Angels fans have come to terms with the fact that the team’s first round pick, Taylor Ward, was drafted 26th overall just four days ago in the 2015 draft, according to a source. This news comes hot on the heels of the Angels actually signing the pick to the tune of $1.6 million, pending a physical examination. Ward batted .304/.413/.486 at Fresno State, with seven homers and is said to have a plus throwing arm, middling receiving skills and a bat that the Angels hope can hit lofty heights of the .250 avg range.
Speaking with Kayden Ryerson-Vogelsnap, a 21 year old college student whom Halos Heaven saw standing at a bus stop wearing Angels gear, we got the idea that most fans had yet to come to terms with Ward. "I mean, I saw them draft the guy. I kind of just put it out of my mind a bit. I guess he’s officially our guy now? I guess. Whatever."
Other fans weren’t so quick to agree that he’s now an Angel. "That guy? Nah. Really?", said Chuck Sipowitz, a Halos Heaven commenter who goes under the screen name NachoCheeseMothEater. "I’ll believe it when I see it, and if I DO see it, then you aint gettin’ a dollar more of my money, Arturo Moreno!".
The draft, held Monday evening, was an event most die-hard fans looked forward to with visions of landing another Mike Trout, so it was with great hesitation that they saw Ward, a consummate 5th rounder by all other accounts, go so high in the draft. We spoke with another fan today in the stadium’s team store, although he wished to remain anonymous. "Yeah, that was crazy. But still, they have to sign the kid". When told that the Angels had just announced that the deal was set, pending the physical, he began to nervously tug at a nearby David Freese jersey while averting eye contact for 10 minutes. After putting some smelling salts under his nose, his attention came back to the present, and he hesitantly accepted the news. "They did it. It’s done. I need to just accept it."