Only two days after the 2011 regular was completed, Tony Reagins stepped down from his position as general manager for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (of United States of America), as first reported by Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. Reagins will remain as a special assistant to club president Dennis Kuhl, reports Mike DiGiovonna of the Los Angeles Times.
While officially called a resignation, it appears owner Arte Moreno may have forced Reagins out:
"Though we finished 2011 with a winning record, we remained short of our objective in winning a championship," said Angels Owner Arte Moreno. "In moving forward, we felt a change was needed."
Reagins is infamously known as the man who traded catcher/designated hitter Mike Napoli and outfielder Juan Rivera for outfielder Vernon Wells' albatross of a contract. The Angels will be paying Wells $21 million annually for the next three years. While Reagins' legacy currently benefits from the trade that landed pitcher Dan Haren, the jury is still out.