Rams legend Eric Dickerson took the mound at Angel Stadium on Wednesday night to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Angels faced the Yankees in Anaheim.
Celebration continues across Southern California after longtime Angels owner Arte Moreno agreed to sell the team Tuesday. The fans are getting a new leader in Stan Kroenke, a proven winner who also owns the Rams.
Speaking with MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger before taking the field, Dickerson offered a glowing review of Kroenke.
“Kind of quiet but a really good businessman as you can tell. But Stan likes winning. I can tell you that right now. He likes winning,” Dickerson said.
Dickerson, who serves as an ambassador for the Rams, also joked about the timing of his visit to Anaheim.
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“When I saw it, I was like, ‘I’m supposed to throw the first pitch out,’” he said.
Kroenke Sports & Entertainment agreed Tuesday to purchase a controlling interest in the Angels at a reported $4 billion valuation. The transaction is expected to close in early 2027, pending approval from Major League Baseball.
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The deal would end Moreno’s 23-year run as the Angels’ controlling owner.
Moreno purchased the team from Disney for $184 million in 2003, after the Angels won their first World Series.
The Angels enjoyed early success under Moreno, but the franchise has struggled for more than a decade. The team has endured 11 consecutive losing seasons, has not reached the postseason since 2014 and has not won a playoff game since 2009.
Kroenke inherits one of baseball’s most long-suffering fan bases, but his winning track record speaks for itself.
His sports empire features a Super Bowl with the Rams, an NBA title with the Nuggets, a Stanley Cup with the Avalanche and a Premier League title with Arsenal.
With a proven winner taking charge, Angels fans finally have reason to believe change is coming. On Tuesday night, years of “sell the team” chants gave way to a new refrain: “Goodbye, Arte.”
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