Pujols, Hambone, Upton, and Rendon. Was Wells under Arte?
Yes Wells wa acquired in 2011 for Mike Napoli and Juan Rivera, worst trade of the Tony Reagins GM era. Arte bought the team in like 2003 after the WS year and went out and bought 2 quality FA pitchers in Bartolo Colon and Kelvim Escobar but also big bat Vladimir Guerrero in the 2003 off-season.
Colon didn't live up to the hype for the Angels.....sucked in 04 and only got 05 CY award cause of Wins meanwhile his teammate Lackey had a superior ERA and K rate(199Ks). To make matters worse Colon got injured in the first round of playoffs in 05 and cost the Angels a return to WS as they probably get thru Chicago cheaterSox with Colon in there. Colon was never the same for the Angels next season and got booed out of Anaheim in 07 by the Fans with how bad he stunk it up.
Escobar however when Healthy was a #2 pitcher who had great seasons in 07 and 06 and solid 04.
Another bad Artie signing was Gary Mathews Jr. Just because of one highlight reel HR stealing catch in the OF and a career year offensively with the Rangers,, GM Bill Stoneman sold artie on him and they signed him to a 5 year deal.
That bust of a signing led to Stoneman stepping down but remaining with the team.
I stand by that Stoneman was the best Angels GM ever. He ran the team during the Disney era when they won a WS championship and had great player development, scouting and farm systems.
He put together a winning roster, an elite bullpen, pitchers drafted/latin ufa signed like John Lackey, Jarrod Washburn, Jared Weaver, Frankie Rodriguez, Scot Shields, Ervin Santana.
They drafted a local boy 3B named Troy Glaus who would go on to win a WS MVP. Whom averaged 38HRs a year in his prime.
Solid trades like bringing in Figgins, Spiezio. Eckstein, Kennedy etc