What player acquisition had you most excited (when you first heard the announcement)

[Chuck]

Who is your choice?

Here's the rules of the poll.

Do not take into account how you felt after you heard the news, especially a season or more later.

This is purely on how you felt at the time of the announcement or at the presser. 

[Chuck]

This is such a tough poll because for most of these options I was PUMPED! 

[angelsnationtalk]

I'll always remember the "We Got Albert!" chants during the live press conference. 

[mmc]

Ohtani followed by Rendon because I didn’t follow the team at a level to really understand what something like this meant until 2013

[Angelsjunky]

Vlad. He was youngish (though less young than we later realized), an established beast, it was a good deal, and there were no real concerns.

Edited December 14, 2023 by Angelsjunky

[Chuck]

5 minutes ago, mmc said:

Ohtani followed by Rendon because I didn’t follow the team at a level to really understand what something like this meant until 2013

Damn, I forgot about Rendon and Hamilton. I was super excited for both if I'm being honest. 

It was a tough one for me between Pujols, Vlad and Tex. I say Mark Teixeira because at the time we made that trade in 2008 we had full steam ahead and were favorites even before the trade to go all the way. 

I choose Vlad. @Mrinsider called me late at night when I was in the hot tub drinking a cold beer with the news. This was before this website was created (that happened a few weeks later) and there was ZERO social media. I went nuts trying to contain my excitement and the next morning it still didn't seem real. 

[CaliAngel]

Pujols for sure. I even bought an Pujols Authentic Jersey. Then that first month of no homers made me think "oh my, we've made a huge mistake..."

Good thing that jersey didn't fit and I sent it back...

[Taylor]

Shohei was the only press conference I attended.

Shouldn't the Trout extension be included in this poll?

[Chuck]

3 minutes ago, CaliAngel said:

Pujols for sure. I even bought an Pujols Authentic Jersey. Then that first month of no homers made me think "oh my, we've made a huge mistake..."

Good thing that jersey didn't fit and I sent it back...

@CaliAngel were you on our old forum prior to me upgrading here? That Pujols thread almost broke the internet and our website. What a time to be alive. 

[Chuck]

1 minute ago, Taylor said:

Shohei was the only press conference I attended.

Shouldn't the Trout extension be included in this poll?

We didn't acquire him. He's always been with us. These are for players outside of our org that we acquired. 

[Chuck]

Reggie Jackson was another one, but I was 12 years old when we got him. 

Still, I was a HUGE Reggie fan and loved the Yankees growing up.

[Redondo]

Reggie Jackson for sure

[greginpsca]

Still remember being online when Vlad signed. Was crazy.

[Slegnaac]

@Chuck Fred Lynn 

[Chuck]

1 minute ago, Slegnaac said:

@Chuck Fred Lynn 

I'll add him. Thank you for the reminder!! 

[Chuck]

3 minutes ago, Slegnaac said:

@Chuck Fred Lynn 

Added Frank Robinson too. 

 

[T.G.]

What about Vernon Wells?

Seriously, Torii Hunter. He was already my favorite player and when I got the news he was coming to the Angels I was absolutely thrilled. Best Thanksgiving ever.

Pujols would be #2 and Vlad #3.

[James]

Vlad without a doubt. It was a big signing and most of us believed that we had a great owner and the future was bright. 

[Angelsfan1984]

It’s tough for sure. I was excited for vlad because he was great…but pujols was already a HOF and coming off multiple World Series titles. That was about as big as it gets. 

[Slegnaac]

Fred Lynn

So Cal guy

3 Gold Gloves

.300+ hitter 

I remember thinking now they got something. 

Losing Frank Tanana wasn't thrilling, but we got Lynn, wow.

[Slegnaac]

11 minutes ago, Chuck said:

Added Frank Robinson too. 

 

How about the California Angels original HOF guy, Bobby Grich?

[Erstad Grit]

Vlad and no one else is really that close.

Mo Vaughn probably next. Angels in the midst of a playoff drought (like now) yet had a very nice core. I was ready and pumped for the new MO-llennium. 

Although not on here, Bartolo Colon got me really hyped too. 

[Chuck]

18 minutes ago, T.G. said:

What about Vernon Wells?

I remember most of us at AW on our old website (forum) despised that trade because we lost Napoli. 

[Stradling]

I picked Albert.  
The most excited I’ve been were the Trout extension and the Weaver extension. 

[Dtwncbad]

Vladimir by a narrow margin.  Rendon was a close second.  He was my favorite NL player and an MVP level player. . . and suddenly he was an Angel!  That was exciting .