Strategy Against Bonds Is Given a Second Look

TEMPE, Ariz. -- After a winter of reflection, the Angels are convinced the defensive alignment they dared not use against Barry Bonds during the World Series might have been the best one after all.

The Angels wouldn’t say so at the time, but they considered a defensive alignment of four outfielders and three infielders against him. Bonds hits many more fly balls than ground balls, and he sprays fly balls all around the outfield, but the San Francisco Giants’ slugger rarely hits a ground ball to the left side.

So the Angels pondered vacating the left side of the infield and moving third baseman Troy Glaus and shortstop David Eckstein to the other side of second base. They would have shifted second baseman Adam Kennedy into left-center field, where he probably would have caught a double Bonds hit in Game 5.

“I think there are times when there’s an advantage to have four guys out there,” Angel outfield coach Ron Roenicke said. “If all your charts show the balls he hits are not into the area you vacate, why not?”

Said Kennedy: “I would have loved it. I’d have been calling off the center fielder to catch some balls.”

The Angels face Bonds and the Giants today. The Angels are well aware that the alignment might have turned one double into an out during the World Series -- but would have been useless against the four home runs he hit. “If he’s on, and he gets a good pitch to hit, he’s going to crush it,” bench coach Joe Maddon said. “You can’t defense what he’s able to crush.”

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Carlos Peralta has submitted an initial offer to purchase the Angels, but even a high bid might not be enough to persuade Disney to sell the team to the Mexican billionaire, a source familiar with the sale process said Friday.

Peralta’s wealth is not at issue; Forbes magazine last year estimated his net worth at $1.3 billion. However, his background includes a tax evasion charge, later settled, and a controversial $50-million payment to the brother of a former Mexican president, matters that would delay and could jeopardize his approval by major league owners. Disney prefers to sell as soon as possible.

Lehman Bros., the investment bank handling the sale, is believed to have received six initial bids, with a second round of bids due later this month. The group led by theater impresarios James and Robert Nederlander, considered a front-runner, is believed to have submitted a bid despite its preference to negotiate directly with Disney.

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Matt Wise, chasing Scott Schoeneweis and Mickey Callaway for the fifth starter’s job, pitched two shutout innings in a 6-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners. Oft-injured prospect Jeff DaVanon, competing for a bench job, hit a home run, drove in three runs and played all the outfield spots.