The Los Angeles Angels announced Friday that Garret Anderson, the franchise’s all-time leader in hits, RBI, games played, doubles, and just about every other offensive category that matters, died suddenly at the age of 53.
“The Angels organization is mourning the loss of one of our franchise’s most beloved icons,” Angels owner Arte Moreno said in a statement. “Garret was a cornerstone of our organization throughout his 15 seasons, and his stoic presence in the outfield and our clubhouse elevated the Angels into an era of continued success, highlighted by the 2002 World Series championship.”
After retiring, Anderson stayed with the organization and, somewhat unexpectedly, transitioned into broadcasting. He joined the Angels’ coverage on Fox Sports West in 2012 as a pre- and postgame analyst, which came as a surprise, given that longtime Angels beat writer Jeff Fletcher described him as “roughly as quotable as a foul pole” during his 17 seasons in the big leagues
“I’m not going to carry the show or anything,” Anderson told the Orange County Register at the time. “They’re just going to be asking my opinion. They want me to share my expertise. Hey, I’m not doing this with the idea of doing it for a living.”
Over the next decade-plus, Anderson became a regular on Angels broadcasts, working both studio shows and select games. He remained part of the team’s pre- and postgame coverage on FanDuel Sports Network West and was still expected to make regular appearances on Angels Live this season alongside Tim Salmon, according to the team’s media guide.
Our thoughts are with Anderson’s family — his wife Teresa and their children — during this difficult time.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.