Some Unexpected Expectations

By Mike DiGiovanna

Feb. 20, 2004 12 AM PT

Share via
- Email
- Facebook
- X
- LinkedIn
- Threads
- Reddit
- WhatsApp

Times Staff Writer

TEMPE, Ariz. — It’s rare to find Tim Salmon at a loss for words, but the usually loquacious outfielder, when asked to list three weaknesses of the Angels, seemed as tongue-tied as a high school freshman on his first date.

“I would probably say ... uh ... gosh ... I don’t know,” stammered Salmon, stumped before reaching No. 1. “I mean, are we weak in the bullpen? I don’t think so. Are we weak in the rotation? I don’t think so. Are we weak in the lineup? I don’t think so.

“I really can’t find a weakness, and now we have a great owner who is behind us and who will do whatever it takes to win. You can’t even look at the front office and say it’s a weakness.”

Salmon is 35, a veteran beginning his 12th season with the Angels, but he seems as giddy as a 21-year-old rookie in his first big league camp.

He has been on an Angel team that won a World Series and another that finished 41 games out of first place, but never has he started spring training -- pitchers and catchers begin workouts today -- with a team like this, the answers outnumbering the questions.

Salmon remembers springs when the Angels had no idea who their fourth and fifth starters in the rotation would be; this spring, the Angels have seven capable starters -- Bartolo Colon, Kelvim Escobar, Jarrod Washburn, Ramon Ortiz, John Lackey, Aaron Sele and Scot Shields -- competing for five spots, and potential aces in Colon, Escobar and Washburn.

Salmon remembers too many springs when the Angels lacked the firepower to compete for the American League West title, let alone the pennant; this spring, he sees a lineup -- David Eckstein, Darin Erstad, Vladimir Guerrero, Garret Anderson, Troy Glaus, Salmon, Jose Guillen, Bengie Molina, Adam Kennedy -- that he believes measures up to the best in baseball, even the mighty New York Yankees.

Salmon remembers camps when the bullpen behind Troy Percival seemed so thin, many wondered who would bridge the gap between the starter and the closer; this spring, he sees Brendan Donnelly, Francisco Rodriguez, Ben Weber and Shields, and has no doubt the Angels can navigate those troubled waters between the fifth and ninth innings.

And, of course, Salmon remembers far too many springs -- and seasons, for that matter -- when he doubted ownership would commit the financial resources to acquire that one dominating starting pitcher, that one power bat, that would vault the Angels into playoff contention.

Now, Salmon sees owner Arte Moreno’s $146-million winter splurge, an off-season during which the Angels acquired the best free-agent player in Guerrero and a top free-agent pitcher in Colon, and shakes his head in awe.

He hears General Manager Bill Stoneman discuss how he addressed the Angels’ most pressing needs “in duplicates -- we acquired two pitchers in Colon and Escobar, two bats in Guerrero and Guillen,” and Salmon can’t help but think as Alex Rodriguez did when he was traded to the Yankees this week: Pinch me, I’m dreaming.

“I remember when I was going to be a free agent a few years ago and thinking how neat it would be to play for teams like the Yankees, Braves and Red Sox, teams that make those kinds of moves all the time,” Salmon said. “Every player wants to be a part of that, and now we’re in a position where we’re doing those things. It’s just awesome to see as a player. This is all new to me.”

So are the expectations that come with such moves. Kennedy, the second baseman, asked if anything short of the playoffs would be a major disappointment for the Angels, said, “Yeah, you could say that. We want to put ourselves in good position to play in October.”

Although the division is strong, with pitching-rich Oakland and balanced Seattle, the Angels will be picked to win the AL West title, and with those expectations come the kind of pressure the Angels have at times had trouble coping with.

After signing Mo Vaughn to a six-year, $80-million contract, many picked the Angels to win the division championship in 1999, but that team fell apart amid injuries and clubhouse bickering, went 70-92, finished last in the West and got its manager and GM fired.

And though the Angels are only 16 months removed from their World Series championship, and an October filled with pressure-packed baseball, they were underdogs in 2002, a surprise team no one had picked to win -- in fact, they reached the playoffs as a wild-card team -- so they were not burdened by expectations.

Now, the Angels have assembled what Salmon calls “a team filled with superstars -- not good players, great players,” and even Moreno couldn’t help but wonder amid all the enthusiasm of last weekend’s Angel fan festival how this would all translate to the field.

“I guess the question is, when is the honeymoon over?” Moreno said. “We still have to play, you know?”

Several Angels said they wouldn’t feel burdened by increased expectations.

“I don’t feel pressure,” said Anderson, who will move from left field to center, “because, ultimately, the players put more pressure on themselves than anyone else.”

And Washburn says the Angels learned how to win during their 2002 World Series run.

“We know how to prepare every day and to keep it one day at a time, like [Manager Mike] Scioscia always preaches,” Washburn said. “That will help us deal with this season and approach it the way we should.”

Scioscia will have other immediate concerns: Who will open the season in the rotation, and will a starter move to the bullpen, possibly bumping reliever Derrick Turnbow from the team? How will a reconfigured defense, in which Anderson, Erstad (center field to first base) and Guillen (right field to left) will switch positions, jell?

Can Eckstein, Erstad, Glaus and Molina rebound fully from injury-plagued 2003 seasons, and might slick-fielding Alfredo Amezaga nudge Eckstein out at shortstop? Can the bullpen thrive without a left-hander?

Salmon knows there are issues, maybe even a weakness or two, but as he sizes up this Angel team, he sees far more talent, depth and potential than holes.

“How are you gonna feed all these horses?” Salmon said. “That’s the challenge for Scioscia.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

Angels at a Glance

*--* WHO’S NEW

*--*

* OF Vladimir Guerrero, OF Jose Guillen, P Bartolo Colon, P Kelvim Escobar, INF Shane Halter.

*--* WHO’S GONE

*--*

* 1B Scott Spiezio, 1B Shawn Wooten, DH Brad Fullmer, OF Eric Owens.

*--* BIGGEST QUESTION OF SPRING

*--*

* How will the Angels squeeze seven pitchers into a five-man rotation? Colon, Escobar and Jarrod Washburn are locks, and because Scot Shields has been successful in relief, he’s a logical bullpen candidate. That means Ramon Ortiz, John Lackey and Aaron Sele, two seasons removed from major shoulder surgery, will compete for two spots. Trading a starter could alleviate the logjam but, barring a deal, the Angels may have to decide whether to use a starter in long relief or possibly release Sele and eat the remaining $8.5 million on his contract.

*--* JOB SEEKERS

*--*

* If David Eckstein struggles offensively, the better-fielding Alfredo Amezaga may emerge as the starting shortstop. Jose Molina, Josh Paul and Wil Nieves should wage a good battle for the backup catcher’s job behind Bengie Molina, and Halter and Chone Figgins will compete for the utility infield job.

*--* KEEP YOUR EYE ON

*--*

* Darin Erstad at first base and Guerrero’s back. Erstad has extensive experience at the position, but he may need a few weeks to get acclimated to the infield. Guerrero missed more than a month of 2003 because of a herniated disk in his lower back and has complained about tightness in his legs this winter. A relapse for Guerrero would put a considerable dent in the Angel lineup.

*--* REASONS TO BE EXCITED

*--*

* The lineup could be the most potent in franchise history, with five players -- Guerrero, Garret Anderson, Troy Glaus, Tim Salmon and Guillen -- capable of hitting 30 home runs and driving in 100 runs and two good table setters, Eckstein and Erstad, at the top. There are three top-of-the-line starters in Colon, Escobar and Washburn, and there is enough rotation depth to absorb an injury or two. The bullpen, with closer Troy Percival and set-up men Brendan Donnelly and Francisco Rodriguez, should be solid.

*--* REASONS TO BE WORRIED

*--*

* Guerrero (lower back), Eckstein (hamstring), Erstad (hamstring), Glaus (shoulder) and Bengie Molina (wrist) all suffered serious injuries in 2003 and must remain sound this season. Though the Angels have more depth in their rotation and lineup than they’ve had in years, a key injury or two, especially to Guerrero, Colon or Percival, would be difficult to overcome.

*--* MANAGER

*--*

* Mike Scioscia starts his fifth season with the Angels, and one of his challenges will be to build chemistry on a team with four new Latin players. But Scioscia, who speaks Spanish, “always does a great job with chemistry,” Washburn said. “He likes to razz guys and have a lot of fun in spring training, so [chemistry] shouldn’t be a problem.” Another challenge for Scioscia: helping his players cope with higher expectations.

*--* PROJECTED LINEUP

*--*

SS David Eckstein

1B Darin Erstad

RF Vladimir Guerrero

CF Garret Anderson

3B Troy Glaus

DH Tim Salmon

LF Jose Guillen

C Bengie Molina

2B Adam Kennedy

*--* PROJECTED ROTATION