From the moment the Angels originally acquired Vernon Wells, fans knew it wouldn’t end pretty, so perhaps, in a small way, the trade that sent him to the Yankees provided a parting gift.
The transaction formalized the concerns fans expressed in local bars and sports talk shows that Wells was overpaid, and despite an All-Star appearance in the season preceding his arrival to Anaheim, on the decline. The fact that general manager Jerry DiPoto was able to save nearly $14 million on the back-end of Wells’ contract in trading him to New York was a minor miracle.