FANTASY FOCUS:Angels not fantasy friendly

If you’re in a fantasy baseball league, you have probably done it once, twice, or maybe even every year.

What is it? It’s the act of drafting someone because they play on your “real life” team.

In my league, there’s a Yankees fan who will, like clockwork, gobble up Alex Rodriguez, Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter and Jason Giambi in the early rounds. Well, maybe not all four of them every year, but you get the picture.

As a Dodgers fan, this season I decided to draft their center fielder (Juan Pierre), closer (Takashi Saito) and starting pitcher Derek Lowe. It’s not like they are scrubs, but maybe I took them a round or two earlier than they should have gone.

I’m guessing that many of you out there are Angels fans, as they’re the closest Major League Baseball team to our Newport-Mesa area, just a leisurely 10- or 15-minute drive away.

How many of you drafted Gary Matthews Jr., their prized free-agent acquisition in the off-season? How many of you used a late-round pick on Garret Anderson, who used to be good for 30 homers and 100 RBIs but now only a disabled-list stint seems assured?

If you did, you’ve probably been disappointed so far. These days, the Angels’ offense isn’t exactly a finely tuned machine, and you Angels fans know this better than anyone. They just aren’t scoring the runs.

Of their regulars, only big bad Vlad Guerrero is hitting better than .300. Coming into Thursday’s action, he was also the only player on pace to hit more than 10 homers this season.

The pitching has been better: Bartolo Colon is 3-0 since returning from the disabled list Still, it’s just always nice to have a big bat from your favorite team. That way, while watching the game, you can cheer for a guy to score for your “real life” team and your fantasy team.

In that regard, there may be help. Their names are Reggie Willits and Chone Figgins.

Angels fans know Figgins. First, it’s hard to forget a guy whose first name looks like the Spanish word for “underwear.” But he also has been valuable for the Angels by stealing a combined 114 bases over the last two years.

Figgins just came back from a hand injury in late April, and is hitting just better than .100. Figgins is probably owned in your league, but you could try to trade for him now because his value is so low. I think he’ll be back to scoring runs and stealing bases in no time.

A newer face is Willits, who has been filling in for Anderson in left field and batting leadoff. Although he has fewer than 100 at bats, he is batting well over .300 and can also steal a base (five so far this year).

If you have a spot open, you could do worse than Willits, at least until GA comes back.

So, if you’re bemoaning the lack of quality fantasy options that the Angels provide, there’s a couple of players who may make you smile if you go up to Anaheim and catch a game.

All I ask is that you tell owner Arte Moreno to give the Dodgers their “Los Angeles” name back.

If you have fantasy sports comments or questions, send me an e-mail at [email protected] and include your first name, last initial and hometown.

MATT SZABO may be reached at (714) 966-4614.