Leon Wagner Traded, 1963; Angels Bottom 50 Moments #50

by Rev Halofan on Sep 18, 2011 9:34 PM PDT in Team Lore

I was going to wait for the offseason to start this series, but hey folks, why put off tomorrow what you can do today? Let's stick a fork in 2011 and relive the lousiest games, trades, tragedies, and blunders that have occurred in Angels franchise history.

Welcome to the saddest series in Halo Land... Our countdown of the Bottom Fifty Moments in Angels Franchise History. If a real fan loves their team win or lose, a real fan should be able to relive the negative in order to better enjoy the positive.

MY METHODOLOGY: Things that transpired count. Things that did not happen are forgiven. "Things" is defined by what it is not: Things are not ongoing time periods (beyond single games) such as whole seasons, compiled records or specific reigns by team personnel. So not trading Brandon Wood and Jeff Mathis for Roy Halladay does not factor into the countdown. Neither does not drafting Lou Whittaker (etc.) as every team passes on future greats so regularly that the science of scouting is certainly incriminated when 20th century drafts are examined closely (although if there were a Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan situation, please bring it to my attention), nor does Jackie Autry not signing Roger Clemens in the early 90s. So on that note...

#50 Leon Wagner Traded. Angels trade 9+ WAR.

Outfielder Leon Wagner was an All-Star for the Angels in each of his first three seasons which were also the team's first trio in existence. Ten days after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy saw the team trade "Daddy Wags" to the Cleveland Indians for pitcher Barry Latman and 1B Joe Adcock.

Wagner would hit 96 HRs in the following four seasons and amass just over 9 WAR with his bat. Latman was a wash. Adcock played over 300 games in three seasons for the Angels and amassed 5 WAR under the Halo, hitting 53 HRs. Wagner played in over 700 games, 457 of them in 64, 65 and 66.

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the angels were young and didnt know what they werent doing

Still no excuse but that gives you something to think about. I can’t finish the series because I go to bootcamp tomorrow so guys enjoy baseball for the remainer of the post season. And if we don’t make it I hope someone not named. Boston, Detroit, or new York wins the world series!

See you guys in 4 or so months!

Are you sure he was safe? It looked like an out to the entire statium. Well bad call Blue.

by Alavel on Sep 18, 2011 9:47 PM PDT via mobile reply actions

We should be right here when you get back

and hopefully Tony Reagins won’t!

by Rev Halofan on Sep 18, 2011 9:49 PM PDT up reply actions

The Chair Force has a "boot camp"?

All kidding aside, as an Army vet I salute your service and truly hope you make it through your enlistment safely so that you too will have the opportunity to bust some teenager’s balls on the internet someday.

All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz, and I'm fine.

by Quad Fin Rider on Sep 18, 2011 10:00 PM PDT up reply actions

haha chair force! i wish we still where! damn bush

Bush made us star

Are you sure he was safe? It looked like an out to the entire statium. Well bad call Blue.

by Alavel on Sep 18, 2011 11:29 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions

start to have an actual PT test in 2007

Are you sure he was safe? It looked like an out to the entire statium. Well bad call Blue.

by Alavel on Sep 18, 2011 11:30 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions

What branch of the military?

Whichever, best of luck to you.

by sothball on Sep 19, 2011 5:27 PM PDT up reply actions

I am not ready to call it quits on the season yet.

But this seems like a perfect series if we don’t make it. We will be able to see what could have been like this season.

There is still a chace until elimination.

by Angelsrthebest101 on Sep 18, 2011 9:51 PM PDT reply actions

How you gonna ditch Daddy Wags?

He sounds like a resident DJ at Low End Theory.

by Halowitz on Sep 18, 2011 10:49 PM PDT reply actions

I know what #1 is going to be.

A wise man does not need advice and a fool won't take it.

by angelslogic on Sep 19, 2011 12:16 AM PDT reply actions

you can bet

but you do not know

by Rev Halofan on Sep 19, 2011 12:48 AM PDT up reply actions

Okay, I'll modify my comment: I know what #1 should be.

A wise man does not need advice and a fool won't take it.

by angelslogic on Sep 19, 2011 4:12 AM PDT up reply actions

Do you want to take a Shot at it?

Make sure you don’t miss…………..

by Bozo's1000son on Sep 19, 2011 6:58 AM PDT up reply actions

The day Wally took the $$ from KC.

/nailed it

Captain, there are doubt's...

"It’s a good opportunity to show we have the strength to respond"

"C'est pourquoi quand je vais en enfer, un jour, il sera moins douloureux pour moi que vous, parce que je suis habitué à la souffrance."

- Arsene Wenger, 2011

by Match Day 5 on Sep 19, 2011 7:00 AM PDT up reply actions

That is a non-action

to NOT sign somebody cannot be quantified.

by Rev Halofan on Sep 19, 2011 10:54 AM PDT up reply actions

The day they offered Wally less money than he was able to get from KC

/fixed it
//still nailed it

Captain, there are doubt's...

"It’s a good opportunity to show we have the strength to respond"

"C'est pourquoi quand je vais en enfer, un jour, il sera moins douloureux pour moi que vous, parce que je suis habitué à la souffrance."

- Arsene Wenger, 2011

by Match Day 5 on Sep 20, 2011 7:49 AM PDT up reply actions

hmmmmmm

oh you had a good argument going until I got lost reading your pointless site-cluttering sig.

by Rev Halofan on Sep 20, 2011 9:51 AM PDT up reply actions

Yeah, I'm not comfortable with it either.

It’s a work in progress I guess. I’ll put up some FanPosts later to solicit ideas on what I should do about it.

Captain, there are doubt's...

"It’s a good opportunity to show we have the strength to respond"

"C'est pourquoi quand je vais en enfer, un jour, il sera moins douloureux pour moi que vous, parce que je suis habitué à la souffrance."

- Arsene Wenger, 2011

by Match Day 5 on Sep 20, 2011 10:12 AM PDT up reply actions

how about not have a sig altogether

I dare you to be man and let your posts stand alone, brave and bold.

by Rev Halofan on Sep 20, 2011 11:16 AM PDT up reply actions

I made an adjustment

I can’t fly without Mike Watt as my co-pilot though.

Captain, there are doubt's...

by Match Day 5 on Sep 20, 2011 1:36 PM PDT up reply actions

Doubts should not have an apostrophe.

If the Halos don't care about the way they play, then why should I?

by red floyd on Sep 20, 2011 2:02 PM PDT up reply actions

I don't speak french either.

Captain, there are doubt''s...

by Match Day 5 on Sep 20, 2011 6:52 PM PDT up reply actions

Dean Chance

"I have something 95 percent of all those All-Stars only wish they had: a World Series ring. If I had to choose between that and being an All-Star, it would be no contest. I’d grab the gold ring and never look back." -Tim Salmon

by BruinHalo on Sep 19, 2011 1:22 PM PDT up reply actions

Too blessed to guess

If the Halos don't care about the way they play, then why should I?

by red floyd on Sep 19, 2011 10:48 AM PDT up reply actions

That should definitely be highest ranking non-death on the list.

Arte Went Biblical sounded nice until it was clear it didn't involve sitting the twenty-three million dollar man.

by snowhor on Sep 19, 2011 11:41 AM PDT up reply actions

+1

by Unclearnie on Sep 19, 2011 1:00 PM PDT up reply actions

Me too. And it just happened this year.

Isn’t it exciting to be eyewitnesses to history?

by Seraphan on Sep 19, 2011 12:42 PM PDT up reply actions

So many to choose from

From the pure tragedy of Nick, Lyman and Moore to the one game playoff against Seattle to Dave Henderson to the Wells trade… this should be an interesting, depressing count down.

Thanks for ruining my offseason before it even begins.

by dmhead on Sep 19, 2011 10:45 AM PDT reply actions

Can we do a top 50 moments in parallel?

I hate to see dmhead depressed.

If the Halos don't care about the way they play, then why should I?

by red floyd on Sep 19, 2011 10:49 AM PDT up reply actions

All top 50

happened in 2002

by Rev Halofan on Sep 19, 2011 10:54 AM PDT up reply actions

October 2009.

If the Halos don't care about the way they play, then why should I?

by red floyd on Sep 19, 2011 11:10 AM PDT up reply actions

Thanks to too blessed to be stressed

all year I’ve been depressed…

by dmhead on Sep 19, 2011 11:01 AM PDT up reply actions

very happy to see this is a real list, thanks

So NOT pudding of Ryan, NOT signing granderson, beltre, crawford, etc

Where so you put 95 because it wasn’t just one game? Or even 86?

by Halos in DE on Sep 19, 2011 12:16 PM PDT via mobile reply actions

One game playoff against the Unit works for me

The narrative of the collapse can be built around that final game (and NOT around the injury to Disarcina, as many would have you believe).

Also, Granderson was never a free agent. And not signing Crawford is turning out to be a good thing (aside that it caused them to trade for Wells).

by dmhead on Sep 19, 2011 12:33 PM PDT up reply actions

Granderson is available?

by BruinHalo on Sep 19, 2011 1:21 PM PDT up reply actions

i guess you will just have to tune in each day this offseason

But if you want to go off and get PUDDING with Nolan Ryan, DE, that is your own business

by Rev Halofan on Sep 19, 2011 12:55 PM PDT up reply actions

horray auto fix

meant to say not putting on Ryan.

by Halos in DE on Sep 19, 2011 6:04 PM PDT up reply actions

you know why

I am on your typos forever

by Rev Halofan on Sep 19, 2011 6:25 PM PDT up reply actions

Awww..yeaaahh....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aharq3PFX54&feature=youtu.be

Captain, there are doubt's...

"It’s a good opportunity to show we have the strength to respond"

"C'est pourquoi quand je vais en enfer, un jour, il sera moins douloureux pour moi que vous, parce que je suis habitué à la souffrance."

- Arsene Wenger, 2011

by Match Day 5 on Sep 20, 2011 7:53 AM PDT up reply actions

Rev, thanks for remembering Daddy Wags

In those early years, he was the most exciting thing to come the Angels’ way (other than that ’64 performance by Dean Chance).

by Seraphan on Sep 19, 2011 12:40 PM PDT reply actions

Is hiring Tony in the top 5?

by Unclearnie on Sep 19, 2011 1:02 PM PDT reply actions

The obvious #1 is so much worse than anything else it should not even be part of a list.

V
E
R
N
O
N

deserves his own list, all by himself.

...on the road....

by Jack Kerouac on Sep 19, 2011 1:23 PM PDT reply actions

I hope Tony Reagins being a day late to the winter meetings when so many prime free agents

were up for grabs while other smart GM’s were working away to secure said free agents is a moment that does not fall by the wayside. Slow and steady did not win the race for our turtle-bodied GM this year and lead to the team making terrible choices out of desperation. Or should that be turd-bodied?

"It's our money," owner Arte Moreno said.

by 44FAN on Sep 19, 2011 2:17 PM PDT reply actions

Compromise to "turdle"...

…either way, the head still seems withdrawn and/or stuck in the anal end.

by sothball on Sep 19, 2011 5:36 PM PDT up reply actions

An early 60's evening...

…my Dad took the whole family to the airport to greet the Angels on their return from some successful road trip. I don’t know the year, the particular road trip, etc.

What I remember is the thought of going on some new great adventure. I recall my 2 older brothers were really excited by this idea of greeting their Angels as they disembarked from the plane.

After arriving at the airport, that youthful euphoria gave way to…youthful slumber. Yep, I fell asleep waiting for the plane. I was awakened – don’t remember how (was I sleeping in my mom’s lap?) – to the heroes strutting off of the plane. And then someone ( my 2nd oldest brother, Pete?) speaking in a tone that was a mix of hushed reverence and…well…youthful exuberance, “There’s Leon Wagner!”. And yup, there he was a well -built, well-proportioned man confidently walking past us, while shaking an occasional hand, smiling, and thanking people for their support.

Was it all a dream? I am not sure any longer. After they disembarked, I also seem to recall staring through the window at an airplane like a DC-3. And the ability of well-wishers – in the era long before hijackings and metal detectors, body searches, and exploding shoes – to go right up to the gate to greet (or to say adieu’s) to those embarking/disembarking from the plane. A different time, a different place.

by sothball on Sep 19, 2011 6:01 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs