Don't sleep on the Los Angeles Angels

With the exception of the New York Mets, no team has been the subject of more punchlines this winter than the Los Angeles Angels. And while the Mets have given the world many reasons to be mocked, the ridicule directed toward the Halos is almost exclusively the result of their January trade for Vernon Wells and his exorbitant contract.

That acquisition set off a snarkfest across cyperspace that was extreme even by the standards of the baseball blogosphere, and the Angels' chance of contending in the AL West was quickly dismissed by many fans. But if there's one thing the Angels have shown over the past decade it's that you discount them at your own risk, as they consistently perform better than expected.

To read why the gap between the Angels, A's and Rangers in the AL West is not nearly as wide as many people think, including a justification for the Vernon Wells trade, you must be an ESPN Insider.

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