End Is Near, but Angels Fooled ‘Em Going So Far

Evidently the switchboard lit up a few weeks ago when the Oakland Athletics passed the Angels in the standings and I had the unmitigated gall to write that the A’s might not be caught, now that they had made it to first place.

Oh, what a mean little weasel I was, ripping the Angels that way.

Golly, I said, all I thought I was doing was praising the A’s, not knocking the Angels.

No, you bad little media creep, the phone callers said, you are being a typical negative little media creep, and it’s because of all you negative little media creeps that our team doesn’t win. Our baseball guys would do better if you just believed in them.

Well, I’m sorry that I didn’t show the proper spirit. I keep forgetting to put aside my true opinions in order to tell people exactly what they want to hear. Stupid old me.

Anyhow, it looks as though the old Oakland A’s are going to be in the playoffs again, and possibly in the World Series again, just as it looks as though the Angels are not going to be in the World Series again, keeping alive a record that is as perfect as perfect can be.

No other franchise--not the Chicago Cubs, not the Cleveland Indians, not the Boston Red Sox--can say they have gone longer than those lovable lugs, the Angels, without appearing in a World Series.

The Angels are zero for ever. Who else can say that? Montreal? Toronto? Yes, but neither of those teams has been around as long as the Angels. Atlanta? Yes, but at least the Brave franchise has been in a World Series. Texas? Hmmm.

With Seattle, Texas, the Chicago White Sox and the Angels all in the same division, it’s a wonder anybody from the American League West ever makes it to the World Series.

And yet, Kansas City and Minnesota won two of the last four championships. And Oakland was favored to win last year’s. So, in some ways, the AL West must be the best division in baseball.

This sure did look to be the Angels’ year to join the party. Month after month, the sun-kissed Orange County boys of summer made things happen. Everything Doug Rader did was right, except for a pitch here and a hit there. The Angels seemed preordained to take the division.

Bert Blyleven couldn’t lose. Jim Abbott got better and better. Wally Joyner’s bat got hot. Devon White chased down everything. Chili Davis supplied muscle. Jack Howell’s hitting came around. Lance Parrish pounded some homers. Bryan Harvey mopped up after everybody.

So, what went wrong?

Well, at the risk of offending Angel fans again . . .

Nothing went wrong.

If you think for a minute that I am going to sit here and give you 50 reasons why the Angels didn’t win the division title, you are wrong as wrong can be. I have come here today not to bury the Angels, but to praise them for a job well done.

These guys should be proud as hell of the season they just had.

Who picked the Angels to finish first? Nobody.

Who thought the Angels would be more than 20 games over .500 during the last week of the season? Nobody.

Who figured the Angels would get this kind of season from Blyleven when they were unable to get Nolan Ryan or Bruce Hurst? Nobody.

Who knew Rader could calm down from his Texas days and show such cool, efficient leadership over the course of six months? Nobody.

Who believed the Angels could still hang tough after losing Dick Schofield, the heart of their infield, to an injury? Nobody.

Who had any idea that Brian Downing would still have 150 hits left in him, when he wasn’t playing the field anymore and might have to split the designated hitting with a left-handed batter? Nobody.

Who had a clue that Chuck Finley would become a strikeout artist on the order of Ryan or Roger Clemens, with dozens more Ks than Blyleven or Mike Witt in far fewer innings? Nobody.

Who predicted that Jim Abbott not only would make the team in spring training, but would win games in double figures and remain in the rotation all season? (Well--cough--I did, but who else?)

Who imagined that Bob McClure, a pitcher practically in exile, would work more than 50 innings for the Angels, compile a record of 6-1 and finish the season with an earned-run average under 1.50? Not a living soul.

The Angels provided excitement for their fans and for their media followers and for everybody around the league. The All-Star game did not turn out to be the only memorable event of 1989 at Anaheim Stadium. From April almost to October, the Angels made it a title race, playing some of the best baseball this franchise has ever played.

So, I refuse to sit here and discuss bad trips to the East, or blown doubleheaders, or other disappointments that led to a finish somewhere well behind the Oakland A’s.

I am here today to tell you that the Angels had themselves one wonderful season, so go ahead, tell me again how wrong I am. Take your best shots.