The 100 Greatest Angels: #18 Doug DeCinces

by Rev Halofan on Feb 10, 2006 12:51 AM PST in Top 100 Angels (2005)

#18 Doug DeCinces, 3B

Look, I'm a fan of Disco Dan Ford as much as the next guy, but the January 1982 trade of Dan to the Orioles for Doug DeCinces has to be one of the Top 5 trades in the history of Angel player swaps. Douglas Vernon DeCinces was 31 when he arrived in Anaheim and quickly established himself as the best thing to happen to the Hot Corner since Carney Lansford. His 6 years in Anaheim saw him play integral roles on two division champs and a third 90-win campaign.

Doug's Angel career Slug% of .463 is 6th all-time. His .798 OPS is 9th in franchise rankings for players with 2000 or more Plate Appearances under the Halo. His 130 Homeruns are 8th most by an Angel.

His monster 1982 season won over the Anaheim faithful, though, and it bears special examination: Doug's Slugging % in 1982 was .548, 7th best single season in Angels history. His 42 Doubles were then a club record and still rank 3rd most in an Angel single season (part of his 77XBh, 7th most sing.seas.). His OPS+ that year was 149 - 9th best. Only Vlad Guerrero in 2004 and 2005 had an OPS+ and Slugging% in the Angels single season Top Ten in a year the Angels made the postseason. There are individual accomplishments, and there are individual accomplishments that bring home the team bacon. On top of everything else, Doug played stellar defense (although Buddy Bell, George Brett and Gary Gaetti got the Gold Gloves all those years) and was a well-liked member of some teams that had a host of pretty big egos.

Here is The Chronicler (from the Chronicles of the Lads blog) on Doug:

If you ask fans in Baltimore, they might remember DeCinces for being Not Brooks Robinson.

However, I suspect that most people will just remember him for being a damn good player, and, at his best, a fantastic one. Just check out his 1982 season - the raw numbers don't look so amazing by our current standards, but it's an OPS+ of 149, which along with his solid defense contributed pretty heavily to that team's success. It was his first year as an Angel.

DeCinces is clearly the best Angel third baseman before Troy Glaus (chronologically), and the passing of that mantle is appropriate, as DeCinces represented Glaus when the Angels drafted him, as Glaus was dating his daughter at the time. Tim, Doug's son, was a teammate of Troy's at UCLA).

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whither Jeff Weaver?

is your source still cooking up a bowl of shit for all the haters?

it probably makes his kitchen smell bad, but something's gotta get the stench of the lies out of there.

by DoseOfReality on Feb 10, 2006 11:27 AM PST reply actions

TROLLS

Smells like OaklandTroll here folks, Settle trolls tend to be a little more sanctimonious, this one is a little, er, greeen would'nYaSay?

by Rev Halofan on Feb 10, 2006 11:44 AM PST up reply actions

BTW

what does this have to do with Doug DeCinces?

by Higz on Feb 10, 2006 12:07 PM PST up reply actions

Sense of entitlement

Oakland pisses away preseason predictions of greatness for second palce sadness, so no surprise their more classless fans love to piss on other peoples' projects. This guy is probably getting drunk this afternoon so he can call his kids FAILURES when they get home from school.

by Rev Halofan on Feb 10, 2006 12:21 PM PST up reply actions

to which they can respond:

"I learned it by watching you!!"

by Higz on Feb 10, 2006 12:42 PM PST up reply actions

colder, colder, colder.....

ice cold.

by DoseOfReality on Feb 10, 2006 1:12 PM PST reply actions

the Rev's source

Don't count out the Rev's source just yet. From today's papers:

'The Angels continue to dangle a short-term contract offer to Jeff Weaver, likely for one year and roughly $9million. But Stoneman said he would be content going to camp with veteran Hector Carrasco competing with minor-league pitchers, including Weaver's younger brother, Jered, for the fifth-starter job.

'"If we do it, then it happens. If we don't, we've got a good group of in-house guys," Stoneman said . . . .'

With a fourth/fifth starter of Jeff Weaver's ability, the Angels will give Oaktown and their fans a run for their money this year.

by G Abbes on Feb 10, 2006 3:46 PM PST reply actions

So,

fuck Doug DeDinces.

Exhibit A: snagging Jim Anderson's rocket in the game 4 of the playoffs in 1979 and turning it in to a double play, killing off all the "Yes We Can" chanting--it was eerie how quiet it got after that play--and the Angels hopes of taking it to a deciding game 5. With Nolan Ryan pitching. In the twilight.

Exhibit B: Game 5, 1986, against Boston. After the Henderson nightmare, the Angels tie the score and have a runner on third with less than two outs. I think it was Calvin Schiraldi, but whoever the Sox pitcher was, he's obviously shitting bricks nervous. So what do DeDinces do? Swings at the first pitch, pops out and the Sox survive and then go on to win.

Doug DeDinces is the real goat of that Game 5. Well, no, that'll always be Gene Mauch, but among the players, DeDinces is it.

Aren't bullshit stats like OPS+ and all that great for obscuring what really matters when sizing up a player?

by Jim @ Halos Heaven on Feb 10, 2006 9:37 PM PST reply actions