No Angels in the Infield

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

The New York Sun

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Scanning the betting lines while in my Section 103 seat at Angel Stadium before yesterday’s Angels-Red Sox matinee, I was struck by Curt Schilling being installed as a clear favorite, despite Boston starting their playoff run on the road. Three hours later, the AL’s second-best pitcher had shown why Vegas usually knows best.


Behind Schilling’s 6 2 /3 solid innings and a barrage of offense, the Sox breezed to a 9-3 win. It was a vintage Schilling outing. Through six innings, Boston’s ace (Pedro Martinez hasn’t been Pedro for about three years now) handcuffed the Angels, allowing only two runs.


Even the manner in which Anaheim scored those two was typical Schilling: Throwing strike after strike, Schilling repeated challenged the Angel hitters, turning stingier as the game went on and the Sox built a lead. Sure, Darin Erstad and Troy Glaus connected for homers, but both were solo shots. That Glaus’s blast traveled halfway to Sacramento didn’t make it count for more than one run.


The Angels did mount a rally in the seventh, cashing another run on a three-base throwing error by Schilling and a laser beam double to left-center. But after loading the bases, Alan Embree, fresh from the bullpen, induced a popout by rookie Dallas McPherson, squelching the rally and effectively ending the game right there.


McPherson was the source of much debate as the announcer introduced the lineups before the game. Sitting with three savvy baseball fans, the four of us wondered aloud why McPherson wasn’t playing. After all, Chone Figgins had shown all year long that he could play anywhere, and sticking the lefty swinging young slugger McPherson at third and Figgins at second seemed a no-brainer for manager Mike Scioscia as a way to beef up the offense.


Didn’t happen. Scioscia opted to play banjo-hitting (actually the banjo’s too big and significant an instrument to describe him) Alfredo Amezaga at second, Figgins at third, and keep McPherson on the bench. That configuration was supposed to bring the Angels better defense.


The results were terrible. Figgins looked atrocious at third, misplaying a high chopper in the first into a gift double that led to Boston’s first run, then blowing the game open by chucking the ball wide of home for a two-run error in the seven-run Red Sox fourth.


The defensive blunders themselves weren’t the problem – McPherson is a shaky gloveman at third and a step down from Figgins. But Figgins’s miscues did serve to put an exclamation point on the horrific bottom three of Anaheim’s order. By starting Amezaga and batting him ninth, the Angels were telling Boston: “Here, you can have three free outs every time through the lineup.” How else would you describe no. 7-hitting Bengie Molina and his woeful .313 on-base average, David Eckstein and his Punch-and-Judy .332 slugging average, and Amezaga’s hidethe-women-and-children line of .161 AVG/.212 OBA/.247 SLG?


The results were predictable: The three combined to go 2-for-9 with two harmless singles. Molina made things worse, at least aesthetically, by first getting thrown out by two full steps by Sox shortstop Orlando Cabrera on a circus play that would have seen a good 80% of AL hitters beat it out and the other 19.9% at least make it close. He followed that bit of glacier-like running by nearly getting gunned out at first base on a one-hopper – to right-fielder Gabe Kapler.


While the amateur psychologists on your TV screen talk about curses and monkeys and other frivolities, the Angels find themselves in an early hole mostly because they simply don’t have the horses. Injuries to Tim Salmon, Adam Kennedy, and Robb Quinlan and Jose Guillen’s suspension have punched holes in a once-solid offense. Though Scioscia’s done an excellent job building one of the game’s best bullpens and generally getting the most out of limited players, he can’t afford to bench a power lefty bat like McPherson’s in favor of Doug Flynn reincarnate.


After just one game, the Red Sox look like a force to be reckoned with. Though they could still use Nomar Garciaparra’s bat in the middle of the lineup, Cabrera marks a strong improvement on defense. Cabrera’s utility is somewhat limited when fly ball pitchers like Schilling take the mound and Derek Lowe gets buried in the bullpen, but he helps nonetheless. The offense, built around not only sluggers Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz, but also underrated OBA fiends like Mark Bellhorn, could terrorize many a pitcher as they look to advance.


For all the hoopla about one-run strategies and nip-and-tuck in the playoffs, there’s a lot to be said for the simple elegance of Schilling, Pedro, and bash the other guys into submission. I picked Boston over St. Louis in six in the World Series before watching Boston go wild in the Southern California sun. They did nothing to change my mind.



Mr. Keri is an author and editor for Baseball Prospectus.


The New York Sun

© 2025 The New York Sun Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The material on this site is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used.

The New York Sun

Sign in or  Create a free account

or
By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use