Let’s assemble the best possible Angels team by letter of the alphabet to begin a player’s last name. Today is K. 33 men whose last name started with “K” played major league baseball in an Angels uniform.
C – Chad Kreuter
1B – Casey Kotchman
2B – Bobby Knoop
3B – Howie Kendrick
SS – Joe Koppe
OF – Ed Kirkpatrick
OF – Adam Kennedy
OF – Andy Kosco
DH – Dave Kingman
The three greatest Angels second basemen all have last naems starting with the letter K. Bobby Knoop never played a game at any other position but Howie Kendrick payed a few innings at 3B and Adam Kennedy played a (very) little outfield and so all three make this underwhelming squad. Dave Kingman hit two home runs in 39 Plate Appearances as an Angel so there is the power in this lineup!
SP – Bruce Kison
SP – Don Kirkwood
SP – Chris Knapp
RP – Bill Kelso
RP – Michael Kohn
Kelso and Kohn both had an ERA+ over 100 (114 & 104 respectively). The three starters there each faced over 1,100 batters and none of them did. Kison’s ERA+ was 99 as an Angel, Kirkwood’s was 80 and Knapp’s 75. I took Chris Knapp over Scott Kazmir (77 ERA+) based on Knapp tossing over 400 innings and Kaz not even hitting 200 here and despite the fact that Knapp may be the worst starting pitcher in Angels history when the length of his leash is measured against the depth of his stats.
I’m really enjoying this series. I think I’d take Kluszewski over Kingman, but that’s really nitpicking. Neither ever actually DH’d for the Angels, but Kotchman did a few times in case you feel the need to be a purist, you could move Kotchman to DH and put Kluszeweski at 1B.
Kison was pretty good. I remember seeing him pitch a complete game shoutout vs the Indians in either in 83 or 84.’
Sat about 7 or 8 rows behind the visitors dugout.
He was the successful half of the two 8-7 pitchers that The Angels were going to get for letting The Express leave. unfortunately, Buzzie never found the other half.
‘T’ team is going to have a Murderers Row
Maybe an Angels’ alphabet teams tournament bracket when this is all over to crown the champion?
Awesome idea!
Even though he sucked as an Angel, I think Scott Kazmir has to be on the pitching staff. He was way better than Knapp.
Chris Knapp started game 4 of the 1979 ALCS, the game in which we were eliminated (it was then a best of 5 series). I think that one time, he just quit the team.
Once you adjust for their era of play ( Early 2000’s versus late 70’s ) , I think it’s a toss up of equal suckage.