#10 DARIN ERSTAD - OF/1B (1996 - 2006)
Franchise Win Shares Rank: 8 (146 Regular Season Win Shares)
Post-2005 Season Top 100 Angels Ranking: 10 - Read our DARIN ERSTAD tribute there.
Darin Erstad played near-flawless defense and had a few outstanding offensive seasons before he was slowed by nagging injuries.
In the 2002 postseason he found that offensive spark again, with an OPS of .947 in the ALDS, .864 in the ALCS and .813 in the World Series. His solo homer in Game 6 of the World Series followed the legendary Spiezio HR but was no less dramatic and almost as instrumental in delivering that victory.
Erstad's legacy with the Angels rides along with that lone World Championship. If another ten years goes by without one, expect to find him hovering in the franchise Top 15. Put another ring on our fingers and he might precipitously cling to the far reaches of the Top 20. But for a mostly glorious decade, he was the team leader, the closest thing that the Angels have had to a "captain" since the 2nd half of Jim Fregosi's tenure.