Anderson Out to Earn His Wings for Angels

Garret Anderson could easily have been awestruck standing next to Dave Winfield in the California Angels clubhouse. Certainly the thought of playing in place of Winfield, and his 367 lifetime home runs, would intimidate the most talented prospect.

So Winfield took it upon himself to make Anderson, the California Angels’ fourth-round selection in the 1990 amateur draft, comfortable when the two met three weeks ago.

“It was real nice to talk with him, because of all the prestige he has,” Anderson said. “He is very well-known, but that didn’t affect me when I met him in person. He didn’t treat me like an itty-bitty guy and brush me off. We had a good talk.”

Winfield treated Anderson like a major league veteran, not like a soon-to-be high school graduate.

As an aspiring right fielder blessed with power and speed, Anderson likely dreams of putting up numbers similar to the Hall of Fame-type totals that Winfield has accumulated. During his senior season at Kennedy High, Anderson hit .363 with eight home runs and five stolen bases.

Anderson also was a member of The Times’ All-Valley basketball team after averaging 23 points a game.

Winfield, too, had great success at basketball while playing for the University of Minnesota. But while Winfield showcased his considerable skills in college, Anderson, who graduated from Kennedy on Thursday, will head to Boise, Ida., of the Northwest League, a Class A short-season league, to play professional baseball.

“I’ve heard it’s nice out there, but I don’t know what to expect,” he said. “I’m just going up there to play baseball. It’s kind of hard to believe it’s going to happen.”

Anderson feels comfortable about his decision to sign with the Angels even though he had first signed a letter of intent to play baseball at Fresno State.

“I plan on going back (to college),” Anderson said. “(The Angels) gave me enough money to go back whenever I want to.

“Lately, it’s been kind of hard playing baseball, going to school and studying at the same time. I’m not using that as an excuse, but I really want to concentrate on baseball.”

Anderson was a top recruit for Fresno State, and he might have been able to start in the outfield next season.

“We were bringing in a number of young players,” said Fresno State assistant Mike Rupcich, who recruited Anderson. “After losing so many outfielders, we thought Garret could come in and play right away. Losing him put us back a little bit.

“It is tough to replace a player of Garret’s caliber. He was a good one. People would have loved him out here.”

Anderson hopes they will love him in Boise, where he will begin play Sunday.

“When I make a decision, I don’t second-guess myself,” he said. “I thought about it a lot, and I am positive that is what I want to do. I don’t have any regrets about it.”

Rupcich had been envisioning Anderson stroking home runs in Fresno, but he never pressured Anderson to honor his letter of intent.

“I told Garret, ‘If you are happy with (the Angels’) package, and you are positive it is what you want, that’s the way to go,’ ” Rupcich said. “He signed with a great organization. I hope to see him in the big leagues some day.”

The Angels’ scouting office shares Rupcich’s vision. Rick Ingalls, the scout who convinced the Angels to draft Anderson, sees the outfielder as a player with the potential to star in the big leagues.

“He did show he’s going to be a good hitter,” Ingalls said. “With his size and athletic ability at 17, I think we’re looking at someone who, at 20 or 21, could be something special.”

The first time Ingalls saw Anderson, Kennedy was playing Cleveland, whose lineup included Patrick Bryant, a future second-round pick of the Cleveland Indians. Anderson hit three home runs in the game.

Although Ingalls said that no single performance can sway a scout, watching Anderson play erased many of the doubts that had clouded his value.

“Abilitywise, a lot of scouts liked him, but a lot of guys were turned off by hearsay,” Ingalls said. “Some scouts in the Valley didn’t care for his attitude.

“I think he is an outstanding kid. He was going to be drafted, but how high depended on what people think about his attitude and whether or not he was going to college. Some people had said he was set on going to Fresno State.

“We took a gamble that he could be convinced.”

The decision made, Anderson hopes the journey eventually ends in Anaheim.

“It’s like a dream come true, because you grow up looking at them on TV,” Anderson said of the Angels. “Little kids have dreams of playing at home. (Anaheim) is more or less home. It’s better than playing at a place like Detroit.”