The best Angels player to wear number 4

After a difficult decision deciding who the best Los Angeles Angels player to wear number 3 was, deciding the best player to wear number 4 didn't require any research. I think you all know where this is headed.

No, it's not Andrew Velazquez. Although he might be one of the best defenders to ever wear the number 4 in club history. The answer is a player who should be an Angels Hall of Famer one day.

Bobby Grich is the best player to wear number 4 in Angels history.

Bobby Grich began his career as a Baltimore Oriole and was a star. He was a three-time all-star and a four-time Gold Glove Award winner. Grich could play any infield position but was primarily a second baseman. He signed with the Angels following the 1976 season and ended up being one of the best players in franchise history.

Grich would make three more all-star appearances as a member of the Angels and won a Silver Slugger as well.

Grich had two monster years offensively as an Angel. He slashed .294/.365/.537 with 30 home runs and 101 RBI in 1979. He was an all-star that season and finished eighth in the AL MVP balloting. That was his best full season in an Angels uniform.

Grich was on pace to top that in the 1981 strike-shortened season. He slashed .304/.378/.543 with 22 home runs and 61 RBI in just 100 games played. His 22 home runs led the league as did his 165 OPS+. He was an all-star and won his only Silver Slugger that season. He finished 14th in the MVP balloting for some reason.

The one knock you can have against Grich as an Angel was his disappointing playoff numbers. He hit just .192 with one home run in three different series during his Angels tenure. Those struggles shouldn't overshadow the outstanding numbers he had as an Angel.

Grich ranks fifth in bWAR, ninth in home runs, ninth in RBI, and seventh in OPS+ in Angels franchise history. He's in the top ten of most important offensive statistics and is in the top 20 in dWAR as well. Grich likely didn't do enough to have his number retired, but a call inviting him to the Angels Hall of Fame could be coming soon.