2002 Anaheim Angels season
The Anaheim Angels' 2002 season was the franchise's 42nd, and it ended with the team's first American League pennant and World Series championship.
The Angels finished the regular season with a record of 99-63, 4 games behind the Oakland Athletics in the American League West standings, but qualified for the franchise's first ever wild card playoff berth to return to the postseason for the first time since 1986. Outfielder Garret Anderson led the team with 123 runs batted in and a.539 slugging percentage, was selected for the AL All-Star team, and won the Silver Slugger Award. Jarrod Washburn went 18-6 with a 3.15 earned run average to anchor a pitching staff that allowed the fewest runs in the league.
In the postseason, the Angels defeated the New York Yankees 3-1 in the American League Division Series, then defeated the Minnesota Twins 4-1 in the American League Championship Series to win the AL pennant. The Angels then won the World Series in dramatic fashion when, with a 3-2 series deficit to the San Francisco Giants, they overcame a 5 run deficit in the late innings of Game 6 to force a winner-take-all Game 7, which they won to clinch the series 4-3. The morning after the win, The Orange County Register celebrated the Angels' win with the headline "7th Heaven," referring to the popular television series and fact that it took seven games for the Angels to win the World Series, and in doing so, it sent them to seventh heaven.
2002 was also notable as the season in which the Angels debuted their present-day uniforms, colors, and halo insignia, which replaced the widely ridiculed "periwinkle" uniforms and "winged" insignia they had worn since 1997. It was also the last season the team was owned by The Walt Disney Company, which sold its controlling interest in the team to present-day owner Arte Moreno in 2003.
Off Season
The Anaheim Angels focus in the off season leading up to the 2002 season was on how to improve the Angels from the 2001 season when they finished 41 games behind the Seattle Mariners in the AL West.Off Season transactions
- January 4, 2002: Aaron Sele was signed as a Free Agent with the Anaheim Angels.
- January 31, 2002: Donne Wall was signed as a Free Agent with the Anaheim Angels.
- February 4, 2002: Erick Aybar was signed as a Free Agent with the Anaheim Angels.
- February 7, 2002: Clay Bellinger was signed as a Free Agent with the Anaheim Angels.
Spring training
Spring training transactions
- March 16, 2002: Julio Ramirez was signed as a Free Agent with the Anaheim Angels.
Standings
Season standings
American League Wild Card
Record vs. opponents
2002 draft
The 2002 Major League Baseball draft was held on June 4–5.Regular season
Game log
Roster
Regular Season Transactions
- July 31, 2002: Alex Ochoa was traded by the Milwaukee Brewers with Sal Fasano to the Anaheim Angels for players to be named later and Jorge Fábregas. The Anaheim Angels sent Johnny Raburn and Pedro Liriano to the Milwaukee Brewers to complete the trade.
Player stats
Batting
Note: Pos. = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted inPlayer | Pos. | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
Garret Anderson | LF | 158 | 638 | 195 | .306 | 29 | 123 |
David Eckstein | SS | 152 | 608 | 178 | .293 | 8 | 63 |
Darin Erstad | CF | 150 | 625 | 177 | .283 | 10 | 73 |
Brad Fullmer | DH | 130 | 429 | 124 | .289 | 19 | 59 |
Troy Glaus | 3B | 156 | 569 | 142 | .250 | 30 | 111 |
Adam Kennedy | 2B | 144 | 474 | 148 | .312 | 7 | 52 |
Bengie Molina | C | 122 | 428 | 105 | .245 | 5 | 47 |
Tim Salmon | RF | 138 | 483 | 138 | .286 | 22 | 88 |
Scott Spiezio | 1B | 153 | 491 | 140 | .285 | 12 | 82 |
Other batters
Starting pitchers
Other pitchers
Relief pitchers
Postseason
With their 10-5 win over the Texas Rangers on Mon. September 26, 2002, the Angels clinched their first Wildcard berth. At this time, the Angels would be in the postseason for the first time since the 1986 season.American League Division Series
The 2002 American League Division Series featured the Wildcard winner Anaheim Angels and the AL East champion New York Yankees. The series began on October 1, 2002 with the Angels splitting the first two games at Yankee Stadium. The Angels then proceeded to win the next two games, earning their ticket to the ALCS and winning their first postseason series in franchise history.Game One
October 1, 2002 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, NYGame Three
October 4, 2002 at Edison International Field of Anaheim in Anaheim, CAGame Two
October 2, 2002 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, NYGame Four
October 5, 2002 at Edison International Field of Anaheim in Anaheim, CAAmerican League Championship Series
The 2002 American League Championship Series featured the Wildcard winner Anaheim Angels and the AL Central champion Minnesota Twins. The series began on October 8, 2002 with the Angels splitting the first two games at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. The Angels then went home where they won three straight at Edison Field to earn a spot in the 2002 World Series. Infielder Adam Kennedy was the ALCS MVP.Game One
October 8, 2002 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in MinneapolisGame Three
October 11, 2002 at Edison International Field of Anaheim in Anaheim, CaliforniaGame Five
October 13, 2002 at Edison International Field of Anaheim in Anaheim, CaliforniaGame Two
October 9, 2002 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in MinneapolisGame Four
October 12, 2002 at Edison International Field of Anaheim in Anaheim, CaliforniaWorld Series
The 2002 World Series was the 98th edition of the Fall Classic, held from October 19–27, 2002. The series featured the American League champion Anaheim Angels defeating the National League champion San Francisco Giants, 4–3, to win the franchise's first ever World Series.The series was notable as being the first time since the 1995 inception of the wild card in Major League Baseball that two wild card teams would vie for the title. It was also the fourth World Series played between two teams from California, and the first such series to not include the Oakland Athletics. It was also the last Series to be played in a full seven games until 2011.
The series was played as a best-of-seven playoff with a 2–3–2 site format. Barry Bonds of the Giants was almost elected World Series MVP before the Angels began their Game 6 comeback; the award would be presented the following night to Troy Glaus of the Angels for his role in that comeback.
Game One
October 19, 2002 at Edison International Field of Anaheim in Anaheim, CAGame Three
Tuesday, October 22, 2002 at Pacific Bell Park in San FranciscoGame Five
Thursday, October 24, 2002 at Pacific Bell Park in San FranciscoGame Seven
October 27, 2002 at Edison International Field of Anaheim in Anaheim, CAGame Two
October 20, 2002 at Edison International Field of Anaheim in Anaheim, CAGame Four
October 23, 2002 at Pacific Bell Park in San FranciscoGame Six
October 26, 2002 at Edison International Field of Anaheim in Anaheim, CAGame Log
Bracket
The American League champion had home field advantage during the World Series.Note: Major League Baseball's playoff format automatically seeds the Wild Card team 4th. Normally, the No. 1 seed plays the No. 4 seed in the Division Series. However, MLB does not allow the No. 1 seed to play the 4th seed/Wild Card winner in the Division Series if they are from the same division, instead having the No. 1 seed play the next lowest seed, the No. 3 seed.
Awards and honors
2002 Anaheim AngelsTroy Glaus
- World Series MVP
- ALCS MVP
Garret Anderson
- All-Star
- Silver Slugger Award
- #4 in AL in RBI
Bengie Molina
- Gold Glove Award
Outfielders
Pos | # | Player | League | AB | H | RBI |
LF | 16 | American League | 4 | 0 | 1 |
Coaches
# | Coach | League | Position |
14 | American League | Coach |
Farm system
Local Media
Local TVLocal TV Channel | Play–by–play | Color Commentator | Studio Host |
KCAL–TV 9 | Steve Physioc | Rex Hudler |
Local Cable TV
Local Cable TV Channel | Play–by–play | Color Commentator | Studio Host |
Fox Sports Net West | Steve Physioc | Rex Hudler |
Local Radio
Flagship Station | Play–by–play #1 | Play–by–play #2 | Color Commentator | Studio Host |
KLAC–AM 570 KPLS–AM 830 | Rory Markas | Terry Smith | Terry Smith Rory Markas |
Some radio games carried on KPLS–AM 830 because of broadcast conflict with the Los Angeles Lakers of the.
Flagship Station | Play–by–play | Color Commentator | Studio Host |
KTNQ–AM 1020 | Ivan Lara | José Mota |