Darin Erstad was a player drafted with much fanfare, considered a can't miss star outfielder, and early in his career he was. 97 and 98 were both really solid years for him, a bad year in 99 was followed by a career year in 2000, hitting .355 with 25 homers, 100 rbi's and 240 hits with 28 steals and elite outfield defense.

After that his career went downhill, injuries were the biggest factor, never have we had a player that would lay his body on the line like he did.

He was a huge part of the 2002 championship team, easily the best defensive outfielder in the game. Even though his offense was falling off his defense always contributed to winning, but injuries ended up catching up to his D as well and he eventually moved on.

No doubt he was the heart and soul, along with Eck and Percival of the world series team.

It has become painfully obviously that the former number 1 prospect in all of baseball is never going to fully develop here.

6 years is simply, way to long for a "star" prospect to not make it, it's not all his fault, he certainly deserves a CHANCE to prove himself.

It just won't ever happen here.

If he can help us get Halladay, it's time to say goodbye.

Also the angels history of developing hitters this decade, has been to be blunt, poor. the infamous 2001 class of Kotchman, McPherson, and Mathis has essentially turned up 3 busts.

Now what's intersting, with Kotchman atleast is he showed ALOT of potential when he first came up, you could see the power potential to go along with the great eye but something happened, injuries? maybe, maybe not. Personally the proof is in the pudding...Mickey Hacker is a factor in him failing.

Dallas McPherson, another player who showed amazing power when he first came up, just got worse and worse, then was injured and he was gone.

Mathis, ok hes never shown much offensive upside.

Now take a look at the players that did well under Hacker, Figgins and who? Maybe Rivera? Kendrick? has gotten worse, again when he came up he showed outstanding upside.

What about Vlad? he's done nothing but get worse every year since he's arrived, part of that is getting old, but Hacker has never gotten him to be more selective.

So what i'm saying is, Wood is 24 he's losing his polish as a top prospect, odds are he may not pan out and i'd rather have a sure thing and hopefully one day this franchise sees it's inability to develop hitters and Hacker. It amazes me that a player that was as mediocre as Hacker who did nothing but swing at everything he saw, hang around for almost 10 years.

in that time period the Angels have fielded mostly mediocre offensive teams, some is personel, alot is philosophy. I like us being aggressive on the bases, but look what wins in the playoffs, the ability to manufacture AND blast homeruns.

In Summary, trade Wood++ whatever it takes to get Halladay and bank on our pitching in the playoffs, then in November fire Hacker or re-think how we develop hitters, the evidence is we don't do it well.

Tim Salmon should be number 1, and here's why

he's only the angels all time home run leader he only had two subpar seasons in his career, look at his OPS+

142

132

165

125

134

142

119

133

135

122

His career OPS Would be 900 if not for his last season which was poor.

Does Arte Moreno even know who this is? it's bad enough someone is wearing Percivals number which should be retired eventually......