ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Los Angeles Dodgers are in last place and bankrupt. The Angels are barely above break-even.
Looks as if that real Freeway Series will remain only a fantasy.
With their final interleague this evening in Anaheim, the wistful Dodgers' and Angels' faithful can dream about happier times.
As Hemingway's Jake Barnes said, "Isn't it pretty to think so?"
Here's a woulda-coulda-shoulda team -- a 25-man roster -- of players the Angels and Dodgers had on the hook but couldn't keep.
With them, oh what might have been ... well, except for that starting rotation:
Catchers
Russell Martin, Dodgers-New York Yankees -- Then: In five seasons as the Dodgers' everyday catcher, he batted .272 with 54 home runs and 300 runs batted in. He also won a Gold Glove and appeared in two All-Star games. Now: Replaced Jorge Posada in the Yankees' lineup and, though his batting average is low, is having a solid season.
Carlos Santana, Dodgers-Cleveland -- Then: A minor leaguer who was traded to the Indians as part of a deal for Casey Blake in 2008. Now: Only 25 and a switch hitter, Santana is one of the best young players in the American League. He hasn't hit much for average, but he plays solid defense and has 12 home runs.
Infielders
Adrian Beltre, Dodgers-Texas -- Then: In seven seasons with the Dodgers, he hit .274 with 147 homers and 510 RBIs. He hit an NL-best 48 homers in 2004, when he was runner-up as MVP. He signed with Seattle as a free agent after the 2004 season and won two Gold Glove awards with Mariners. With Boston in 2010, he hit .321 with 102 RBIs. Now: He has 14 homers and 61 RBIs for the Rangers.
Orlando Cabrera, Angels-Cleveland -- Then: The Angels' shortstop for three seasons, he batted .281 with 215 RBIs. He won a Gold Glove in 2007. Since his trade to the Chicago White Sox, he has also played for Oakland, Minnesota, Cincinnati and Cleveland. Now: He's having a solid season for the Indians, averaging about an RBI every other game while playing second, short and third.
Blake DeWitt, Dodgers-Chicago Cubs -- Then: In 230 games over three seasons with the Dodgers, he batted .262 with 86 RBIs. Now: Playing second, third and in the outfield for the Cubs, DeWitt's batting average has hovered around .270.
Adam Kennedy, Angels-Seattle -- Then: In seven seasons as an Angel, he batted .280 with 353 RBIs. He was the starter at second base on the club's 2002 World Series champion, and he hit three home runs against Minnesota in Game 5 of the ALCS, on his way to becoming MVP of that series. He signed with St. Louis as a free agent in 2006, and since then has also played for Oakland, Washington and Seattle. Now: He has at least temporarily rejuvenated his career, batting in the .260s for the popless Mariners.
Casey Kotchman, Angels-Tampa Bay -- Then: In five seasons with the Angels, he batted .274 with 31 home runs and 165 RBIs. He was traded to Atlanta in 2008 for Mark Teixeira. He also played for Boston and Seattle before joining Tampa Bay this season. Now: Still has little power, but he has hit well above .300 all season.
Paul Konerko, Dodgers-Chicago White Sox -- Then: He batted just .212 in 55 games with the Dodgers before he was traded to Cincinnati in 1998 for closer Jeff Shaw. Now: He has been with the White Sox since a very short stopover with the Reds. He's a four-time AL All-Star and was ALCS MVP in 2005, when the Sox won the World Series. This season, he's better than ever, with 21 home runs and more than 60 RBIs.
Mark Teixeira, Angels-New York Yankees -- Then: In what became a 54-game rental in 2008, he came over from Atlanta to hit .358 and drive in 43 runs before becoming a free agent and signing an eight-year, $180-million deal with the Yankees. Now: He has hit 96 home runs in 2 1/2 seasons with New York.
Ryan Theriot, Dodgers-St. Louis -- Then: In 54 games with the Dodgers last season, he batted .242 and played second base. Now: Having moved to shortstop, his average has been hovering between .280 and .300 for the Cardinals.
Outfielders
J.D. Drew, Dodgers-Boston -- Then: Signed by the Dodgers as a big-ticket free agent in 2004, he batted .284 with 35 home runs and 136 RBIs in two seasons -- the last marred by injuries. Now: With the Red Sox since signing as a free agent in 2006, he has been a consistent producer in the middle of the batting order.
Vladimir Guerrero, Angels-Baltimore -- Then: In six seasons in Anaheim, he batted .319 with 173 homers and 616 RBIs. In 2004, he was the AL MVP. In his only season with Texas, he hit .300 with 29 home runs and 115 RBIs, earning his ninth All-Star appearance and helping the Rangers to the World Series. Now: He's batting .280 with six homers for the Orioles.
Juan Pierre, Dodgers-Chicago White Sox -- Then: In 2007, he led the major leagues with 19 bunt hits, had the lowest strikeout percentage in the NL and was second in the league with 64 stolen bases. But then came Manny Ramirez and Pierre became an afterthought. In 2009, he was traded to the White Sox. Now: He's batting .262 with 11 stolen bases, having led the AL in steals last season with 68.
Shane Victorino, Dodgers-Philadelphia -- Then: The Dodgers drafted him in the sixth round in 1999, and in 2002 he was lost in the Rule 5 minor league draft to the Padres. Returned to the Dodgers the next year, he left via the Rule 5 draft again in 2004, this time to Philadelphia. Now: The "Flyin' Hawaiian" won NL Gold Glove awards in 2008, '09 and 2010 and was an All-Star in 2009. He has a .280 career average as a Phillie.
Jayson Werth, Dodgers-Washington -- Then: In 191 games over two seasons with the Dodgers, he hit .247. Bothered by a hand injury, he signed as a free agent with Philadelphia, where in four seasons with the Phillies he hit .282, scored 320 runs, hit 95 home runs and drove in 300. In 2009, he was an All-Star. Now: In his first season of a seven-year, $126-million contract with the Nationals, he's batting .223 with 10 home runs.
Starting pitchers
Edwin Jackson, Dodgers-Chicago White Sox -- Then: In 19 games over three seasons with the Dodgers, he was 6-4 with a 5.50 ERA. In 2006, he was traded to Tampa Bay, where he played three seasons. He then moved to Detroit and was an All-Star in 2009, when he finished 13-9 with a 3.62 ERA. Now: In his second season with the White Sox, he is 5-6 with a 4.24 ERA.
John Lackey, Angels-Boston -- Then: In eight seasons with the Angels, he was 102-71 with a 3.81 ERA. Though an All-Star in 2007, he is best remembered by Angels fans for winning Game 7 of the 2002 World Series as a rookie. Now: In two seasons with the Red Sox, he's 19-18 with a 4.99 ERA.
James McDonald, Dodgers-Pittsburgh -- Then: In 53 games over three seasons with the Dodgers, he was 5-6 with a 4.11 ERA before being traded to the Pirates in July of last year. Now: He is 5-4 with a 4.52 ERA.
Brad Penny, Dodgers-Detroit -- Then: In five seasons with the Dodgers, he was a two-time All-Star and had a record of 46-33 with a 4.07 ERA. Since signing as a free agent with Boston in 2008, he has also pitched for San Francisco and Detroit. Now: He is 5-6 with a 4.66 ERA in 16 starts for the Tigers.
Joe Saunders, Angels-Arizona -- Then: In six seasons with the Angels, he was 54-32 with a 4.29 ERA. In 2008, he was an All-Star and finished with a 17-7 record. Now: Since he was traded to Arizona last summer for Dan Haren, he is 7-14 with a 4.19 ERA in 29 games with the Diamondbacks.
Bullpen
Kevin Gregg, Angels-Baltimore -- Then: In four years with the Angels, he was 11-8 with a 4.31 ERA. He was traded to Florida in 2006 and had 61 saves in two seasons for the Marlins. Now: He had 23 saves for the Cubs in 2009, 37 for Toronto in 2010 and has 14 this season for the Orioles.
Joel Hanrahan, Dodgers-Pittsburgh -- Then: A second-round draft choice in 2000, the Dodgers lost him to free agency in 2006. Now: Perfect in save opportunities this season, the Pirates closer has 23 saves and a 1.21 ERA.
Darren O'Day, Angels-Texas -- Then: The Angels lost him to the Mets in the 2008 Rule 5 draft. Now: Claimed off waivers by the Rangers in 2009, he has become one of the most reliable middle relievers in baseball in the past two seasons. He's 8-4 with a 2.02 ERA as a Ranger.
Darren Oliver, Angels-Texas -- Then: In three seasons with the Angels, he was 15-3 with a 3.10 ERA. Now: Since joining the Rangers in 2010, he is 2-7 with a 2.44 ERA in 97 games.
Francisco Rodriguez, Angels-New York Mets -- Then: In seven seasons with the Angels, he had 208 saves, including a major league record of 62 in 2008. After that season, he signed as a free agent with the Mets. Now: "K-Rod" has racked up 80 saves in three seasons with the Mets, and made an All-Star appearance in 2009.
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