Do Angels Have All the Answers?

Fifty-three questions to ponder (one for each victory) as the Angels attempt the unlikely: a second-half as good as the first.

1) Is this the sequel to “Damn Yankees?”

2) Was Minnesota Twins Manager Tom Kelly serious when he said the Angels were the team to beat in the American League West?

3) Has Kelly been reading too many of Gary Gaetti’s batting gloves?

4) If American League Manager Tony La Russa needed a left-hander to pitch to Von Hayes in the All-Star game, why didn’t he use Angel Chuck Finley rather than Milwaukee’s Dan Plesac?

5) What’s more important: complete games or keeping reliever Bryan Harvey sharp?

6) There hasn’t been an injury to a member of the Angel starting rotation yet, has there?

7) When does the Doug Rader Temper Tantrum Watch end?

8) Why do we get the feeling that the Aug. 21-Sept. 3 trip (Kansas City, Texas, Boston and New York) will make or break the Angels?

9) Is 1990 the year some major league team hires the other Lachemann (Hint: Marcel) as its manager?

10) How long can the Angels succeed with Wally Joyner as their cleanup hitter?

11) What’s more annoying at Angel games: beach balls, video instructions on when to clap or the sound of breaking glass every time a foul ball falls into the crowd?

12) Do you think Nolan Ryan regrets signing with the Texas Rangers?

13) If the Angels don’t fade like watercolors, does that mean Mike Port earns Executive of the Year honors?

14) Will all those who said Jim Abbott wasn’t ready for the majors please stand up?

15) Is this the place where I apologize for saying that Bert Blyleven wouldn’t make a difference?

16) If Rader can have his contract extended halfway through the season, why can’t Blyleven, whose agreement ends at the end of the year?

17) Is it too late to find a true leadoff hitter?

18) Will Skippy the Lobster be voted an honorary playoff share should the Angels make it that far?

19) Why won’t Port say the Angels went after Rickey Henderson?

20) Whatever happened to Mark McLemore?

21) Just a thought, but couldn’t the curators of the Angels Hall of Fame bend the rules a bit to include the jersey of Mr. Jimmie Reese, a keepsake if there has ever been one?

22) At what point will Harvey’s lack of consistent work catch up with the Angels?

23) Now that Bo Jackson has snapped a bat over his head, what will Chili Davis do next in response?

24) Does Mike Witt finally have his act together?

25) Can the Angels possibly end the season first in home runs and earned-run average?

26) Will shortstop Dick Schofield’s dismal batting average ever see the light of the .240s?

27) Can the Angels afford another losing streak like their first, when they dropped 11 out of 14?

28) Will reliever Greg Minton be able to give Rader 30 more appearances this season?

29) Does Tony Armas actually lead the team in batting average?

30) How is it possible that Jack Howell has nine more homers than Joyner?

31) What happens if the Rangers complete a rumored deal that has All-Star designated hitter Harold Baines leaving Chicago for Texas?

32) Did you know that the Angels led the division at the All-Star break in 1979, 1982 and 1986? And that in each of those three years they ended up winning the AL West?

33) Did you know that none of that means a single thing in 1989?

34) Do you think Bruce Hurst regrets signing with the San Diego Padres?

35) Which 1989 Angel baseball card do you think is worth the most on the collector’s market these days?

36) Did you say Abbott’s?

37) How is it that Angel pitchers have been selected for three of the past four All-Star games and not one of them has played?

38) Has anyone noticed that Angel left-handers have a 21-11 record this year, as opposed to 11-16 in 1988?

39) Can you believe that Abbott has a better record than Witt?

40) Why did the Brewers trade Bill Schroeder?

41) If Devon White’s batting average continues to slide, will the same thing happen to his place in the order?

42) Will Jim Eppard ever get to stay in Anaheim long enough to establish a mailing address?

43) Will someone remind me not to let the Angels’ Quad Cities affiliate book my hotel reservations?

44) Who has bigger arms, Brian Downing or Bo?

45) Is it possible to reduce the size of the Angel halo on the caps? It looks like a doughnut.

46) Why is it no one is talking about the Kansas City Royals?

47) Can it be true: The Angels don’t miss Bob Boone?

48) Do you think Gene Mauch regrets his decision not to return as Angel manager?

49) You know those miniature toy figures of major league baseball players that are the rage? Is it true the Jose Canseco model shows him signing a speeding ticket?

50) Did Ronald Reagan really say that Anaheim Stadium was the most beautiful ballpark in America?

51) Do you think Reagan might have forever cost his party the Republican precincts in the Fenway Park and Wrigley Field area?

52) Can we expect one more Angel trade before season’s end?

53) Is this where I’m allowed to amend my preseason prediction of an Angel fifth-place finish to third, behind the A’s and Rangers?