve not only worked and survived under three different owners, but that you were esteemed highly by all — including our current owner, Arte Moreno. We’re humbled as the team’s fan site that when you address the Angels fans at one of our Angelswin.com events it’s as if the event was as important as a Major League ballplayer getting introduced to the media at one of your press conferences.

On a personal level, I’m honored by the friendship we have. As you started your career with the Angels in 1980, I became a fan of the team a year earlier in 1979, at the age of 9. Now, it’s 30 years later, and last year, the man that taught me so much about the game and passion for baseball, my father, passed away on Thanksgiving Day. After you were alerted of the news two days later, you called to offer condolences, prayers and heartfelt words in a time of grieving — on behalf of the entire Angels organization.

We’re obviously not the only ones proud of Tim’s accomplishments. No, we’re not the only ones who have been blessed by his vast knowledge of the history of the ball club. It isn’t just us at Angelswin.com who have witnessed his integrity, professionalism and work ethic. There are countless people who Tim has impacted in a positive way over the years. We caught up recently with just a few of them who have worked with Tim to see what they had to say about the man who finds “satisfaction in assisting others.”

Dennis Kuhl, Angels president of operations: He’s our archive guy. Every time we have a question on a player or anything, we go to Tim and Tim doesn’t even have to look it up. He knows. He has a wealth of knowledge. You’d never meet a nicer guy in your life. Sometimes I tell him “You’re too nice.” (laugh) He’s been unbelievable with handling the alumni, unbelievable with all of the milestones and knowing the players. He’s a great asset. He’s so involved with the community; he’s loved by everybody here. He’s a true Angel.

Mike DiGiovanna, Angels beat writer from L.A. Times: I have known Tim for 25 years at least. He is a true professional in every sense of the word. I think what makes him really good at his job is that he’s obviously employed by the Angels and he’s always looking out for their interests, but also he’s always been an advocate of the writers and the media — and that’s a fine line to walk sometimes — and he’s kept both sides fairly pleased for a long time. So, you know if he’s survived in this business for as long as he has, he has to be really good at what he does.

Bill Plunkett, Angels beat writer from the Orange County Register: Tim is the best. I first met him more than 20 years ago and his professionalism and good nature have never changed — even as my employer, job description and circulation did. He treats everyone with the same level of respect. We’ve solved the problems of the world (and the media, in particular) over many a press box meal and I only hope the Angels realize what an asset they have in Tim.

Abe Flores, Angels Player Development: Tim’s three decades of professionalism and service to the Angels is immeasurable. He is a positive and honest sounding board to players, coaches and front office staff. Plane and simple, he is one of the best at what he does in Major League Baseball and is an asset to the organization on a daily basis. I have always appreciated his patience, insight and advice for the last seven years.

Eddie Bane, Angels director of scouting: Tim Mead is the Angels. Arte Moreno came along and made the Angels a model organization, and Tim Mead has always been a great face for the Angels. Tim is a great person also in the media department and as a friend.

Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times: Tim is the epitome of class and professionalism. He has represented the Angels so well for so long that you think of Tim when you think of the Angels, just as you think of Gene Autry and Jimmie Reese and Jim Abbott and Tim Salmon.

Rob Goldman, author of “Once they were Angels”: Having been around Major League Baseball for more than three decades, I can unequivocally say that Tim Mead is one of the finest men in the business.

For me personally, Tim has been a godsend. Before writing “Once They Were Angels,” my experience with the team had been primarily in the clubhouse. Although I was a relative novice to writing, Tim and his staff were always there with the needed phone number or press pass to keep the process moving. Having Tim on board meant that the Angels had my back and for that I am eternally grateful.

Tim has many great attributes, but perhaps his best is his ability to empower others to help reach their goals and aspirations. This quality is rare in any enterprise and Tim does it with a sincerity and enthusiasm that is infectious. The Angels are truly fortunate to have someone of his caliber in the front office. I am equally fortunate to have someone of his character and integrity as a friend.

Jeff Biggs, Angels AM 830 host of “The Biggs” show: Not only is Tim Mead the best in baseball, he’s an even better person! As you know, the legendary broadcasters we’ve had here in Southern California have blessed us all: Vin Scully, Chick Hearn, Dick Enberg and Bob Miller. But for those of us who have been fortunate enough to work in the media, Tim is a true Hall of Famer. I’m lucky to know him. Angel fans are lucky, too!

Jennifer Hoyer, Tim Mead’s secretary: I’ve been working for Tim for three years, so this will be my fourth season with him. I’m embarrassed to have my name mentioned in an article, but I will say that I feel very blessed to learn from him and be associated with him. He works hard, he gives everything he has every day and he is also one of the most quality human beings I know.

When people tell me what a great guy I work for, I can respond with 100 percent honesty that, yes, he really is that genuine of a person and he really is that easy to work for. I’m lucky, he’s a great boss and I really respect him both as a person and professionally.

Dan McKechnie, Angelswin.com member: “I first met Tim when I was working with Anaheim Sports and doing commercials for the Mighty Ducks. Tim was very helpful when I was doing some Angel projects way back when.

Tim helped us get a suite for our posting group (the old L.A. Times Angels Forum) back in ’99. I remember Tim stopping by and speaking to our large group of Angels fans, which included Chuck and myself. Shortly after the visit, the Halos rallied against the Tigers with a Spiezio blast in the ninth off closer Todd Jones. We were all jumping up and down in the suite like a bunch of kids.

I’ve sat in Tim’s office and talked over pictures of his favorite Angels (Jim Abbott and Jimmy Reese) and other baseball stories. Tim is so giving of his time. Whenever I think of the Angels front office, I think of Tim and how very lucky we are to know him. He exudes what Angel baseball is all about.

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The testimonies above and legacy Tim Mead has built during his walk of life have inspired many, including myself. As Dennis Kuhl said “he’s a true Angel.”

When thinking of Angels baseball as a fan or professional in the business, who are the personalities that come to mind? To some, it may be a ballplayer, perhaps their all-time favorite Angels player. To others, perhaps a manager, say Mike Scioscia. Maybe to another it’s the greatest owner this franchise has ever had in Arte Moreno. All of those choices are solid and would make anyone think of the Angels in a positive light.

For this writer and fan of the club for 30 years, it’s simple: The face of Angels Baseball will always be the man who finds satisfaction in assisting others — the Angels vice president of communications, Tim Mead.

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Thanks for the memories Garret Anderson

By Adam Dodge - Angelswin.com Senior Writer

They say that all great things must come to an end. Fortunately, those great things must also have a beginning; and sometimes we’re lucky enough to enjoy them from start to finish.

In 1990, the California Angels used their fourth round draft pick to select a slender 17-year-old outfielder out of Kennedy High School in Granada Hills. Now, 19 years later, the Los Angeles Angels bid farewell to their all-time franchise leader in games played, plate appearances, hits, runs, total bases, extra base hits and runs batted in.

For all intents and purposes, Garret Anderson’s Angels career ended on Oct. 28, 2008, when the organization announced it would not pick up his $14 million option for 2009.

But what a career it was.

It began on July 27, 1994. The Angels played host to the Oakland A’s. The game would prove to be a microcosm of the first half of Anderson’s career, as he laced two base hits into right field while the team, particularly the pitching staff, put on a dismal performance in an 11-3 loss.

Despite the Angels playing great baseball for the majority of 1995, Anderson’s first full season and one which saw him finish second in AL Rookie of the Year voting to the Twins’ Marty Cordova, the team would suffer one of the worst collapses in the history of the game, finally succumbing to the Seattle Mariners in a one-game playoff for the American League Western Division. While the pain of that season left a permanent scar on the Angels fan base, it also gave it its first look at the smooth and stoic outfielder, who in the next decade and a half would not disappoint on that first impression.

For the next six seasons, from 1996 through 2001, the Angels managed to flirt with success, but would compile a pedestrian 466-505 record. In those six seasons, Anderson achieved something the team could not: consistency. He never once dipped below 600 plate appearances in a season during that span, averaging 185 hits, 20 home runs, 94 RBI and a .293 batting average.

Overshadowed by the likes of Jim Edmonds, Tim Salmon and Darin Erstad, whose talents and remarkable accomplishments of their own grabbed the attention of the media and loyalty of the fans, Anderson would fly under the radar as one of the game’s most under-appreciated players.

But Anderson would eventually find himself on the national stage. In 2002, he played in his first All-Star game before leading the Angels to their first playoff berth in sixteen years and ultimately the franchise’s first World Series. In the deciding game seven, it was Anderson, the team MVP, who would get the big hit, clearing the bases with a ringing double down the right field line in the bottom of the third inning, giving the Angels a 4-1 lead; one they would not relinquish.

In 2003, Anderson finally took center stage as the world of baseball looked on. In his second consecutive All-Star appearance, he would make history. He won the Home Run Derby on a Monday night in Chicago. The very next night, Anderson went 3-for-4 with a double and two-run home run, earning him the All-Star Game MVP award.

After the 2003 season, his fourth consecutive with 28 or more home runs and 116 or more RBI, the Angels rewarded their MVP with a well deserved $48 million extension. It appeared as though the never-injured and ultra-consistent Anderson had firmly cemented his place on the national scene.

Shortly after signing the extension, however, Anderson was diagnosed with arthritis of the upper back, shoulders and neck. The man who had played in at least 150 games in each of the previous nine seasons was limited to just 112 games in 2004. And though he still batted over .300, his power numbers dropped considerably.

Despite a poor ending to the regular season, the man that drove in the game-winning hit in Game 7 of the World Series two years prior, came up huge again for the Angels, driving in the winning run against the A’s on the second to last day of the season, clinching the Angels’ first Western Division Title in 18 years.

The first half of 2005 brought relief to Angel fans, as Anderson appeared to be completely recovered. He made his third All-Star team in four years and was on pace for another 25 home run, 100 RBI season before the injury bug bit again in early August. He only missed 20 games in 2005, but hampered by a bad back and knee, Anderson struggled in the final month of the season and finished with just 17 home runs.

From 2006-2008, Anderson remained a productive bat for the Angels, particularly in the second halves of ’07 and ’08, which saw him put up big numbers and make even more history. On Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2007, Anderson took what was remarkably his first curtain call at Angel Stadium after hitting a grand slam in the sixth inning against the New York Yankees, giving him a team record 10 RBI in one game.

Three weeks later, on Sept. 8, Anderson drove in a run for the 12th consecutive game, adding to the team record he had broken the day before.

However, the injury bug, which had eluded him for the first 10 years of his career, refused to disappear. His body would not allow him to live up to the big contract he had undeniably earned.

With the younger, better and more prolific fan favorite Vladimir Guerrero leading the Angels in the seasons following 2003, Anderson’s reign as the marquee Angel really only lasted a season, as prior to 2003 fellow all-time Angels greats Salmon and Erstad garnered much of the fans’ attention.

I doubt Anderson cared. And if he did, he’d not let anyone know it.

It’s 2009 and Spring Training is underway. It’s the first in more than 15 years that Anderson won’t be in Arizona. Instead, he’s spending his first spring in Florida as a member of the Atlanta Braves, who signed the left fielder to a $2.5 million contract earlier this week.

The initial reaction of Braves fans to the signing of Anderson appears to be as indifferent as the reaction of many Angel fans to his departure.

While the great players are celebrated in their time, regardless of how long that greatness lasts, the very good players must often wait to be acknowledged. For most, that acknowledgment comes long after their playing days, when their typically uneventful exits are far removed. So might be the case for Garret Anderson, who in his own way polarized a fan base with his seemingly effortless play and indifferent demeanor.

We’re reminded of the fictional athlete — silver screen football player Rod Tidwell, whose agent Jerry Maguire pleaded with him to “dance.” When Tidwell finally did dance, he was rewarded both financially and with the adulation of the fans.

That Anderson never “danced” illustrates humility and respect that will be sorely missed by one portion of Angels fans, and sadly forgotten by another.

At 632 hits shy of 3000, Anderson holds out hope that he can put together four solid, injury-free seasons and just maybe thrust himself back onto the national stage with quiet whispers of Cooperstown.

The odds, of course, don’t favor him. Instead, it’s likely Anderson will finish short of history, exiting the game in much the same quiet manner in which he played it. Perhaps nothing would be more fitting for a reluctant star.

Enjoy some pictures of Garret Anderson over the years with the Angels.

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Angelswin.com Interview with Abe Flores

Interview conducted by David Saltzer - Angelswin.com Columnist

Abe Flores has been the Director of Player Development for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim since October, 2007. I recently had the opportunity to talk with him about what it’s like to be a Director of Player Management, how the Angels develop their prospects and how he sees his job after his first full year. I finished the interview impressed at how well he knows his job and how passionate he is about the Angels and baseball.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - I just wanted to start off by saying thanks on behalf of everyone at the Angelswin.com community for taking the time to do this interview.

A: (Abe Flores) - Okay.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - Let’s start off with some background questions. Where did you grow up, what schools did you attend, what sports did you play?

A: (Abe Flores) - I grew up in the San Fernando Valley

Q: (Angelswin.com) - Which High School did you attend?

A: (Abe Flores) - San Fernando Valley High School. Then I went to Cal State Sacramento. Then I got my Master’s Degree at the University of Arkansas.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - What were your degrees in?

A: (Abe Flores) - I got my Associates Arts Degree in General Ed. from Valley Junior College (Los Angeles Valley Jr. College). Then I got a Bachelors Degree in Social Science and then got my Masters Degree in Sports Management. I started coaching when I was finishing up at Sac-State then went to American River Junior College for two years. Then I was an assistant at Arkansas while I was in grad school there.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - Did you play?

A: (Abe Flores) - Yes, I played.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - What position?

A: (Abe Flores) - First base. Then started coaching at Arkansas and went to the College World Series which was very exciting. I coached summer ball in the Cape Cod League twice. Then I worked as an assistant at USC for 3 years.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - How did you come to the Angels?

A: (Abe Flores) - I was an area scout for the Colorado Rockies for 9 years. My territory was Southern California. The position became open when Tony Reagins took over for Darrell Miller so his position became available—the manager of baseball operations. And now I’m the Director of Player Development.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - So what is a typical day in your life like, if there is such a thing as a typical day?

A: (Abe Flores) - On a typical day I look at a calendar of events leading up to the different parts of the year. For example, in the offseason we’re building towards getting ready for minor league spring training and we have a great staff that works with me—or I work with them—on visas, travel, acquiring 6-year minor league free agents, plugging in holes in our system. We have people working on the travel arrangements and getting things ready to go. We have an excellent guy in Tempe Eric Bricboum who takes care of the hotel arrangements. Other people that are a pretty integral part of player development here with the Angels are Tory Hernandez, Justin Hollander, and Terri Shambaugh. Those are critical components of the player development staff—I couldn’t do it without them. Tory is the manager of baseball operations. Justin is the Assistant of Player Development and Scouting and Terri is our Assistant of Player Development.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - How have things changed in the post-9/11 world? What are some of the complications you’ve had to deal with?

A: (Abe Flores) - I don’t know so far as complications. Basically, the issue has been fraud concerning their date of birth, which is now almost a non-issue. It’s been cleaned up over the last 5 years.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - We’ve seen Santana age 10 months and found out that it wasn’t his real first name.

A: (Abe Flores) - It’s Ervin. A lot of that stuff has been cleaned up because obviously they are coming in here to work but then they want to know who is coming in here to work so they are going to go to the umpteenth detail to know exactly that that is your identity. But, because of MLB opening an office in the Dominican, it’s become easier now.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - So that’s a typical day during the offseason, what’s a typical day like during the minor league season?

A: (Abe Flores) - Basically looking at team reports every morning, making note if there are any injuries with the club. If there is an injury, I always have my cheat-sheet which lists all of the rosters on every club—the starters, the relievers, catchers, infielders at every position, outfielders, and it allows me to basically see the whole playing field the whole board in case we have to make roster moves. If we do have to make roster moves, either that night or the next day, I talk to either the field coordinator, pitching coordinator, catching coordinator, infield coordinator, to see who is the right person for that need.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - What is a typical day like during Spring Training?

A: (Abe Flores) - That’s 32 days of 6 in the morning ‘til 6 at night. Breakfast and cereal with pitchers and catchers, but it’s pretty much Groundhog Day continuing every day. Meetings in the morning every day at 7 o’clock in the morning to determine what we’re going to do for that day so far as the practice plan—what we’re trying to execute for that particular day, where we’re plugging players in for rotation time system, bullpens, catching those bullpens. There will be some pitchers and some extra position players that we roll into full squads and obviously breaking them up into work groups by team—there are 4 teams that are full season that will break camp—and try to put the rights players on each team—prospects too—and we’ll try to align that all up. So far as our work groups and teams, that is an ongoing process. It never just ends. That’s bigger than just Spring Training. That’s done relatively in advance and really we put that together at the end of Instructional League.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - I would like to get into Spring Training and how our players are doing, but you talked a little bit about plugging holes in our minor league season. Last year you had to plug a few holes in Arkansas with players like Greenberg, a player out of the Independent League, could you talk a little bit about that?

A: (Abe Flores) - We basically had what we thought at the time was a season ending injury to the centerfielder on that team. He broke a bone. They needed somebody basically they said in 24-36 hours. We called up the Independent League and we went for him. He was the best person available at that time.

Also, in the process, when we have more time, both Justin and Tory are in charge of the active reserve list. We maintain in our computer an inventory of players either are playing Independent Ball or who have been released and basically putting those players in preferential order by position so that we can assess that we get the right player for that particular moment based on ability. Then, the other factors come in. Once we’ve identified that group of players, that there’s no medical issues and that they have no makeup issues, or minimal medical issues.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - Let’s get into a little bit about Spring Training. What are the daily reports that you are receiving? Who’s looking good? Who should we be keeping our eyes on?

A: (Abe Flores) - Well I was only there for 4 days. I just came back. I won’t be going back’til March 4th. So far as standouts, it’s too early to tell now. But the most important thing is that everyone came back to camp in shape, for the most part, so things are looking good. We have our normal bumps and bruises, but that’s always kind of the norm every year.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - How do you factor in Winter Ball performances? Kendry Morales and Erick Aybar both had really good winter performances and Brandon Wood struggled a little bit. How do you evaluate that coming into Spring Training?

A: (Abe Flores) - I think it’s on a case-by-case situation depending on what that player is trying to accomplish in that Winter Ball scenario. For some players, what they’ve accomplished doesn’t always show up statistically. For some players it does show up statistically. The main thing is that they are there and getting in their homework for what they need to accomplish. It’s a difficult and different environment. It’s a great opportunity to learn all of their skills. It’s a passionate environment, so for me it’s all a positive. It’s all predicated on the player himself whether it is a positive experience.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - How about Kendry Morales. Several of us at Angelswin.com project big things for him this year. We saw those tough at-bats he had in the post season. He had an incredible Winter Ball. What do you see out of him and what has changed in him over the past couple of years?

A: (Abe Flores) - I think number one I think Kendry has become a little bit more comfortable in our culture. He did not have a grasp of the English language at all. So if you put anybody in that environment they are going to struggle. Struggle with taking direction, struggle with trying to execute the direction. It takes time. And I think it did take time. He’s a talented guy, he’s a skilled guy, but he had to learn a different system about how they go about playing the game. There’s an adjustment period. I think he’s really blossoming and I think he’s becoming a very complete player for us. He’s really blossoming in front of everybody’s eyes. It’s a pretty neat thing.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - How often do you get to see each and every player throughout the season?

A: (Abe Flores) - I basically go to each affiliate 3 times—Rancho, Arkansas, Salt Lake and Cedar Rapids—3 times. Twice in the first half and once in the 2nd half. We have 3 short-season teams and I get to see them twice, once in the first half. And I’ll go to the Dominican twice. Once during the Major League All-Star Break—that’s a good time—and once again in the fall.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - Do you see anyone jumping a level or standing out yet?

A: (Abe Flores) - I haven’t gone to camp yet, but as I said, our rosters are pretty much set going into camp. We have a good idea where guys are going to fall. What throws that completely off or throws a wrench into it is when injuries occur. And, injuries will occur. If we don’t have injuries, then it’s really power to us, but injuries occur. They are a part of the process. We have to be able to get the proper players the proper player who will be productive within that group.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - How do you rank someone like Pettit or Sweeney, both of whom pretty much lost an entire year to injury? How do you assess where they should go?

A: (Abe Flores) - Pettit missed a large part of his season. He came back but was definitely rusty when he got back to the double-A club. But he had a tremendous Arizona Fall League—he really tore it up. Basically one of the top MVPs of that league. That being said, if we were breaking camp today, he would project out to double-A to be patient with him a little bit more. We expect some big things out of him and he could potentially have a really quick promotion, but that remains to be seen. In the case of Sweeney, he hasn’t been on the field in over a year. I’m more than curious to see how he’ll move and react to live pitching or game situations. That’s one of those things at his age and skill level that I would probably not hesitate to send him to a high-A ball club, but, that’s one of those wait-and-see situations.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - At the start of Spring Training, do you set individual goals for everyone to work on for Spring Training and the season? How are those goals set?

A: (Abe Flores) - Basically there is a group and we all have a say on that player so far as the comments and on putting together a plan for that player—their strengths and their weaknesses. Their goals can come from us but basically we want active participation from that player because when he’s involved in the process he needs to buy-in and be a part of what we’re trying to do or accomplish. So, it’s a partnership.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - Could you give us a hypothetical goal that you might set with a player?

A: (Abe Flores) - Basically it would be more of a general sense of trying to accomplish something specifically within his skill level. So, in other words, trying to refine a breaking ball that’s going to help his overall pitchability. Maybe becoming more conscientious as a position player. It could be a couple things--being more conscientious of his work—his work level, his effort level, his focus level on a daily basis. Maybe concentrating on some components with his swing. We keep it pretty simple and keep it pretty general. I don’t want to bog them down with a lot of technicalities and walk out of there with their heads spinning. I want to give them some really good sticking points that they can accomplish that are reasonable through the course of the season. Once they accomplish those, they adjust on them. There’s some more things for them to work on. It’s an ongoing process. It never really ends.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - We’ve been lucky to have an Eddie Bane feature here at Angelswin.com for the past 3 years. What’s it like working with Eddie?

A: (Abe Flores) - Awesome. Tremendous charismatic guy. A very competitive guy. He wants to beat the competition in getting the best players for this organization. He has tremendous resources and by resources I mean a tremendous staff that is basically unselfish and is willing to do what is asked and go above and beyond what is asked. I worked with those guys and still work with those guys for seven years and what is going on as year eight. Eddie is a tremendous person, a good resource. Very patient—a good listener. Definitely can bring some levity into a meeting room. A very original thinker in some cases. A very critical thinker.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - At what point do you get involved with a potential draft pick. Eddie has the scouting team—they identify and rank the potential draft picks. When do you get involved in the process?

A: (Abe Flores) - Whoever they pick is up to them. There may need to be some holes that need to be filled as we get along further in the draft—after the 10th, 12th, 13th, 14th round and we need to assess these holes. We’re always going to need a lot of pitching. But, we may be short on some position players, some specific position players. So, as the draft really goes along, hey, we need a 1st baseman for Tempe. We may need a 3rd baseman for Orem. Is there anybody on the board who or on a certain round or certain place that can address that? But so far as when it is those high pick drafts, I have nothing to do with it. It’s all up to his staff as to who they think in their estimation is the best one for the Angels. Once we do sign those players, it’s making sure we got them on the right team and on the right spot.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - And that would be entirely within your domain or purview?

A: (Abe Flores) - Yes. Obviously we get written reports from our scouts on what were getting. And we really want to make sure that when we’re talking to our scouts that they’re giving us their assessments as to what are their strengths, what are their weaknesses, what are the things that this guy needs to work on. Is this guy abused? Is there any red flag that we need to be aware of either mentally or physically so that we’re aware of it and it doesn’t catch us blindsided.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - Let’s get into a little bit about Angels’ organizational philosophy towards hitting, pitching and fielding. Are there any key philosophies that we should be seeing or that you are specifically trying to work on?

A: (Abe Flores) - Well obviously with hitting we believe in using the middle of the field. We want to make solid hard contact towards the middle of the field. We want to be able to—our style of play is being aggressive on the bases—so we want to be able to advance runners. This isn’t anything that anyone else is doing. Base running is a big component of what we do offensively. Teaching repeatable swings. Being efficient with the bat. Being able to recognize situations based on the counts. These things are not as easy as they may seem in an interview. They are very difficult. And it takes time for our players to understand this and more importantly to execute it.

Pitching, hey, basically, being efficient with what you have. First off, it all starts with teaching a repeatable delivery. The one thing that we do introduce here—which Bill Stoneman started with—is the full windup, that old-fashioned wind up. We believe in more athletic aggressive type deliveries instead of cookie-cutter mechanical type deliveries. Those are some of the things that kind of jump into my mind.

A big component here is our catching—that pitcher catcher relationship. It’s well documented Mike believes in it and preaches it at all levels—as well as our base running at all levels—that once they come aboard with us and have yet to play that is a big component of what they are expected to learn here. They are expected to learn it fairly quickly. And there is a key intensity level that is expected of them for them to basically continue and advance within the Angels’ organization. Not only do they have to hit, but they are professionals so far as the intensity level to be the kind of players that we are trying to produce. We’re trying to produce contributors on a championship caliber club. That’s kind of a nice little encapsulation but a lot has to do with being that type of player. You have to be able to contribute in a lot of different ways and in a lot of different roles.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - What can fans read into starts in a Spring Training game? If I’m an Angels fan, and I’m reading a box score, and it’s late in Spring Training, and I’m seeing someone like Chris Pettit starting for 4 innings, can I read anything into that?

A: (Abe Flores) - For me, Spring Training can be a little bit like fool’s gold. It can get deceptive on a performance in Spring Training, but don’t. Be very careful on that performance. Take the body of work, the track record with that individual player. What did he do last year? What did he do the year before that? What has he done maybe in an instructional league moving forward? Spring Training has different matchups with different players. There’s advancing, no scouting. It’s basically players competing against other players. There’s not a lot of advance work or prep work so far as how you’re going to attack a certain hitter. There is, but it isn’t as intense as it is during the regular season.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - But then again, we also saw Darren O’Day have a really incredible Spring last year and made the major league club.

A: (Abe Flores) - Good point. If there is an open spot then it becomes a little bit of a tryout situation for that group of players who are competing for that open spot. Players may shine through and have great springs and may push other players out of the way. But if that person comes in not having a very good track record, that should be weighed into that decision too, ultimately.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - You’ve now been on the job for a little bit over a year. How do you like it? What have you learned on the job? What has surprised you?

A: (Abe Flores) - Number one I think it is one of the best jobs in major league baseball bar none. I think it is challenging. But the best part about it is that you get to see the players grow from when they first come until they grow all the way up and graduate to the major leagues and hopefully become impactful on our major league club and become impactful on a championship caliber club. Most of the things that are really rewarding are working around a group of dedicated people from those in the front office to those on the field to our coaches and our staff—who are basically are our unsung heroes. Being a part of that group is one of the things I’m most proud of. Basically being a part of that group that is going to dedicate that focus. Things that probably surprised me? Not much because I saw Tony do it for 6 years. I guess what you really find out is that until you really start doing it, you really don’t understand the weight of that job. As much as I can observe Tony being the GM, I’ll never know what its really like to be the GM until I sit in his chair. I think this holds true with this position also. As much as I thought I knew Tony’s job, I really didn’t because it all falls on your lap in your department.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - What’s the hardest part of your job?

A: (Abe Flores) - Cutting players. Telling players that they’re not going to be a part of your organization. Players that you care about, players that have been with you for a while, players who were committed. Even if they haven’t been here for a while, it pains you and it pains them. This is work that they really want to do and unfortunately you have to cut them loose. That doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t continue playing baseball. It just means that they won’t be playing baseball with an Angels uniform on their back.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - Let’s get to the lighter side. What’s your favorite movie?

A: (Abe Flores) - This year or ever?

Q: (Angelswin.com) - Both.

A: (Abe Flores) - Probably the best movie I’ve seen this year has been The Wrestler. Number two would be probably the Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - And, for all time?

A: (Abe Flores) - I don’t have one of them. I have a bunch of them. That’s one I’ll have to sit down and think about for a while. You will have to come back and write to me on that one.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - Favorite band?

A: (Abe Flores) - I have a bunch of them. Pretty eclectic, I like everything.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - Favorite place to eat?

A: (Abe Flores) - In Arizona, Oreganos.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - How about here in Anaheim?

A: (Abe Flores) - I really can’t say it. I frequent a lot of places here in Anaheim and don’t really go back to the same place often.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - How about your favorite stadium food?

A: (Abe Flores) - I don’t eat stadium food.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - Well, I’m just striking out here.

A: (Abe Flores) - No, there’s Tony’s box. It could be a hamburger, it could be anything. No, you’re not striking out, just asking me questions I haven’t given any thought to.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - Wife, kids?

A: (Abe Flores) - Wife, no kids. My wife is a school teacher, she teaches 4th grade. She’s been the Time-Warner Teacher of the Year for 3 years and we expect her to hopefully be Teacher of the Year again this year. She was chosen as the alumni of the year for within her own Department at Long Beach State—her Teaching Department. So she will go back and be recognized at the Long Beach State‘s graduating ceremony this year.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - Congratulations!

A: (Abe Flores) - Yes, congratulations for her. It’s well earned. She really cares about her kids.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - Favorite place to stay on the road?

A: (Abe Flores) - Marriott.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - What’s the toughest place to go to on the road?

A: (Abe Flores) - So far the toughest has been to get to is Cedar Rapids. That’s because of the time change and the connections. You just barely get there at game time it seems like. It’s tough and tricky. The weather has a lot to do with it too. Coming through Dallas or going through Chicago in the summertime it can be really tight making your connections and making your connections on time.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - Is there anything else you’d like to share with the fans?

A: (Abe Flores) - The one interesting thing that I wanted to pass along to the fans is that mark of scouting and player development is that 53 of our 66 players in major league camp are home grown. That’s an amazing thing that we have going on here. We have the talent and other teams really covet our talent. With our talent we had 3 players taken in the major league phase of the Rule-5 draft. Being placed on our 40-man roster prior to that contributed towards that. Nick Green got selected off of waivers and was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers just recently. What a great opportunity. I just talked to him yesterday and it’s a great opportunity. The door is wide open for him for him to make a fresh start and a great impression in another organization.

When I’ve gone around to talk to our different Hot Stoves or our different affiliates who are kicking off their Hot Stove sessions, I’ll talk about those 40 Kernels of our 66 players who are in our major league camp. Think about that. At any affiliate you have that big a group of guys who have come through your city and are now in major league camp and are now around major league players and are now competing against other major league players. There have been 42 Quakes. There’s been 43 Travelers. 40, 38 or 39 Bees. That’s pretty awesome!

Q: (Angelswin.com) - I would have to say so. I’d also have to say it’s the right way to go through development because they all learn the same system so that they can all play together when they come in. They can just come in and immediately know what they need to do.

A: (Abe Flores) - I think that the neat thing as Mike has been there for a long time is that every manager from Salt Lake to Cedar Rapids is in major league camp. The complete Double-A and Triple-A staffs are in the major league camp right now. To keep our system uniform we teach our philosophy to our players. In a way it gets back to scouting and player development. We say what we mean and we mean what we say. A lot of people say that for scouting and player development the proof is in our numbers and what we have in camp. Now does that mean everyone is an all-star in camp? No. But we really believe in drafting and developing our own players. Yes, we do sign free agent players, no doubt to supplement the club at the major league level. But we really believe in player development and I’m really grateful to Arte in believing in that and us.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - That’s great. I really appreciate your time and insights. Would you be open to doing a mid-season follow-up after the All-Star Break?

A: (Abe Flores) - Sure. Give me a call and we’ll get this thing going.

Q: (Angelswin.com) - Thanks again! I really appreciate the time.

A: (Abe Flores) - Take Care.

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