Garrett Anderson, who played the first 15 seasons of his career with the Angels and finished up with the Dodgers in 2010, died at age 53, the Angels announced on Friday.
Anderson was born and raised in Los Angeles, and played at Kennedy High School before getting drafted by the Angels in 1990. I first saw him play with the Class-A Palm Springs Angels in 1992. Anderson made three All-Star teams and drove in the go-ahead runs in Game 7 of the 2002 World Series to help clinch the Angels’ only championship.
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With the Dodgers, a 38-year-old Anderson played sparingly, but did notably drive in the only run of a 14-inning win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 2, 2010. It marked the first time the Dodgers had won back-to-back 1-0 games for the first time in 26 years.
Freddie Freeman, who grew up in Orange County, told Jack Harris of the California Post that Anderson was his favorite player:
“You always hear, ‘Don’t meet your heroes,’” Freeman told The California Post. “But then I got to meet him, and I was like, ‘I’m glad I did.’ Because he was a beautiful man. And I wish he was still here. He meant a lot to so many people … I’m at a loss for words really.”
Anderson remembrances
Hyeseong Kim talked to Jack Harris of the California Post about getting optioned to the minors at the beginning of the season, and his subsequent return two weeks ago when Mookie Betts was placed on the injured list. Manager Dave Roberts praised Kim’s swing, noting improvement from late in spring training: “I think he’s into the ground much better. I think the swing decisions are better mechanically. It looks great. So really proud of the work.”
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Earlier Friday, Katie Woo at The Athletic noted the improvement of Tanner Scott, Alex Vesia, and Blake Treinen in the Dodgers bullpen in the first three weeks of the season. Through Friday, that trio has combined to allow only one run in 22 2/3 innings with a 27.7-percent strikeout rate.
