1979 California Angels: Good Signs

1979 California Angels: Good Signs

[paypal_donation_button]1979 California Angels: Good Signs

The California Angels started as the Los Angeles Angels in 1961 and they would begin play at Wrigley Field, the Los Angeles version. This Wrigley Field was owned by William Wrigley Jr., the same Wrigley who helped build the Chicago Wrigley Field. Unfortunately for the Angels they were not able to make the postseason for almost their first 2 decades of existence. However, 1979 would mark the beginning of better outcomes for the Angels.

The Angels went 88-74 in the 1979 MLB season, winning the American League West division by 3 games over the Kansas City Royals. The Angels went 7-6 against the Royals in head-to-head play. The Angels went 49-32 at home and 39-42 on the road. Aside from June and August the Angels were productive for every month of the regular season. The Angels went 15-8 in April, 15-12 in May, 17-11 in July and 16-11 in September.

Catcher Brian Downing batted .326 with 12 home runs and 75 RBI’s off 166 hits, 27 doubles, and 3 triples. First baseman Rod Carew batted .318 with 130 hits, 15 doubles, 3 triples and 18 stolen bases in 110 games. Left fielder Don Baylor batted .296 with 36 home runs and 139 RBI’s off 186 hits, 33 doubles, 3 triples and 22 stolen bases. Second baseman Bobby Grich batted .294 with 30 home runs and 101 RBI’s off 157 hits, 30 doubles and 5 triples. Center fielder Rick Miller batted .293 with 125 hits, 15 doubles and 5 triples in 120 games.

Right fielder Dan Ford batted .290 with 21 home runs and 101 RBI’s off 165 hits, 26 doubles, 5 triples and 8 stolen bases. Third baseman Carney Lansford batted .287 with 19 home runs and 79 RBI’s off 188 hits, 30 doubles, 5 triples and 20 stolen bases. Designated Hitter Willie Aikens batted .280 with 21 home runs and 81 RBI’s off 106 hits and 18 doubles in 116 games. Left fielder Joe Rudi had 11 home runs and 61 RBI’s off 80 hits, 11 doubles and 3 triples in 90 games. On May 4 the Angels acquired shortstop Bert Campaneris from the Texas Rangers in a trade which sent third baseman and shortstop Dave Chalk to Texas. In 85 games Campaneris had 56 hits, 4 triples and 12 stolen bases.

The pitching staff was the main strength of the Angels. Starting pitcher Dave Frost went 16-10 with 107 strikeouts, 1 save and a 3.57 ERA, recording 12 complete games and 2 shutouts. Pitching for the Angels since 1972, Nolan Ryan would pitch his last season for the Angels in 1979, going 16-14 with 223 strikeouts and a 3.60 ERA, recording 17 complete games and 5 shutouts. Jim Barr had 5 complete games despite going 10-12. Don Aase had 7 complete games, 1 shutout and 2 saves despite going 9-10. Frank Tanana went 7-5 with a 3.89 ERA, recording 2 complete games and 1 shutout. Chris Knapp went 5-5 with 3 complete games.

Closer Mark Clear went 11-5 with 14 saves and a 3.63 ERA. Relief pitcher Dave LaRoche had 10 saves. John Mantague went 2-0 with 6 saves. Ralph Botting went 2-0, Dyar Miller went 1-0 with a 3.31 ERA, and Mike Barlow went 1-1.

The 1979 regular season featured an impressive 10-game winning streak by the Angels which began with an 11-2 pounding of the Minnesota Twins on April 11, and the streak ended on April 21 with a 13-1 pounding of Oakland Athletics.

Making the postseason for the first time in franchise history was an accomplishment itself, but the California Angels would be sent home by the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Championship Series, falling 3 games to 1. In Game 3 on October 5 at Anaheim Stadium, however, the Angels showed their loyal fans a glimpse of what was to come in the history of their franchise.

In the bottom of the 1st inning Dan Ford had an RBI single. In the top of the 4th the Orioles tied the game with an RBI single by designated hitter Lee May. Don Baylor then put the Angels back in front with a solo home run shot in the bottom of the 4th. In the top of the 6th third baseman Doug DeCinces tied the game again with a sacrifice fly, and then the Orioles took a 3-2 lead in the top of the 7th with an RBI single by pinch hitting right fielder and first baseman Terry Crowley. The bottom of the 9th would feature great heroics as Bobby Grich reached on an error to score Rod Carew, and then with the game tied left fielder Larry Harlow had the game-winning RBI double to give the 1979 campaign a stamp of success in some form.

It would take only 7 years for the Angels to return to the platform of the American League Championship Series, which would provide a slightly better outcome. Good signs were clearly on the horizon for the Angels franchise.