6-4-2 — an Angels/Dodgers double play blog

A few points to make here and there, some of which will repeat from my post over at HH:

• The big surprise to me was Albie Pearson appearing at #22, though Darin Erstad cracking the top 10 is also. Erstad was a pretty good player in his prime, but he peaked very early and hasn't been the same since. Those leg injuries will just kill you, in the field, on the basepaths, and at the plate.
• Actually, Anderson showing up as high as he has also kind of surprised me, too. He's gone through several iterations of being underrated, then being overrated; when his career is over, he may be back to underrated. He certainly won't be a Hall of Famer -- no Angel has yet managed that feat in an Angels uniform entirely, although as with Nolan Ryan, Reggie Jackson, and Frank Robinson, several have passed through Anaheim on their way to Cooperstown. The closest Angel lifer -- Tim Salmon -- is extremely unlikely to make the Hall, according to the Jamesian HoF toy.
• I also like the fact that the Troys placed together.
• Answering a question the Rev asked by e-mail, this doesn't take into consideration things like value in the postseason. (By virtue of his hitting the most crucial home run in Angels team history in Game 6 of the 2002 World Series, Scott Spiezio would have made this list, bumping Mickey Rivers. The Rev expressed some sorrow at forgetting Mr. Rivers along the way.)
• Assuming he can continue to accumulate 12 Win Share seasons for the balance of his contract (a modest goal, considering he got 16 this year), Garret Anderson will probably pass Chuck Finley and Bobby Grich on this list, but that's it, as I doubt the Angels would re-sign a 36-year-old GA, who even in 2007 is likely to be a full-time DH. He would need a pair of seasons like his 2002 and 2003 years to pass Jim Fregosi, and even then it would be only by a few points.
• Darin Erstad is almost certain to surpass Nolan Ryan this year with even a bench role, though as with Anderson, it's unlikely he'll ever advance beyond him and outdo GA's numbers.
• Update: This Times story about the greatest Angels not in the Hall of Fame illustrates a fairly important point, one that's of particular concern to (hopefully eventual HoF'er) Bert Blyleven: "Chuck Finley pitched longer, but Tanana was better." Durability is vastly underrated by most observers, perhaps and especially sportswriters. In fact, it's considered to be such a commonplace thing that, in Bert's case, it's even used as an argument against his inclusion in the Hall, that is, he turned in so many innings, it's no wonder he accumulated all those strikeouts, shutouts, etc. But from 1961 on, the average career spanned five and a half years. Average! Durability is rare.
• Update 1/18: Someone in the comments asked about Vlad. Indeed, Big Daddi Vladi is #41, and rising with a bullet; assuming he can put together two more 25 Win Share seasons on his current contract, that would give him 106 Win Shares, putting him right between Troy Glaus and Troy Percival at number 14. If he's capable of assembling a couple more 29 Win Share seasons, which has been fairly typical for him, he would end up 11th, just behind Chili Davis.
• The Value Of Defense: Adam Kennedy has been a remarkable fielder, as 39% of his value is tied up in fielding over his career. Similarly, again over his career, Bengie Molina's value is 61% fielding, including his 2002 where, incredibly, all his value came from fielding. Given the decline in his behind-the-dish skills, it's best the Angels lost him.

Labels: angels, top 40 angels

// posted by Rob @ 9:15 PM link  //  11 comments