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,"[1] 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.[2]
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.
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.
The Anaheim Angels' 2002 spring training took place at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. The Angels spring training record was 17-15.
The 2002 Major League Baseball draft was held on June 4–5.
Note: Pos. = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
With their 10-5 win over the Texas Rangers on Monday, September 26, 2002, the Angels clinched their first (and only to date as of 2022) Wildcard berth. At this time, the Angels would be in the postseason for the first time since the 1986 season.
The 2002 American League Division Series featured the Wild Card winner Anaheim Angels and the AL East champion New York Yankees. The series began on October 1, 2002 with the Angels splitting the first two games at Yankee Stadium. The Angels then proceeded to win the next two games, earning their ticket to the ALCS and winning their first postseason series in franchise history, ending New York's bid for a fifth consecutive World Series appearance.
October 1, 2002 at Yankee Stadium (I) in Bronx, NY
October 2, 2002 at Yankee Stadium (I) in Bronx, NY
October 4, 2002 at Edison International Field of Anaheim in Anaheim, CA
October 5, 2002 at Edison International Field of Anaheim in Anaheim, CA
The 2002 American League Championship Series featured the Wild Card winner Anaheim Angels and the AL Central champion Minnesota Twins. The series began on October 8, 2002 with the Angels splitting the first two games at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. The Angels then went home where they won three straight at Edison Field to earn a spot in the 2002 World Series. Infielder Adam Kennedy was the ALCS MVP.
October 8, 2002 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis
October 9, 2002 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis
October 11, 2002 at Edison International Field of Anaheim in Anaheim, California
October 12, 2002 at Edison International Field of Anaheim in Anaheim, California
October 13, 2002 at Edison International Field of Anaheim in Anaheim, California
The 2002 World Series was the 98th edition of the Fall Classic, held from October 19–27, 2002. The series featured the American League champion Anaheim Angels defeating the National League champion San Francisco Giants, 4–3, to win the franchise's first ever World Series.
The series was notable as being the first time since the 1995 inception of the wild card in Major League Baseball that two wild card teams would vie for the title. It was also the fourth World Series played between two teams from California (after 1974, 1988, and 1989, when the Giants last went to the World Series), and the first such series to not include the Oakland Athletics. It was also the last Series to be played in a full seven games until 2011.
The series was played as a best-of-seven playoff with a 2–3–2 site format (standard in Major League Baseball). Barry Bonds of the Giants was almost elected World Series MVP before the Angels began their Game 6 comeback; the award would be presented the following night to Troy Glaus of the Angels for his role in that comeback. (Bobby Richardson of the 1960 New York Yankees remains the only World Series MVP from a losing team.)
October 19, 2002 at Edison International Field of Anaheim in Anaheim, CA
October 20, 2002 at Edison International Field of Anaheim in Anaheim, CA
Tuesday, October 22, 2002 at Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco
October 23, 2002 at Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco
Thursday, October 24, 2002 at Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco
October 26, 2002 at Edison International Field of Anaheim in Anaheim, CA
October 27, 2002 at Edison International Field of Anaheim in Anaheim, CA
The American League champion had home field advantage during the World Series.
Note: Major League Baseball's playoff format automatically seeds the Wild Card team 4th. Normally, the No. 1 seed plays the No. 4 seed in the Division Series. However, MLB does not allow the No. 1 seed to play the 4th seed/Wild Card winner in the Division Series if they are from the same division, instead having the No. 1 seed play the next lowest seed, the No. 3 seed.
2002 Anaheim Angels
Outfielders
Coaches
[10][11]
Local television
Local cable television
Local radio
Some radio games carried on KPLS–AM 830 because of broadcast conflict with the Los Angeles Lakers of the (NBA).