In hindsight, we can all say that building an offense around Mickey Rivers and the belief in the stolen base and running game over walks and power was not probably a bad idea but a terrible idea. But, like the belief in 1975 that all-natural cocaine was good for you ... EVERYONE was doing it! Bill James had yet to publish his stripping bare of the notion that privileging unslumping speed centered on batting average as an offensive strategy was a recipe for 72 Wins, tops.

Earl Weaver had hunches, everyone else had speedsters and Mickey Rivers was OUR very good Centerfielder who set the single season franchise mark of 70 Stolen Bases in 1975.

The problem - or perhaps better yet THE PROOF that speed is not the end all be all offensive weapon... Rivers scored exactly 70 Runs that season. He is 4th all-time in Angel Triples (and has the highest rate of Triples per AB of any Angel by far) with 32 and 6th all time Stolen Base franchise leader with 126.

Mickey Rivers was traded (along with Ed Figueroa) to the Yankees for Bobby Bonds and helped the 77 and 78 Yankee teams win the World Championship.

CAREER STATS