Garret Anderson week continues with the best highlights of his Angels career.
Number One: October 27, 2002: Garret Anderson clears the bases.
In the third inning of Game Seven of the 2002 World Series, Garret Anderson hit one-out bases loaded double, plating three of the four runs the Angels would score in a 4-1 championship-clinching victory.
This could have been a countdown, sure, but that would minimize one of the greatest hits in franchise history, a hit that already gets minimized for a few reasons: The first reason is the drama of Game Six. By all rights, down 5-0 as the pre-Buttercup seventh inning stretch transpired, there should never have been a Game 7. But it was shockingly here and Anderson had the hit that mattered most against the Giants that evening. The second reason was this big hit came early in the game. Plenty of ways to paint the drama any deeper. Nah, let’s get the lead and cruise on in. Sure the WPA (Win Probability Added) was only 14%, but the WWE (Winner’s Win Expectancy) went up to 87% as G.A. stood on 2B clapping for the guys he had just sent to the dugout.
So I couldn’t do a countdown. This was the most important hit in Angels history and it was by an All Time Angels Great. Check the Boxscore here.
Number Two: October 2, 2002 – Game 2 of the ALDS that the Angels would win 3 games to 1. The first playoff game the Angels had won since 1986 was in Yankee Stadium on this date and the 3 for 5 bat of Garret Anderson and the three runs he scored being a good part of the reason it happened at all.
Number Three: October 7, 2005 – Game 3 of 5 in the ALDS. In the pouring rain at Yankee Stadium G.A. hit a 3-run HR off of Randy Johnson in the top of the first inning. He would go 4 for 5 with three runs scored in this pivotal game, one of only two postseason series outside of 2002 the Angels have ever won.
Number Four: August 21, 2007 – Anderson’s greatest single offensive game was also against the Yankees, this time in Anaheim. He went 4 for 6 with a club record 10 RBI. He hit two doubles off of HOFer Mike Mussina and two HRs off of the Yankee bullpen including a grand slam in this 18-7 triumph.
Number Five: The 2003 All Star Game. The day after winning the Homerun derby, G.A. goes 3 for 4 with a critical 2-run homer to bring the A.L. back from the dead. Down 5-1 his bomb makes it 5-3 in a game they would win 7-6… and that time it counted! Garret was awarded the game’s MVP! The A.L. was awarded home filed advantage for the World Series but all that meant was the Marlins players pissing on Yankee Stadium’s monument park in their postgame celebration… all courtesy of Yankee-Killer and Number Ten Angel of All Time Garret Anderson.
Nice write up Rev, #1 and #3 really stand out for me, especially #3 as Randy Johnson was THE dominant pitcher in the MLB at the time.
Guy was a Yankee killer! With the Halos: 218ABs vs NYY with a .353/.381/.589 triple slash and a 150 wRC+. RESPECT
Oh, I had forgotten about the three run homer off of Randy Johnson in 2005 ALDS.
I still feel the absolute pure joy that I felt when he cleared the bases in game 7. I still get goosebumps just thinking about it. Nice work Rev.
Also the 2003 Home Run derby win
I am family friends with Perry Minasian. He is a great guy. He has a good shot at the position.
This is the second time you have said ths. Do you know something that you would like to pass on? 😉