1985 California Angels season

The 1985 California Angels season involved the Angels taking second place in the American League West with a 90–72 record, finishing one game behind the eventual World Series champions, the Kansas City Royals.

1985 California Angels
League	American League
Division	West
Ballpark	Anaheim Stadium
City	Anaheim, California
Owners	Gene Autry
General managers	Mike Port
Managers	Gene Mauch
Television	KTLA (Joe Torre, Bob Starr) SelecTV USA
Radio	KMPC (Ron Fairly, Dick Enberg, Al Conin) KLVE (Cookie Rojas, Ulpiano Cos Villa)
← 1984 Seasons 1986 →

Offseason

• November 7, 1984: Ellis Valentine was released by the Angels.^[1]
• January 11, 1985: Rob Picciolo was released by the California Angels.^[2]
• January 30, 1985: Ruppert Jones was signed as a free agent with the California Angels.^[3]
• March 31, 1985: Bill Mooneyham was released by the Angels.^[4]

Regular season

• October 6, 1985: Rufino Linares hit a home run in the last at-bat of his career.^[5]

Season standings

• v
• t
• e

AL West

Team	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
Kansas City Royals	91	71	.562	—	50‍–‍32	41‍–‍39
California Angels	90	72	.556	1	49‍–‍30	41‍–‍42
Chicago White Sox	85	77	.525	6	45‍–‍36	40‍–‍41
Minnesota Twins	77	85	.475	14	49‍–‍35	28‍–‍50
Oakland Athletics	77	85	.475	14	43‍–‍36	34‍–‍49
Seattle Mariners	74	88	.457	17	42‍–‍41	32‍–‍47
Texas Rangers	62	99	.385	28½	37‍–‍43	25‍–‍56

Record vs. opponents

1985 American League record v t e Sources:
Team	BAL	BOS	CAL	CWS	CLE	DET	KC	MIL	MIN	NYY	OAK	SEA	TEX	TOR
Baltimore	—	5–8	7–5	8–4	8–5	6–7	6–6	9–4	6–6	1–12	7–5	6–6	10–2	4–8
Boston	8–5	—	5–7	4–8–1	8–5	6–7	5–7	5–8	7–5	5–8	8–4	6–6	5–7	9–4
California	5–7	7–5	—	8–5	8–4	8–4	4–9	9–3	9–4	3–9	6–7	9–4	9–4	5–7
Chicago	4–8	8–4–1	5–8	—	10–2	6–6	5–8	5–7	6–7	6–6	8–5	9–4	10–3	3–9
Cleveland	5–8	5–8	4–8	2–10	—	5–8	2–10	7–6	4–8	6–7	3–9	6–6	7–5	4–9
Detroit	7–6	7–6	4–8	6–6	8–5	—	5–7	9–4	3–9	9–3	8–4	5–7	7–5	6–7
Kansas City	6–6	7–5	9–4	8–5	10–2	7–5	—	8–4	7–6	5–7	8–5	3–10	6–7	7–5
Milwaukee	4–9	8–5	3–9	7–5	6–7	4–9	4–8	—	9–3	7–6	3–9	4–8	8–3	4–9
Minnesota	6–6	5–7	4–9	7–6	8–4	9–3	6–7	3–9	—	3–9	8–5	6–7	8–5	4–8
New York	12–1	8–5	9–3	6–6	7–6	3–9	7–5	6–7	9–3	—	7–5	9–3	8–4	6–7
Oakland	5–7	4–8	7–6	5–8	9–3	4–8	5–8	9–3	5–8	5–7	—	8–5	6–7	5–7
Seattle	6–6	6–6	4–9	4–9	6–6	7–5	10–3	8–4	7–6	3–9	5–8	—	6–7	2–10
Texas	2–10	7–5	4–9	3–10	5–7	5–7	7–6	3–8	5–8	4–8	7–6	7–6	—	3–9
Toronto	8–4	4–9	7–5	9–3	9–4	7–6	5–7	9–4	8–4	7–6	7–5	10–2	9–3	—

Notable transactions

• June 3, 1985: Bo Jackson was drafted by the Angels in the 20th round of the 1985 amateur draft, but did not sign.^[6]
• June 19, 1985: Tommy John was released by the Angels.^[7]
• August 2, 1985: Pat Clements, Mike Brown and a player to be named later were traded by the Angels to the Pittsburgh Pirates for John Candelaria, George Hendrick and Al Holland. The Angels completed the deal by sending Bob Kipper to the Pirates on August 16.^[8]
• September 10, 1985: The Angels traded players to be named later to the Oakland Athletics for Don Sutton. The Angels completed the deal by sending Robert Sharpnack (minors) and Jerome Nelson (minors) to the Athletics on September 25.^[9]

Roster

1985 California Angels
Roster
Pitchers 45 John Candelaria 27 Pat Clements 33 Stew Cliburn 23 Doug Corbett 46 Alan Fowlkes 19 Al Holland 25 Tommy John 36 Bob Kipper 18 Urbano Lugo 17 Tony Mack 15 Kirk McCaskill 37 Donnie Moore 10 Ron Romanick 40 Luis Sánchez 41 Jim Slaton 35 Dave Smith 27 Don Sutton 39 Mike Witt 38 Geoff Zahn		Catchers  8 Bob Boone 34 Jerry Narron Infielders 29 Rod Carew 11 Doug DeCinces  2 Craig Gerber  4 Bobby Grich 16 Jack Howell 36 Pat Keedy 56 Gus Polidor 22 Dick Schofield  9 Rob Wilfong		Outfielders 12 Juan Beníquez 21 Mike Brown  5 Brian Downing 25 George Hendrick 44 Reggie Jackson 13 Ruppert Jones 32 Darrell Miller 20 Gary Pettis 30 Devon White Other batters 24 Rufino Linares  6 Daryl Sconiers		Manager  3 Gene Mauch Coaches 49 Bob Clear  1 Bobby Knoop 51 Marcel Lachemann 50 Jimmie Reese 47 Moose Stubing

Game log

Regular season

1985 regular season game log: 90–72 (Home: 49–30; Away: 41–42)
April: 14–7 (Home: 6–5; Away: 8–2) # Date Time (PT) Opponent Score Win Loss Save Time of Game Attendance Record Box/ Streak
May: 12–13 (Home: 8–7; Away: 4–6) # Date Time (PT) Opponent Score Win Loss Save Time of Game Attendance Record Box/ Streak 22 May 1 7:30 p.m. PDT Blue Jays L 3–6 Key (1–2) McCaskill (0–1) – 2:34 24,112 14–8 L1 23 May 2 7:30 p.m. PDT Blue Jays W 3–2 Clements (2–0) Stieb (1–3) – 2:45 23,824 15–8 W1 32 May 14 4:35 p.m. PDT @ Blue Jays L 3–6 Alexander (5–1) Slaton (3–2) Caudill (7) 2:42 22,445 19–13 L2 33 May 15 4:35 p.m. PDT @ Blue Jays W 9–6 Moore (2–1) Caudill (4–3) – 3:00 18,119 20–13 LW1 34 May 17 7:30 p.m. PDT Yankees L 0–6 Niekro (5–2) Witt (2–4) – 2:40 61,066 20–14 L1 35 May 18 12:20 p.m. PDT Yankees L 1–6 Cowley (2–2) John (2–3) Fisher (1) 2:48 32,936 20–15 L2 36 May 19 1:00 p.m. PDT Yankees W 4–1 Slaton (4–2) Whitson (1–5) Moore (9) 2:29 39,724 21–15 W1 37 May 20 Tigers 38 May 21 Tigers 39 May 22 Tigers 44 May 29 5:00 p.m. PDT @ Yankees L 2–7 Niekro (6–3) Slaton (4–3) – 2:30 25,049 25–19 L2 45 May 30 5:00 p.m. PDT @ Yankees L 1–3 Cowley (4–2) Romanick (6–2) Righetti (10) 2:09 17,226 25–20 L3 46 May 31 @ Tigers
June: 15–12 (Home: 7–6; Away: 8–6) # Date Time (PT) Opponent Score Win Loss Save Time of Game Attendance Record Box/ Streak 47 June 1 @ Tigers 48 June 2 @ Tigers 52 June 7 7:30 p.m. PDT Royals L 0–6 Saberhagen (6–3) Witt (3–6) – 2:26 29,414 28–24 L2 53 June 8 7:00 p.m. PDT Royals L 1–4 Gubicza (2–4) Slaton (4–4) Quisenberry (11) 2:19 46,393 28–25 L3 54 June 9 1:00 p.m. PDT Royals W 1–0 Romanick (7–2) Jackson (4–3) Moore (12) 2:04 41,973 29–25 W1 58 June 13 White Sox 59 June 14 White Sox 60 June 15 White Sox 61 June 16 White Sox 65 June 21 @ White Sox 66 June 22 @ White Sox 67 June 23 @ White Sox 71 June 28 5:35 p.m. PDT @ Royals L 4–5 (14) Quisenberry (4–4) Corbett (2–1) – 4:50 32,651 40–31 L1 72 June 29 5:35 p.m. PDT @ Royals W 7–1 Lugo (3–1) Black (5–8) – 2:46 39,451 41–31 W1 73 June 30 11:35 a.m. PDT @ Royals L 1–3 Gubicza (6–4) Romanick (8–4) Quisenberry (14) 2:23 33,173 41–32 L1
July: 16–11 (Home: 9–2; Away: 7–9) # Date Time (PT) Opponent Score Win Loss Save Time of Game Attendance Record Box/ Streak 84 July 11 7:30 p.m. PDT Blue Jays L 3–5 Alexander (8–6) Slaton (4–8) Lavelle (4) 2:49 31,672 49–35 L1 85 July 12 7:30 p.m. PDT Blue Jays W 5–3 McCaskill (5–5) Key (7–4) Moore (17) 2:43 35,870 50–35 W1 86 July 13 7:00 p.m. PDT Blue Jays W 4–3 Witt (7–6) Lavelle (3–3) – 2:55 42,054 51–35 W2 87 July 14 1:00 p.m. PDT Blue Jays W 5–3 Cliburn (4–2) Lavelle (3–4) – 2:53 35,306 52–35 W3 56th All-Star Game in Minneapolis, MN 95 July 25 4:35 p.m. PDT @ Blue Jays L 0–7 Stieb (10–6) Witt (8–7) – 2:28 32,083 56–39 L1 96 July 26 4:35 p.m. PDT @ Blue Jays L 3–8 Clancy (7–4) Lugo (3–3) – 2:36 31,294 56–40 L2 97 July 27 10:35 a.m. PDT @ Blue Jays L 3–8 Filer (2–0) Mack (0–1) Acker (10) 2:38 44,116 56–41 L3 98 July 28 10:35 a.m. PDT @ Blue Jays L 1–5 Alexander (10–6) McCaskill (6–7) – 2:28 36,190 56–42 L4
August: 16–13 (Home: 11–5; Away: 5–8) # Date Time (PT) Opponent Score Win Loss Save Time of Game Attendance Record Box/ Streak 119 August 20 7:30 p.m. PDT Yankees L 5–8 Bordi (4–4) Slaton (5–10) Righetti (23) 3:04 38,791 68–51 L1 120 August 21 7:30 p.m. PDT Yankees L 10–13 (10) Righetti (10–7) Moore (7–7) – 4:01 40,363 68–52 L2 121 August 22 7:30 p.m. PDT Yankees W 3–2 Witt (11–7) Bordi (4–5) – 3:23 44,796 69–52 W1 122 August 23 Tigers 123 August 24 Tigers 124 August 25 Tigers 127 August 29 5:00 p.m. PDT @ Yankees L 0–4 Niekro (13–9) McCaskill (9–9) – 2:43 32,169 72–55 L1 128 August 30 5:00 p.m. PDT @ Yankees W 4–1 Candelaria (3–1) Bystrom (3–2) Moore (24) 3:09 22,256 73–55 W1 129 August 31 10:20 a.m. PDT @ Yankees L 4–10 Righetti (11–7) Corbett (2–2) – 3:04 26,991 73–56 L1
September: 14–13 (Home: 8–5; Away: 6–8) # Date Time (PT) Opponent Score Win Loss Save Time of Game Attendance Record Box/ Streak 130 September 1 11:00 a.m. EDT @ Yankees L 3–5 Shirley (4–4) Holland (0–1) Fisher (10) 3:06 33,080 73–57 L2 131 September 2 @ Tigers 132 September 3 @ Tigers 133 September 4 @ Tigers 137 September 9 7:30 p.m. PDT Royals W 7–1 Candelaria (5–1) Saberhagen (17–6) – 1:57 29,688 77–60 W2 138 September 10 7:30 p.m. PDT Royals L 0–6 Leibrandt (15–7) McCaskill (9–11) – 2:12 37,813 77–61 L1 139 September 11 7:30 p.m. PDT Royals L 1–2 Jackson (13–9) Romanick (13–8) Quisenberry (33) 2:41 32,906 77–62 L2 144 September 17 @ White Sox 145 September 18 @ White Sox 146 September 19 @ White Sox 150 September 23 White Sox 151 September 24 White Sox 152 September 25 White Sox 156 September 30 5:35 p.m. PDT @ Royals L 1–3 Saberhagen (20–6) Candelaria (6–3) – 2:09 34,200 87–69 L1
October: 3–3 (Home: 0–0; Away: 3–3) # Date Time (ET) Opponent Score Win Loss Save Time of Game Attendance Record Box/ Streak 157 October 1 5:35 p.m. PDT @ Royals W 4–2 Witt (14–9) Leibrandt (17–9) Moore (30) 2:36 26,273 88–69 W1 158 October 2 5:35 p.m. PDT @ Royals L 0–4 Black (10–15) Romanick (14–9) – 2:08 28,401 88–70 L1 159 October 3 5:35 p.m. PDT @ Royals L 1–4 Jackson (14–12) Sutton (15–10) Quisenberry (36) 2:24 40,894 88–71 L2
Legend:        = Win        = Loss        = Postponement Bold = Angels team member

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos	Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
C	Bob Boone	150	460	114	.248	5	55
1B	Rod Carew	127	443	124	.280	2	39
2B	Bobby Grich	144	479	116	.242	13	53
SS	Dick Schofield	147	438	96	.219	8	41
3B	Doug DeCinces	120	427	104	.244	20	78
LF	Brian Downing	150	520	137	.263	20	85
CF	Gary Pettis	125	443	114	.257	1	32
RF	Reggie Jackson	143	460	116	.252	27	85
DH	Ruppert Jones	125	389	90	.231	21	67

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
Juan Beníquez	132	411	125	.304	8	42
Rob Wilfong	83	217	41	.189	4	13
Mike Brown	60	153	41	.268	4	20
Jack Howell	43	137	27	.197	5	18
Jerry Narron	67	132	29	.220	5	14
Daryl Sconiers	44	98	28	.286	2	12
Craig Stuart Gerber	65	91	24	.264	0	6
Darrell Miller	51	48	18	.375	2	7
Rufino Linares	18	43	11	.256	3	11
George Hendrick	16	41	5	.122	2	6
Devon White	21	7	1	.143	0	0
Pat Keedy	3	4	2	.500	1	1
Gus Polidor	2	1	1	1.000	0	0

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
Mike Witt	35	250.0	15	9	3.56	180
Ron Romanick	31	195.0	14	9	4.11	64
Kirk McCaskill	30	189.2	12	12	4.70	102
Jim Slaton	29	148.1	6	10	4.37	60
John Candelaria	13	71.0	7	3	3.80	53
Geoff Zahn	7	37.0	2	2	4.38	14
Don Sutton	5	31.2	2	2	3.69	16
Tony Mack	1	2.1	0	1	15.43	0

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
Urbano Lugo	20	83.0	3	4	3.69	42
Tommy John	12	38.1	2	4	4.70	17
Bob Kipper	2	3.1	0	1	21.60	0

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	W	L	SV	ERA	SO
Donnie Moore	65	8	8	31	1.92	72
Stew Cliburn	44	9	3	6	2.09	48
Pat Clements	41	5	0	1	3.34	19
Doug Corbett	30	3	3	0	4.89	24
Luis Sánchez	26	2	0	2	5.72	34
Al Holland	15	0	1	0	1.48	14
Dave Smith	4	0	0	0	7.20	3
Alan Fowlkes	2	0	0	0	9.00	5

Farm system

See also: Minor League Baseball

Level	Team	League	Manager
AAA	Edmonton Trappers	Pacific Coast League	Winston Llenas
AA	Midland Angels	Texas League	Joe Maddon
A	Redwood Pioneers	California League	Tom Kotchman
A	Quad Cities Angels	Midwest League	Bill Lachemann
A-Short Season	Salem Angels	Northwest League	Bruce Hines

References

1. Ellis Valentine at Baseball Reference
2. "Rob Picciolo Stats".
3. "Ruppert Jones Stats".
4. Bill Mooneyham at Baseball Reference
5. Home Run in Last At Bat by Baseball Almanac
6. Bo Jackson at Baseball Reference
7. Tommy John at Baseball Reference
8. John Candelaria at Baseball Reference
9. Don Sutton at Baseball Reference

• 1985 California Angels at Baseball Reference
• 1985 California Angels at Baseball Almanac
• Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (1997). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (2nd ed.). Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America. ISBN 978-0-9637189-8-3.

Preceded by 1984	California Angels seasons 1985	Succeeded by 1986