Los Angeles Angels

ANALYSIS OF THE ANGELS

STRONG POINTS
One thing these Angels seem to have is power. Compact dimensions of Wrigley Field (about 340 feet down lines, 345 to left and right center) have caused Manager Bill Rigney to pack his lineup with long-fly-ball hitters. In Ted Kluszewski and Bob Cerv he has two of best. Both could reach Wrigley foul poles with thin end of bat. Eddie Yost, a late-blooming slugger, totaled 35 HRs in last two years. There is Steve Bilko, still a West Coast legend after consecutive Pacific Coast League years of 37, 55, 56 HRs and 124, 164, 140 BR Is. Infielder Ken Aspromonte (.290) also hits with some power.

WEAK SPOTS
Almost everything else is weak—especially first-line pitching, team speed, outfield defense. With visiting team batting first, Angels may never get crack at Wrigley fences. In spring training Rigney cast about, not for a starting rotation, but for a dependable starter. His four best prospects—Jerry Casale, Ted Bowsfield, Ned Garver and Eli Grba—won a grand total of 16 games last year, posted combined ERA of 4.64. This would seem to indicate that the Angels will need a muscular bullpen, but the relief pitching (Truman Clevenger 4.19 ERA, Tom Morgan 4.25) isn't impressive either. No matter who plays, Angels will have one of worst defensive outfields in majors. Cerv, deadly within 12-foot radius, will be in left. In center will be Ken Hunt, who hit well in training, or Gene Leek, if he doesn't win an infield spot. In right, little (5-foot 5-inch) Albie Pearson—a reasonably accomplished outfielder—will play only when Rigney relaxes big-bat policy. Loaded with 20-second-dash men. Angels may set record for fewest stolen bases, will have trouble scoring anybody on less than a double.

THE BIG IFS
On paper the pitching looks bad. The Angels are hoping that it will be up to at least an ordinary last-place-team level. It better be, or the American League experiment in Los Angeles will turn into a farce.

ROOKIES
Best rookie is Infielder Fritz Brickell, obtained from Yankees this week. Ken McBride, from White Sox, and left-hander Ron Moeller, from Orioles, pitched well in exhibition games. Hottest youngster in camp, however, was an 18-year-old shortstop named Jim Fregosi; Angels have sent him to their triple-A farm club, Dallas, will try to develop him into club's first "find."

OUTLOOK
Angels will score runs and may get enough pitching to beat out Washington for ninth.

BIG LEAGUERS

In baseball, as in life, there are differences among men. Some are short, some are fat, some play well, some play not so well. What matters is whether you're big league. And the Angels, for all their ineptitude, for all their aura of hand-me-down clothing, are big league.

If there was any question of this, it was settled when the Angels met Cleveland in the first exhibition game between the two this spring. A couple of Cleveland players spotted Eddie Yost, Bob Cerv and Rocky Bridges and drifted over to talk. In no time the scene around the batting cage resembled homecoming at a college fraternity.

Some players were "old bastards" and "big clowns"; others were Joe or Jim or simply "hey, man." Families were either in camp with the player or back home, but in either case they were fine. Rocky Bridges had smashed up his car over the winter, Valmy Thomas was still running the sporting goods store in the Virgin Islands, Eddie Yost was feeling pretty good in spite of his 34 years. Big Klu was looking as big as ever, especially across the middle.