I Love the 80s - 1982 California Angels

   This is a series of posts on a 1980's Frankenset. Each page features a different team, with 9 of my personal favorite cards from that year's team. You might find players repeated, you'll definitely see brands repeated, but hopefully you'll agree that there are some interesting selections from the 1980s!

The 1981 California Angels picked up where the 1980 version left off, with a slow start. Angels manager and "close, personal friend of Angels' owner Gene Autry" Jim Fregosi was let go. Replacing the Angels legend was Gene Mauch, who had a track record of successful winning ballclubs. The strike killed any momentum the team may have found under new leadership, and they finished a distant 5th place in the AL West.

The Angels' ownership group has never been shy about spending to acquire talent. While injuries limited the team in 1980 and a disappointing 1981 saw the team struggle to meet expectations, a new year meant another chance to make a run at a championship. 1982 very could have been that year, with the Angels going after one of the biggest free agents in recent memory, and locked up Reggie Jackson. They also added veteran Bob Boone, and traded for Doug DeCinces to fill in the infield. The result was another Division win for the Angels, and a playoff run that fell just short of the World Series.

 

The Cards

Fleer #451 Don Baylor - The 1979 AL MVP was up to his old tricks again in 1981 and 1982, serving as the Angels' everyday DH and providing a punch in the middle of the lineup. Baylor hit 26 homers and ended up gathering a handful of MVP votes again in 1982, helping to lead the Angels to the post-season. Baylor was a post-season magnet, reaching the playoffs 7 times with five different teams. His lone World Series win came as a late season waiver pickup for the 1987 Minnesota Twins. Baylor was an aggressive base runner in his prime before an injury riddled 1980 season sapped his speed. Baylor finished his career with over 2100 hits, and over 330 homers.

Fleer #459 Ken Forsch - An All-Star for the Angels in 1981, Forsch led the AL in shutouts that season with 4. His claim to fame includes his brother Bob - the pair are the only siblings to both throw no-hitters in their MLB career. Forsch had 114-113 career record, which included 6 straight seasons with 10 or more victories. 

Topps #134 Dan Ford - Ford paired up with Baylor in 1979 as a formidable 1-2 punch in the heart of the Angels' lineup. Originally coming up with the Twins, Ford was consistent hitter and talented fielder, but it was his distinctive style that earned him the nickname "Disco Dan." Ford came to the Angels a year ahead of Twins teammate Rod Carew, and would depart prior to the 1982 season in a trade with the Orioles. Ford would rise to the occasion more than once with Baltimore, but most notably he hit a homer in Game 3 of the 1983 World Series off Phillies' great Steve Carlton. 

Topps #702 Steve Renko - Renko had many talents, he was drafted by the Raiders to play football, and started his pro baseball career as a two-way player, pitching and playing first base. He switched to pitching full time in the minors, and made his MLB debut as a member of the expansion Montreal Expos in 1969. Renko became the team's first ace, and he played the role of savvy veteran for the 1981 and 1982 Angels. He was known as a fast starter, often racking up victories and strikeouts in the first half the season. In 1982, he was 7-1 with 2.66 ERA in the first half. 

Topps #47T Reggie Jackson - The straw the stirs the drink switched from a Manhattan to a nice Napa Valley Sauvignon. Reggie returned to Southern California in 1982, after a successful run as a World Series hero in New York. The script was a simple one, join the Angels and make them a winner. In his 5 seasons with the Angels, the team won a pair of AL West crowns. He led the AL in homers in 1982 and won a Silver Slugger with a 147 OPS+. Jackson is MLB's all-time strikeout leader, but he more than makes up for that with 563 career homers. 

Topps #465 Butch Hobson - Hobson came to the Angels with Rick Burleson prior to the 1981 season. Hobson had a pair of very promising seasons in Boston, sandwiched between a not so promising one. His 1981 season with the Angels left much to be desired as he hit just .235/.321/.326 while leading the AL in errors among third basemen. His breakout season in 1977 came as member of Boston's "Crunch Bunch"  - hitting 30 homers and driving in 112 runs. Hobson became a manager following his playing career, including a stint as the Red Sox skipper in the 90s. Hobson won a pair of Atlantic League titles in the 00s.

Donruss #587 Juan Beniquez - Beniquez signed with the Angels as a free agent before the 1981 season and provided defense and the occasional timely hit. He won a Gold Glove in 1977 in center field, and known mostly for his defensive prowess. Something clicked in California, and the lifetime .257 hitter had 3 seasons hitting above .300 with the Angels and then another in Baltimore. His career year came in 1984 when he hit .336 and an OPS+ of 128 in 110 games. 

Topps #503 Rod Carew - 18X All-Star. 7X Batting Champ. 1967 Rookie of the Year. 1977 AL MVP. Rod Carew was a legit all-time great, who was a magician with the bat and a fearless baserunner. He stole home 7 times in 1969 alone. 3,053 career hits in his 19 seasons. In 1982, Carew hit .319/.396/.403 with an OPS+ of 121, helping the Angels to their second division title in 4 years. 

Topps #252 Fred Lynn - The 1975 ROY and MVP was finding life on the West Coast a little rougher than Boston. The truth was that he was still a great hitter, but balls that would clear the fence in Boston wouldn't in Anaheim. In 1982, for instance, Lynn hit just 21 homers, but hit .299/.374/.517 with an OPS+ of 143. His rough 1981 season (his first in California) likely makes people think he was a flop, but it turns out that Lynn had decent numbers throughout his Angels career. He captured a little of that Boston magic in the 1982 ALCS, when he hit a blistering .611/.650/.889 with 11 hits in the 5 game series.