1978 California Angels season

Last updated

1978  California Angels
League American League
Division West
Ballpark Anaheim Stadium
City Anaheim, California
Owners Gene Autry
General managers Buzzie Bavasi
Managers Dave Garcia, Jim Fregosi
Television KTLA
Radio KMPC
(Dick Enberg, Don Drysdale, Al Wisk)
  1977 Seasons 1979  

The 1978 California Angels season involved the Angels finishing tied for second in the American League West with a record of 87 wins and 75 losses.

Contents

Late in the season, the Angels suffered the loss of outfielder Lyman Bostock when Bostock was murdered on September 23 in Gary, Indiana. [1]

This was the Angels' first winning season since 1970.

Offseason

Regular season

On May 12, Angels pitcher Nolan Ryan struck out Buddy Bell for the 2500th strikeout of his career. [8]

Season standings

AL West
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Kansas City Royals 9270.56856253645
Texas Rangers 8775.537552303545
California Angels 8775.537550313744
Minnesota Twins 7389.4511938433546
Chicago White Sox 7190.44120½38423348
Oakland Athletics 6993.4262338423151
Seattle Mariners 56104.3503532492455

Record vs. opponents


Sources:
TeamBALBOSCALCWSCLEDETKCMILMINNYYOAKSEATEXTOR
Baltimore 7–84–68–19–67–82–87–85–56–911–09–17–48–7
Boston 8–79–27–37–812–34–610–59–27–95–57–33–711–4
California 6–42–98–76–44–79–65–512–35–59–69–65–107–3
Chicago 1–83–77–88–22–98–74–78–71–97–87–811–44–6
Cleveland 6–98–74–62–85–105–65–105–56–94–68–11–910–4
Detroit 8–73–127–49–210–54–67–84–64–116–48–27–39–6
Kansas City 8–26–46–97–86–56–46–47–86–510–512–37–85–5
Milwaukee 8–75–105–57–410–58–74–64–710–59–15–56–412–3
Minnesota 5–52–93–127–85–56–48–77–43–79–66–96–96–4
New York 9–69–75–59–19–611–45–65–107–38–26–56–411–4
Oakland 0–115–56–98–76–44–65–101–96–92–813–26–97–4
Seattle 1–93–76–98–71–82–83–125–59–65–62–133–128–2
Texas 4–77–310–54–119–13–78–74–69–64–69–612–34–7
Toronto 7–84–113–76–44–106–95–53–124–64–114–72–87–4

Notable transactions

Roster

1978 California Angels
Roster
PitchersCatchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Other batters

Manager

Coaches

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

PosPlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
C Brian Downing 133412105.255746
1B Ron Jackson 105387115.297657
2B Bobby Grich 144487122.251642
SS Dave Chalk 135470119.253134
3B Carney Lansford 121453133.294852
LF Joe Rudi 133497127.2561779
CF Rick Miller 132475125.263137
RF Lyman Bostock 147568168.296571
DH Don Baylor 158591151.2553499

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

PlayerGABHAvg.HRRBI
Ken Landreaux 9326058.223523
Ron Fairly 9123551.2171040
Rance Mulliniks 5011922.18516
Terry Humphrey 5311425.21919
Jim Anderson 4810821.19407
Merv Rettenmund 5010829.269114
Tony Solaita 609421.223114
Danny Goodwin 245816.276210
Dave Machemer 10226.27312
Ike Hampton 19143.21414

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

PlayerGIPWLERASO
Frank Tanana 33239.018123.65137
Nolan Ryan 31234.210133.72260
Chris Knapp 30188.11484.21126
Don Aase 29178.21184.0393
Dave Frost 1180.1542.5830
John Caneira 27.2007.040

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

PlayerGIPWLERASO
Paul Hartzell 54157.06103.4455
Ken Brett 31100.0354.9543
Tom Griffin 2456.0344.0235
Al Fitzmorris 931.2101.718

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

PlayerGWLSVERASO
Dave LaRoche 59109252.8270
Dyar Miller 416212.6634
Mike Barlow 10004.501

Farm system

LevelTeamLeagueManager
AAA Salt Lake City Gulls Pacific Coast League Deron Johnson
AA El Paso Diablos Texas League Moose Stubing
A Salinas Packers California League Chuck Cottier
A Quad Cities Angels Midwest League Cotton Nash
Rookie Idaho Falls Angels Pioneer League Reuben Rodriguez

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: El Paso

Notes

  1. "Archives". Los Angeles Times .
  2. Lyman Bostock at Baseball-Reference
  3. Richard Dotson at Baseball-Reference
  4. Don Aase at Baseball-Reference
  5. Gary Nolan at Baseball-Reference
  6. Fred Kuhaulua at Baseball-Reference
  7. Merv Rettenmund at Baseball-Reference
  8. "The Nolan Ryan Express | The Strikeout King". smackbomb.com/nolanryan. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved July 28, 2008.
  9. Dave Engle at Baseball-Reference
  10. Dan Whitmer at Baseball-Reference

References