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Angels' Play Exceeds Supporting Role

By JIM ARMSTRONG

AOL

posted: 76 DAYS 23 HOURS AGO

comments: 6

filed under: MLB

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Sports Commentary

True story. Talked to someone in the Angels' front office the other day in search of their version of Jack Nicholson. You know, some A-lister megastar who wears sunglasses to bed and sits in the house-payment seats behind home plate.

Latest MLB Photos

Los Angeles Angels catcher Mike Napoli catches a late throw as Oakland Athletics' Ryan Sweeney slides to score during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

San Francisco Giants' Travis Ishikawa, right, walks back to the dugout after striking out to Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Dan Haren in the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008, in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks won 2-0. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)

Colorado Rockies' Jeff Baker follows the flight of his three-run home run against the San Diego Padres in the fifth inning of the Rockies' 10-3 victory in a baseball game in Denver on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Nathan walks off the field as the Cleveland Indians begin to celebrate after Nathan gave up a game-winning three-run homer to Cleveland Indians' Victor Martinez in the 11th inning in a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008, in Cleveland. The Indians won 12-9. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

San Francisco Giants catcher Bengie Molina throws to first after fielding a ground ball hit by Arizona Diamondbacks' Jeff Salazar for an out in the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008, in Phoenix. The Diamondbacks won 2-0. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)

Colorado Rockies' Troy Tulowitzki, left, and Jeff Baker (10) are congratulated after the Rockies' 10-3 victory over the San Diego Padres in a baseball game in Denver on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Dan Haren, right, is congratulated by catcher Chris Snyder, left, after Haren recorded the final out against the San Francisco Giants in a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008, in Phoenix. Haren pitched his first complete game shutout as the Diamondbacks won 2-0. (AP Photo/Paul Connors)

Los Angeles Angels' John Lackey, right, hands the ball to manager Mike Scioscia as he is removed from the baseball game against the Oakland Athletics in the sixth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

Cleveland Indians' Victor Martinez watches his game-winning three-run homer off Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Nathan in the 11th inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008, in Cleveland. The Indians won 12-9. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

Colorado Rockies' Brad Hawpe, left, congratulates Chris Iannetta as he crosses home plate after hitting a grand slam against the San Diego Padres in the sixth inning of the Rockies' 10-3 victory in a baseball game in Denver on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

So, do the Angels have any leading men or Hollywood hotties on their season-ticket list?

"No, we don't," said my man in the front office.

Any of them make a cameo appearance here or there at Angel Stadium?

"Not to my knowledge, no."

Not one?

"No, we're a little too far from that L.A. circle."

From Chavez Ravine, where the Dodgers play. Where slapping around a beach ball in the stands is often more entertaining than anything happening on the field.

Funny how things work in L.A. The Dodgers open the doors and 45,000 people show up, many of whom live on silver screens and arrive in limos. The Angels? You're more likely to find a stuntman than a leading man in their crowd. A rock star? Right. An Elvis impersonator maybe.

The Dodgers own L.A. Always have, always will. They're the chic team in Tinseltown. They have the name, the tradition, the heritage, the Hall of Famers. They were Sinatra's team and, presumably, they're Justin Timberlake's team.

Did You See That?

In this photo provided by the USGA, a black bear runs across the 13th fairway during the second round of the 2008 U.S. Senior Open Championship at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo. on Friday, August 1, 2008. (John Mummert, USGA/AP)

John Mummert, USGA/AP

Australia's Sophie Edington balances a water bottle on her forehead during a training session in the Olympic Aquatic Center at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Tuesday, August 4, 2008. (David J. Phillip,AP)

David J. Phillip, AP

Flames rise around Chrissy Wallace's car after a crash in turn one the ARCA RE/MAX Series Pennsylvania 200 auto race at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa., Saturday, Aug. 2, 2008. After the fire burned out, Wallace restarted her car and drove to the garage. (Russ Hamilton, AP)

Russ Hamilton, AP

Mike Mason competes in the Moto X Freestyle Final during X Games 14 on August 2, 2008 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. (Jonathan Moore, Getty Images)

Jonathan Moore, Getty Images

Houston Astros' Hunter Pence (9) and Mark Loretta, center, score to tie up the game as New York Mets catcher Ramon Castro (11) loses the ball in the ninth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 2, 2008, in Houston. The Astros went on to win 5-4 in 10 innings. (Pat Sullivan, AP)

Pat Sullivan, AP

Ideye Brown (R) of FC Neuchatel Xamax fights for the ball with FC Aarau's Frederic Page (C) and goalkeeper Ivan Benito during their Super League soccer match in Neuchatel August 2, 2008. (Stefan Wermuth, Reuters)

Stefan Wermuth, Reuters

A diver practices at the National Aquatics Center ahead of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 3, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Jamie Squire, Getty Images)

Jamie Squire, Getty Images

Carl Edwards, driver of the #99 Office Depot Ford, celebrates with a back flip after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 at the Pocono Raceway on August 3, 2008 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Jim McIsaac, Getty Images)

Jim McIsaac, Getty Images

U.S. Olympic basketball team center Dwight Howard makes a slam dunk during a match against Lithuania in Macau, Friday, Aug. 1, 2008. (Kin Cheung, AP)

Kin Cheung, AP

Green Bay Packers safety Atari Bigby rides a small borrowed bicycle a block from Lambeau Field to Clark Hinkle Field for training camp in Green Bay, Wisconsin August 1, 2008. (Allen Fredrickson, Reuters)

Allen Fredrickson, Reuters

Then you have the Angels, those second-class citizens who play somewhere in Orange County, 2,000 7-Elevens south of Dodger Stadium. The ones who can't even figure out their own name. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim? Whoever thought that one up ought to be sentenced to life on the 405.

The Angels are the Clippers in spikes. As long as they're around, they'll always be overshadowed by the other team in town. But there's just one problem with that notion. The Angels may play across the street from Disneyland, but it's the Dodgers who run the Mickey Mouse operation.

One year after finishing 82-80, the Dodgers are even worse this season. They're 49-50, which makes them contenders in the National League West, but cannon fodder anywhere else.

The Angels? As of Tuesday, they had the best record in baseball. Nothing out of the ordinary there. If they keep up the pace, and there's no reason to think they won't, they'll win their fourth division title in five seasons.

Remember 1988, when Kirk Gibson hit that famous home run in the World Series? The Dodgers have been to the playoffs four times in 19 subsequent seasons, with one playoff drought that lasted seven years and another that went six.

The Angels, meanwhile, are about to make their fourth playoff appearance since 2002, when they won the World Series over the Giants.

It?s not just their record, though. The thing you have to appreciate most about the Angels is how they win, not how often. If they made a movie about the Angels' 2008 season, which they won't, it would be called True Grit II.

In the immortal words of ex-Cubs manager Lee Elia, he of the meltdown for the ages, the name of the game is hit the ball, catch the ball, and get the bleeping job done! And the Angels do it very well, except without the exclamation point and, for the most part, without the hitting.

No, they don't hit - their .259 average is 15th in the majors, and their 88 home runs are 22nd - but the Angels find a way to win. Each of their best pitchers from 2007 - Kelvim Escobar and John Lackey - began the season on the disabled list, but they still win.

One of the marks of a great team is its record in close games. That's when the Angels play their best, when times are tough and the score is tight. To wit: Their 38-18 record in one- and two-run games is by far the best in the game.

Offensively challenged? You bet they are. The Angels have one .300 hitter and no one on pace for more than 28 home runs or 87 RBIs. So what's the big deal? They have 16 wins in games in which they've scored three runs or fewer, the most in the majors.

Oh, and did I mention the Angels also have the best manager in the business? Mike Scioscia doesn't have Tommy Lasorda's shtick or Joe Torre's Q rating, but, in time, he may prove to be the best manager of his generation. And to think, he used to play for the Dodgers.

Scioscia's old team owns the town, all right. The Angels might have to settle for another World Series trophy.

Jim Armstrong is a sports columnist for The Denver Post. Feel free to e-mail him at dontmissjim@aol.com.

2008-07-22 17:13:12