Stingers didn't win much but helped ailing Angels

If minor-league success was measured solely by victories, the 2004 Salt Lake Stingers would have to be considered an abject failure.

The Stingers posted the worst record in franchise history, 56-88, and along the way broke or tied franchise records in numerous dubious categories.

But while the Stingers clearly were a statistical flop, they accomplished something that manager Mike Brumley — and, apparently, the rest of the Anaheim Angels organization —deems much more important. When the parent club needed players, it was able to turn to Salt Lake and get some help.

"In wins and losses we were miserable, but in development we were solid," Brumley said. "Our guys who went to Anaheim did a nice job for them. They fit in the system and they were ready to play."

Those guys included Robb Quinlan, the former PCL MVP who hit .344 while playing some first base, third base and DH; and Alfredo Amezaga, who hasn't hit much but has provided strong defense at three infield positions.

Brumley pointed out that a recent Angels' box score included six players who had played in Salt Lake sometime during the past two seasons.

That's not to say Brumley isn't disappointed with the way his team performed on the field. It's just that he realizes there were reasons for their struggles.

"Injuries and circumstances played a huge role, as far as wins and losses go," he said. "There were some abnormal, difficult numbers to deal with."

One difficult thing was the plethora of injuries suffered by the Angels and Stingers, which created a revolving-door situation in Salt Lake. The Stingers set a franchise record with 53 different players in uniform over the course of the season.

Another obstacle to a strong season was the fact Anaheim's organizational philosophy is to care a lot less about minor-league wins than about player development.

"Our whole philosophy is we're not spending money just to put a good team at triple-A," Brumley said.

That makes sense, but it can also make for a lopsided team, which is what the Stingers were. While strong in some areas, they were shaky on pitching and even shakier on defense, which made the pitchers look that much worse.

"The defensive shortcomings played a huge role," Brumley said. "I think it's worth 30 or 40 percentage points on your ERA just to have a centerfielder who can go and catch fly balls."