Bill Stoneman didn’t exactly lash out at critics who have howled for two years about his inability to acquire a big bat.
But the Los Angeles Angels general manager had a few words of caution for those clamoring to trade one or two front-line pitchers and possibly a top prospect for an established power hitter: Be careful what you wish for.
The Angels had all the power a team could want back in 2000. The lineup featured four players–Troy Glaus, Mo Vaughn, Garret Anderson and Tim Salmon–who hit 34 or more home runs and one–Darin Erstad–who hit 25. All that muscle could muster was an 82-80 record and third place in the AL West.
The reason? Pitching, of course.
The 2000 rotation included the aging and ailing Tim Belcher and Ken Hill, one-year wonder Kent Bottenfield, reliever-to-be Scott Schoeneweis, soft-serving right-handers Brian Cooper and Seth Etherton, and youngsters Jarrod Washburn and Ramon Ortiz.
Seven years later the Angels have a rotation that features three of the game’s top young right-handers in John Lackey, Ervin Santana and Jered Weaver, the talented Kelvim Escobar, 2005 AL Cy Young Award winner Bartolo Colon and a top-tier relief corps led by Francisco Rodriguez, Scot Shields and Justin Speier.
With all that pitching talent, you can see why the Angels aren’t about to quibble about the absence of a booming bat.
“It takes 25 guys and strong pitching to win,” Stoneman said. “That’s been proven over the years in this business.”
A solid defense doesn’t hurt. When the Angels’ top two targets in a thin power market, Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano, signed with the Cubs, the Angels fortified a weakness by signing center fielder Gary Matthews Jr. to a five-year, $50 million deal.
The rangy Matthews improves the outfield and allows the Angels to move Chone Figgins to third base, a position he excelled at in 2005.
The return of first baseman Casey Kotchman, who missed most of 2006 because of mononucleosis, will boost the defense. And the return of Howie Kendrick to second, his natural position, should make the hard-hitting youngster who will replace defensive whiz Adam Kennedy more comfortable.
“Last year our defense was as much of a culprit in our early-season struggles as the offense,” manager Mike Scioscia said. “With Matthews, Orlando Cabrera at shortstop and Kendrick, we have the range up the middle to support our pitching.”
Instead of big power guys, the Angels settled for some medium-sized bats.
They’ll be happy if Matthews comes close to matching the career year he had for Texas, when he hit .313 with 19 homers and 79 RBIs.
They moved quickly to replace the injured Juan Rivera, signing Shea Hillenbrand, who has averaged 18 home runs and 82 RBIs for five seasons, to be the designated hitter.
Kendrick, who hit .285 with four home runs, 21 doubles and 30 RBIs in 72 games last season, should be a considerable upgrade offensively over Kennedy.
And catcher Mike Napoli showed power potential as a rookie despite his second-half slump.
