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Anaheim Off-Season Brings Optimism By: Patrick St. Michel The Angel ownership lures several big name players to team, giving fans enthusiasm for upcoming year. Just recently, citizens in Hong Kong celebrated the Chinese New Year, dubbed the Year of the Monkey. Over the past few months, baseball fans in Anaheim have been rejoicing over changes to their Angels for the 2004 season. Call it the Year of the Rally Monkey. Just two years ago, these fans cheered their hearts out as they watched the Angels capture their first World Series title in the franchise’s existence. One year ago, the same fans groaned as the team went through an injury-plagued third place season. This season, a new feeling fills the fans hearts. Optimism. Second year owner Arte Moreno was able to make enough altercations to the franchise this off-season in order to excite Southern California. Usually, all eyes are focused on Chavez Ravine and the Dodger blue. But this season, the attention has flipped to the city of Orange and the Angel red. Moreno started his reign as Anaheim Angel owner mid-way through last season, and his presence was immediately felt. He went against the norm of baseball owners and lowered the price of concessions and children’s tickets. This off-season, when park sponsor Edison decided to remove their name from the stadium, Moreno didn’t go out looking for a new conglomerate sponsor to plaster onto the entrance of the park. Instead, Moreno simply changed the name to Angel Stadium and added a new scoreboard. Moreno’s influence didn’t stop at fan amenities, however. He saw first hand the Halo’s mediocre 2003 season, and promised to improve the squad drastically this off-season. And he didn’t fail to deliver. Moreno started out small. While the rest of the nation was fixated on the Boston Red Sox and their free-agent signings, the Angels quietly acquired pitcher Kelvin Escobar, formerly of Toronto, to help bolster the pitching staff. The Angels also added left fielder Jose Guillen. Angels’ fans were pleased, but not ecstatic over these two signings. Then Moreno started getting serious. He was able to sign pitcher Bartolo Colon, previously with the Chicago White Sox. Colon has been one of the best pitchers in all of baseball since 1997, and vastly improves an Angel pitching staff that was severely lacking the season before. Fans were truly pumped for the upcoming season. But Moreno still had one surprise left. All indications pointed to right fielder Vladamir Guerrero, arguably the best player made available this winter, would sign with either the Baltimore Orioles or possibly the New York Mets. The nation was shocked when it was reported that Guerrero would not be staying on the East Coast, but rather would be playing out west with Anaheim. Guerrero brings with him a .323 lifetime batting average, 234 homers, and 702 runs drilled in from Montreal. The fans are in an absolute state of bliss with this addition, and anxiously await April. These additions only bolster a team that already had a strong core to begin with. Garret Anderson, last year Home Run Derby champion and All-Star Game MVP, will move to center field. Tim Salmon prepares for his first full year at the designated hitter spot, while third-baseman Troy Glaus hopes to rebound from an injury-ridden 2003. The only departure the Angels felt was the loss of first baseman Scott Spezieo. Darin Erstad will assume the position, moving from center field. People throughout the Chinese community welcomed the New Year, and hope it will bring with it blessings and prosperity. For Anaheim Angel fans, their New Year is already looking like a very prosperous one indeed. |
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