2002 Anaheim Angels season

The 2002 Anaheim Angels 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 ALDS, then defeated the Minnesota Twins 4–1 in the ALCS 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. Another highlight came in Game 2 when the Angels did not strike out at all, becoming the first team since both the 1960 Pirates and 1960 Yankees to avoid striking out in a postseason game (both teams avoided striking out in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series). This feat wouldn't be repeated until the 2024 Mets did so in Game 5 of the 2024 NLCS against the Dodgers.

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 (who won a Major League Baseball record 116 games) 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 The Anaheim Angels' 2002 spring training took place at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. The Angels spring training record was 17–15.

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

Record Games Left Opponent Home Road Total Home Road Total Baltimore Orioles 4–2 3–0 7–2 – – – Boston Red Sox 1–2 2–2 3–4 – – – New York Yankees 2–2 1–2 3–4 – – – Tampa Bay Devil Rays 5–1 3–0 8–1 – – – Toronto Blue Jays 3–0 4–2 7–2 – – – Chicago White Sox 3–0 3–3 6–3 – – – Cleveland Indians 3–3 3–0 6–3 – – – Detroit Tigers 5–1 3–0 8–1 – – – Kansas City Royals 3–0 3–3 6–3 – – – Minnesota Twins 3–3 1–2 4–5 – – – Oakland Athletics 6–5 3–6 9–11 – – – Seattle Mariners 5–5 4–5 9–10 – – – Texas Rangers 7–2 5–5 12–7 – – – Cincinnati Reds 2–1 – 2–1 – – – Los Angeles Dodgers 2–1 1–2 3–3 – – – Milwaukee Brewers – 3–0 3–0 – – – Pittsburgh Pirates 2–1 – 2–1 – – – St. Louis Cardinals – 1–2 1–2 – – – Grand Totals 54–27 45–36 99–63 – – –

Month Games Won Lost Pct. March 1 0 1 April 24 11 13 May 26 19 7 June 29 17 12 July 26 16 10 August 29 18 11 September 27 18 9 Totals 162 99 63

2002 draft The 2002 Major League Baseball draft was held on June 4–5.

Regular season

Game log

|-style="background:#fbb" | 1 || March 31 || Indians || 0–6 || Colón (1–0) || Washburn (0–1) || — || 42,697 || 0–1 || L1

|-style="background:#cfc" | 2 || April 2 || Indians || 7–5 || Weber (1–0) || Riske (0–1) || Percival (1) || 20,055 || 1–1 || W1 |-style="background:#fbb" | 3 || April 3 || Indians || 5–6 || Drese (1–0) || Sele (0–1) || Wickman (1) || 18,194 || 1–2 || L1 |-style="background:#cfc" | 4 || April 5 || @ Rangers || 3–1 || Schoeneweis (1–0) || Valdez (0–1) || Levine (1) || 49,617 || 2–2 || W1 |-style="background:#cfc" | 5 || April 6 || @ Rangers || 6–3 || Ortiz (1–0) || Irabu (0–1) || Levine (2) || 35,006 || 3–2 || W2 |- style=background:#bbb |—|| April 7 || @ Rangers || colspan="8" |Postponed (rain) rescheduled for June 24 |-style="background:#fbb" | 6 || April 8 || Mariners || 4–5 || Hasegawa (1–0) || Weber (1–1) || Sasaki (2) || 16,908 || 3–3 || L1 |-style="background:#fbb" | 7 || April 9 || Mariners || 1–5 || Halama (1–0) || Appier (0–1) || — || 17,210 || 3–4 || L2 |-style="background:#fbb" | 8 || April 10 || Mariners || 1–8 || Baldwin (2–0) || Sele (0–2) || — || 17,784 || 3–5 || L3 |-style="background:#fbb" | 9 || April 11 || Mariners || 4–8 || García (1–2) || Schoeneweis (1–1) || — || 18,806 || 3–6 || L4 |-style="background:#fbb" | 10 || April 12 || Athletics || 1–5 || Hudson (2–0) || Ortiz (1–1) || — || 31,815 || 3–7 || L5 |-style="background:#fbb" | 11 || April 13 || Athletics || 2–7 || Hiljus (1–1) || Washburn (0–2) || — || 33,554 || 3–8 || L6 |-style="background:#cfc" | 12 || April 14 || Athletics || 4–1 || Appier (1–1) || Zito (0–1) || Levine (3) || 32,881 || 4–8 || W1 |-style="background:#cfc" | 13 || April 16 || Rangers || 6–5 (10) || Levine (1–0) || Rocker (0–1) || — || 15,385 || 5–8 || W2 |-style="background:#fbb" | 14 || April 17 || Rangers || 1–4 || Valdez (1–2) || Schoeneweis (1–2) || Irabu (1) || 15,632 || 5–9 || L1 |-style="background:#fbb" | 15 || April 18 || @ Athletics || 2–4 || Hiljus (2–1) || Ortiz (1–2) || Koch (3) || 9,145 || 5–10 || L2 |-style="background:#cfc" | 16 || April 19 || @ Athletics || 9–7 || Washburn (1–2) || Fyhrie (0–1) || Percival (2) || 12,468 || 6–10 || W1 |-style="background:#fbb" | 17 || April 20 || @ Athletics || 7–8 || Bradford (1–0) || Levine (1–1) || Koch (4) || 20,253 || 6–11 || L1 |-style="background:#fbb" | 18 || April 21 || @ Athletics || 5–6 || Venafro (1–0) || Percival (0–1) || — || 20,088 || 6–12 || L2 |-style="background:#fbb" | 19 || April 22 || @ Mariners || 5–16 || Moyer (3–1) || Schoeneweis (1–3) || — || 33,119 || 6–13 || L3 |-style="background:#fbb" | 20 || April 23 || @ Mariners || 0–1 || Franklin (2–0) || Ortiz (1–3) || Sasaki (6) || 32,127 || 6–14 || L4 |-style="background:#cfc" | 21 || April 24 || @ Mariners || 10–6 || Washburn (2–2) || Abbott (1–2) || — || 37,212 || 7–14 || W1 |-style="background:#cfc" | 22 || April 26 || Blue Jays || 4–0 || Appier (2–1) || Smith (0–1) || Percival (3) || 25,296 || 8–14 || W2 |-style="background:#cfc" | 23 || April 27 || Blue Jays || 11–4 || Sele (1–2) || Borbón (1–1) || — || 29,112 || 9–14 || W3 |-style="background:#cfc" | 24 || April 28 || Blue Jays || 8-5 (14) || Lukasiewicz (1–0) || Borbón (1–2) || — || 25,073 || 10–14 || W4 |-style="background:#cfc" | 25 || April 30 || @ Indians || 21–2 || Ortiz (2–3) || Sabathia (2–3) || — || 24,286 || 11–14 || W5

|-style="background:#cfc" | 26 || May 1 || @ Indians || 7–2 || Washburn (3–2) || Drese (2–3) || — || 23,536 || 12–14 || W6 |-style="background:#cfc" | 27 || May 2 || @ Indians || 8–0 || Appier (3–1) || Finley (2–3) || — || 26,068 || 13–14 || W7 |-style="background:#cfc" | 28 || May 3 || @ Blue Jays || 6–4 || Sele (2–2) || Lyon (1–3) || Percival (4) || 13,183 || 14–14 || W8 |-style="background:#fbb" | 29 || May 4 || @ Blue Jays || 1–4 || Miller (2–0) || Schoeneweis (1–4) || Escobar (4) || 20,558 || 14–15 || L1 |-style="background:#cfc" | 30 || May 5 || @ Blue Jays || 8–2 || Ortiz (3–3) || Prokopec (1–4) || — || 24,046 || 15–15 || W1 |-style="background:#fbb" | 31 || May 7 || Tigers || 0–3 || Greisinger (1–0) || Weber (1–2) || Acevedo (3) || 15,315 || 15–16 || L1 |-style="background:#cfc" | 32 || May 8 || Tigers || 3–2 || Percival (1–1) || Rodney (0–2) || — || 14,722 || 16–16 || W1 |-style="background:#cfc" | 33 || May 9 || Tigers || 7–6 || Sele (3–2) || Redman (0–4) || Percival (5) || 15,003 || 17–16 || W2 |-style="background:#cfc" | 34 || May 10 || White Sox || 19–0 || Schoeneweis (2–4) || Wright (3–4) || || 36,715 || 18–16 || W3 |-style="background:#cfc" | 35 || May 11 || White Sox || 6–3 || Ortiz (4–3) || Garland (4–2) || Percival (6) || 40,535 || 19–16 || W4 |-style="background:#cfc" | 36 || May 12 || White Sox || 5–4 || Percival (2–1) || Foulke (0–2) || — || 19,251 || 20–16 || W5 |-style="background:#cfc" | 37 || May 14 || @ Tigers || 9–2 || Appier (4–1) || Cornejo (1–4) || — || 12,745 || 21–16 || W6 |-style="background:#cfc" | 38 || May 15 || @ Tigers || 10–1 || Sele (4–2) || Redman (0–5) || — || 12,314 || 22–16 || W7 |- style=background:#bbb |—|| May 16 || @ Tigers || colspan="8" |Postponed (rain) rescheduled for August 5 |-style="background:#cfc" | 39 || May 17 || @ White Sox || 8–4 || Schoeneweis (3–4) || Garland (4–3) || Levine (4) || 12,736 || 23–16 || W8 |-style="background:#fbb" | 40 || May 18 || @ White Sox || 4–10 || Glover (0–1) || Ortiz (4–4) || — || 21,122 || 23–17 || L1 |-style="background:#cfc" | 41 || May 19 || @ White Sox || 6–1 || Washburn (4–2) || Buehrle (7–3) || || 19,869 || 24–17 || W1 |-style="background:#cfc" | 42 || May 20 || Royals || 6–3 || Appier (5–1) || Stein (0–2) || Percival (7) || 14,035 || 25–17 || W2 |-style="background:#cfc" | 43 || May 21 || Royals || 5–1 || Cook (1–0) || Reichert (2–5) || — || 15,593 || 26–17 || W3 |-style="background:#cfc" | 44 || May 22 || Royals || 7–6 || Weber (2–2) || May (0–2) || Percival (8) || 16,163 || 27–17 || W4 |-style="background:#fbb" | 45 || May 24 || Twins || 1–5 || Reed (5–2) || Ortiz (4–5) || — || 27,494 || 27–18 || L1 |-style="background:#cfc" | 46 || May 25 || Twins || 4–3 (13) || Levine (2–1) || Cressend (0–1) || — || 31,820 || 28–18 || W1 |-style="background:#fbb" | 47 || May 26 || Twins || 2–5 || Milton (7–3) || Appier (5–2) || Guardado (15) || 22,854 || 28–19 || L1 |-style="background:#fbb" | 48 || May 28 || @ Royals || 4–7 || Byrd (8–2) || Sele (4–3) || Hernández (8) || 11,773 || 28–20 || L2 |-style="background:#cfc" | 49 || May 29 || @ Royals || 12–2 || Ortiz (5–5) || Affeldt (1–2) || — || 13,662 || 29–20 || W1 |-style="background:#fbb" | 50 || May 30 || @ Twins || 6–7 (10) || Guardado (1–1) || Pote (0–1) || || 14,521 || 29–21 || L1 |-style="background:#cfc" | 51 || May 31 || @ Twins || 11–3 || Washburn (5–2) || Milton (7–4) || — || 17,101 || 30–21 || W1

|-style="background:#fbb" | 52 || June 1 || @ Twins || 2–4 || Lohse (5–3) || Appier (5–3) || Guardado (17) || 17,480 || 30–22 || L1 |-style="background:#cfc" | 53 || June 2 || @ Twins || 5–4 || Sele (5–3) || Kinney (1–5) || Percival (9) || 18,657 || 31–22 || W1 |-style="background:#cfc" | 54 || June 3 || Rangers || 5–2 || Ortiz (6–5) || Bell (2–2) || Percival (10) || 15,619 || 32–22 || W2 |-style="background:#cfc" | 55 || June 4 || Rangers || 3–0 || Schoeneweis (4–4) || Burba (3–3) || Percival (11) || 16,810 || 33–22 || W3 |-style="background:#cfc" | 56 || June 5 || Rangers || 7–5 (10) || Levine (3–1) || Irabu (2–5) || — || 15,301 || 34–22 || W4 |-style="background:#fbb" | 57 || June 6 || Rangers || 8–9 || Rogers (7–3) || Appier (5–4) || Telford (1) || 17,948 || 34–23 || L1 |-style="background:#cfc" | 58 || June 7 || Reds || 4–3 || Sele (6–3) || Reitsma (3–3) || Percival (12) || 35,341 || 35–23 || W1 |-style="background:#fbb" | 59 || June 8 || Reds || 3–4 || White (3–1) || Cook (1–1) || Graves (19) || 29,881 || 35–24 || L1 |-style="background:#cfc" | 60 || June 9 || Reds || 7–4 || Schoeneweis (5–4) || Hamilton (3–4) || Percival (13) || 35,501 || 36–24 || W1