The Angels will not be going to win the World Sequence this yr. The workforce is anticipated to overlook the playoffs for the eighth consecutive yr, with this summer time destined to be remembered as considered one of missed alternatives, accidents to key gamers, a midseason change in management and the workforce asserting in August — to the shock of most baseball observers — the franchise is now exploring a sale.
The begin to the season, in the meantime, was the exact opposite. Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani and Anthony Rendon have been wholesome, and hopes have been excessive. The Angels got here out of the gate having fun with a 24-13 file, and the atmosphere in and across the stadium was bringing again recollections of yesteryear… with yesteryear being 2002.
For a sport firmly rooted in emotional ties connecting households collectively, and one which thrives on wealthy custom, it was to be a enjoyable, heat summer time. In spite of everything, at 20 years it was the best time for the franchise to rejoice the membership’s best moments, which happened on the nationwide stage on chilly fall nights.
2002 World Sequence. Recreation 7. Angels vs. Giants. October 27. Anaheim, California: “Fly ball, centerfield. Erstad says he’s acquired it. Erstad makes the catch. The Anaheim Angels are the champions of baseball!”
That was the decision on radio made well-known by Rory Markas, then the radio play-by-play announcer.
The group of 44,598 at Angel Stadium exploded. A franchise recognized for underachieving since its debut within the early Sixties — the workforce was based mostly in Downtown Los Angeles till transferring to Anaheim in 1966 and was formally often known as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for a couple of years — had its defining second.
The Halos in June welcomed again to Orange County a big portion of the 2002 workforce for a particular on-field pregame ceremony to rejoice the anniversary.
“I can’t imagine it has been 20 years,” former Angels first baseman Scott Spiezio stated. “Bodily, nevertheless, my physique can.”
There have been tales informed all through the week because the alums and their households filtered into city. There was quite a lot of reminiscing, and tons of smiles.
Not the flowery preseason decide to even make the playoffs in 2002, Spiezio was the kind of participant who mirrored the make-up of that squad. The workforce didn’t function any future Corridor of Fame gamers. No one gained a significant common season particular person award.
However they grinded every sport, finally carrying out their opponents with a relentless on-field assault.
“It was an superior group of men in 2002 who got here collectively and pulled for each other. We had actually good gamers however no one who was deemed a famous person,” Spiezio recalled. “The identical could possibly be stated about our pitching employees. It was like a bunch of blue-collar gamers all coming collectively on the proper time. We appeared to play arduous, and that’s what we did.”
Throughout the World Sequence, Spiezio hit probably the most dramatic dwelling run in Angels historical past, a three-run blast in Recreation 6 the evening earlier than because the Angels overcame a late deficit to not solely prolong the sequence however make an indelible mark within the historical past books.
“The good factor is none of it actually issues if we don’t win the following evening,” stated Spiezio, who makes his dwelling in Illinois. “I get requested what the largest second in my profession was, and that got here with Erstad catching the ball in centerfield within the ninth inning. Then I knew we made historical past. No one can take that away from us.”
Joe Maddon had among the finest seats in the home. Earlier than he went on to handle greater than 2,500 massive league video games, he was the Angels bench coach in 2002.
“You look again on that point 20 years in the past and also you look again on that group, and one phrase instantly involves thoughts: relentless,” Maddon stated. “The fellows simply by no means stop. It was a relentless group, and so they have been unbelievable.
“Gritty is one other good phrase, however relentless, on this case, is a good phrase. Robust, too. You’re speaking a few bunch of robust guys who have been most likely overmatched in some areas, however on a nightly foundation you aren’t going to discover a group who performed more durable and had a selected resolve.
“They believed in themselves. They have been a tight-knit group, and also you hear that about all champions, however these are the accolades that actually stood out to me with this specific group.”
Within the subject it was Tim Salmon, Garret Anderson, Darin Erstad, Troy Glaus, David Eckstein, Adam Kennedy, Bengie Molina and Spiezio main the best way. On the mound, guys like John Lackey, Troy Percival, Jarrod Washburn and Francisco Rodriguez turned in sensational efforts.
Mike Scioscia, the longtime former Dodgers participant, was the supervisor. The Walt Disney Firm owned the workforce.
One of many true breakout stars? A rookie named The Rally Monkey.
“These anniversaries are additionally an excuse to re-live the nice instances,” Spiezio stated. “Each time across the playoffs I get equipped. When the dates of Oct. 26 and Oct. 27 come, I all the time take note of these dates. They’re marked on my calendar. I consider these dates on a regular basis as a result of playoff time is simply so superior.
“These massive spherical numbers like 20 is what attracts probably the most consideration. It additionally typically what will get the fellows again collectively. We inform tales, and it’s actually like we by no means left the clubhouse. It type of seems like you might be nonetheless a participant — the season had ended, and also you simply come again out of your winter break, similar to the everyday baseball season. You don’t skip a beat. It’s bizarre how that works in baseball. It is sort of a rhythm you might be used to, and it picks proper again up.”