alleymon 2005 is ushered in with a new Era for the Anaheim Angels. The new owner, Arte Moreno, who until the last few months I’ve agreed with and appreciated all the moves he has made to bring a quality team to the field. And even now I understand Arte’s justification for changing the official name to the Los Angeles Angels, though I hate it. I know he wants to make more revenue, it’s business and business is about making money. BUT!!! In changing the name to reflect the larger marked he wishes to tap, Arte has personally slapped the faces of all the Real Angels Fans. We who have stood by the Angels through all the bad years to finally come out on top in 2002 have been sumarily dismissed by the new ownership as irrelivant and unnecessary to his new business vision.
The next bad decision, maybe it was Stoneman, maybe it was Moreno, but it was still BAD – the release of David Eckstein for Orlando Cabrera. Pure talent it was probably a like for like trade. Cabrera hits for more power (of course he never hit 3 Grand Salamis in one season did he?) But not much more power really, and his fielding percentage is a few percent points lower and Cabrera’s OB percentage and Batting Average are also a few points lower. So what did Arte accomplish? He lost more of the Fans who supported the Angels all the way to the 2002 World Series Championship.
I for one will not soon purchase any merchandise that specifies Los Angeles. Go ANGELS! BOO Arte Moreno!