6 LA Angels moves that did not work out as planned

The LA Angels unfortunately haven't had the most success recently, and the fans have been demanding more.

Front office blunders have arguably defined the biggest reason why.

And, many of the shortcomings from the front office have been rather recent. Some more recent than others, but a lot of them still sting today. Taking a look back at some of the biggest moves that failed was a tough write.

No. 6 LA Angels move that did not work out as planned: The J.T. Snow trade (1996)

In the 1996-1997 offseason, the LA Angels traded two-time Gold Glove first basemen J.T. Snow for a couple of pitchers in Allen Watson and Fausto Macey. Well, Macey ended up never pitching in the Bigs for the Angels and we parted ways with him after three years. Watson was terrible; recording a 5.28 ERA and 1.541 WHIP in his two seasons with the Halos.

As for Snow, he was a very solid ballplayer with the San Francisco Giants, winning four more Gold Gloves and hitting a .273/.369/.438 (.807 OPS) line. Not bad at all, and he ended up being a big contributor to the Giants' pennant run in 2002, which they won before they lost to our Angels in the World Series.

Snow certainly wasn't as good on the Angels, but there's no excuses. This one was a failure, and the front office needs to be held accountable for it. I mean, Watson was out here giving up 10.6 hits per nine innings...

No. 5 LA Angels move that did not work out as planned: The Mo Vaughn signing (1999)

The LA Angels thought they were getting an All-Star in Mo Vaugh when they signed him. And it made sense as to why they thought that was what they were getting, as he was an All-Star the season before for the Red Sox. Heck, he had even been an AL MVP with Boston.

Unfortunately, however, he regressed immediately with the Angels. In his two years with the Angels, he hit .276/.362/.503 (.865 OPS). In his ten with Boston, he hit .304/.394/.542 (.936 OPS).

He went from hitting 40 home runs and scoring 107 runs to averaging 34.5 home runs with the Halos and 78 runs with the club. And yes, despite being signed to a SIX-year/$80 million contract with the Angels, he lasted just two seasons with us.

He battled health and weight issues in his third year, forcing him to sit out. He was no longer an Angel after that. Similarly to many Angel free agent signings that start out with a lot of hype, Vaughn's Angels career ended up being ALL and only hype.

Hopefully Perry Minasian won't make any mistakes like this. (No pressure, Perry!)

No. 4 LA Angels move that did not work out as planned: Vernon Wells trade (2011)

Vernon Wells was a total bust for the LA Angels. Wells was acquired via trade with the Toronto Blue Jays so we at least didn't have to pay ALL of his seven-year/$126 million contract. We took on the last four, however, and he only played two with us.

And he was legitimately awful with us. He hit .222/.258/.409 (.667 OPS) in just 208 games, and totaled just 36 home runs, 95 RBIs, and 96 runs. We ended up having to pay most of his contract in his year with the Yankees after he played two seasons with us too.

It was a very horrible situation for us, and he didn't even finish the contract in the Big Leagues, but on the couch. His playing career finished after the 2013 season. Wells also didn't play the defense he did back in his prime.

We traded Juan Rivera and Mike Napoli for him. In Napoli's two years with the Rangers (until he returned later in his career), he hit .275/.379/.552 (.931 OPS) and was an All-Star in the second year (2012). He became very good very quickly, and we were stuck with Wells.

No. 3 LA Angels move that did not work out as planned: The Albert Pujols signing (2012)

The Albert Pujols-LA Angels signing is so tough to write about. There was so much hope regarding what bringing Pujols in would do for this franchise. Unfortunately, the 10-year/$240 million didn't pay off for the Halos.

Pujols hit just .256/.311/.447 (.758 OPS) with the Halos, which is sub-par for any hitter. Now, remember what he did with the Cardinals and it just becomes depressing. Pujols was a .328/.420/.617 (1.037 OPS) hitter with the Cards.

We were acquiring a top five right-handed hitter ever. How did this go so wrong? He hit less than half the home runs he did on the Cardinals with the Angels (222 as opposed to 445 with St. Louis).

He also didn't win Gold Gloves anymore. His defense regressed, and at the end of his career he had absolutely no range at first base. The Halos had to release him for his poor performance in the last year of his contract.

He was somewhat better with the Dodgers in 2021 than with the Angels in 2021, but he was still a well below-average player. It remains to be seen what happens with him for the future.

No. 1 LA Angels move that did not work out as planned: The Josh Hamilton signing (2012)

Josh Hamilton had a very disappointing couple years with the LA Angels.

Hamilton was supposed to play five years with the Halos, as he was signed to a five-year/$125 million deal. Only lasting two, Hamilton played just 240 games with the Angels (just 89 in his second year). Hamilton was another player who went from former MVP to a drastically different ballplayer with this club.

Hamilton posted a .255/.316/.426 (.741 OPS) line with the Angels immediately after being a top five AL MVP candidate and Silver Slugger. Hamilton didn't even play the last two years of his contract with any team, after he only played for the Rangers for just one season after his time with the Halos.

There were some uncontrollable factors at play here too, with drug addiction relapse and injuries taking their toll on Hamilton in his Angels career. It was a tough situation, and it didn't go either the way of the Angels or Hamilton.

This is one of many moves over the years that has set the Angels back recently. It's up to Arte Moreno and Minasian to get the job done moving forward, so that this team can contend while we have the two best players on the planet.