The Los Angeles/California/Anaheim Angels have played almost 60 seasons of baseball. As the baseball world is suspended due to circumstances outside its control, it is time to look back at the history of this organization. There have been many talented players to put on the uniform, and we at Crashing the Pearly Gates wish to highlight the best who have ever represented the Angels. Without further ado, here we go!
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#97 – Bartolo Colon
Bartolo Colon, otherwise known as Big Sexy, is remembered fondly enough by Angels fans, as his 2005 AL CY Young award is celebrated every Angels home game on the opening video. (Of course, that is an award he somewhat unfairly got due to the team success as he led the AL in wins and nothing else, but who’s asking? Bring him back!)
Not that he was bad at all. His 2005 season did feature a 3.48 ERA to go with those 21 league-leading wins. A 1.159 WHIP is decent, as is the 122 ERA+ he put up. 157 strikeouts is, once again, decent. He was an All-Star for a reason. Cy Young deserving? Well…no. It was the writers’ love for wins that got him the award as even his FIP was not that good. It was much worse at 3.75.
In his 4 seasons with the Angels, Colon went 46-33 with a 4.66 ERA, 4.49 FIP, 422 strikeouts, and 96 ERA+. That does put him at 21st for wins, 40th for ERA, 35th in FIP, 26th in strikeouts, and 36th in ERA+ in Angels history. (Which in all says more about Angels pitching rather than what he did well.) Overall he was a decent number 3 pitcher that was good enough to win the Cy Young in 2005 due to his luck in Angels offense.
There are certainly worse pitchers that played on the Angels. Now people on the other hand… well at least he is still likable, somehow.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
I think there are going to be a lot of pitchers on this top 100 list, IIRC we’ve had a lot more seasons where we had pitching and no offense, than seasons where it was the opposite-and not many where we had both cylinders firing at the same time, (but then my memories…something…something). Obviously Ryan and Tanana, and Gubi’s favorite-Dean Chance. So many pitchers are going to make this list. Langston, Witt, Abbot, K-Rod, does Donnely make the list?
Very enjoyable to watch pitch. He did not look like he belonged on an athletic field, let alone pitch, but boy could he. I bet he would have made a fairly decent pinch hitter.
He was both a horse and a good pitcher. I felt like we should win every time he took the mound.
One of the filthiest two-seamers ever. Loved watching him pitch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VeE_7_TYJA