If you want to criticize the Angels for, apparently, failing to make the playoffs when they seem to have the talent to do so … well, feel free.

And a good place to start is in left field, where Vernon Wells — far too often — can be found.

If I were in Mike Scioscia’s office today, I would ask him this:

Why do you continue to play Vernon Wells?

Wells has been horrific — not just awful, horrific — from the moment the Angels acquired him, in that destructive trade that sent away Mike Napoli. Wells had the worst on-base percentage (.248) in the bigs last year among regulars players.

Some argued his season was one of the worst ever by a big-league outfielder.

He is slightly better this year (OBP, .280), but that is still 40 points below the American League average OBP — which includes banjo-hitting middle infielders and defense-first catchers.

I can’t say I was astonished to see Vernon Wells in left field when I was in Anaheim last month — I see the boxscores — but (having seen the boxscores) I certainly wondered why.

He is a drag on the offense, and he is not a good defensive player. And he plays a position, left field, where most teams expect significant production on the hitting side.

I know, I know. The Angels are on the hook for $21 million a year with this guy through the 2014 season, and the organization must feel some sense of hoping/praying he can become the player he was a decade ago, when he was good. And that’s why they keep running him out there.

Would they be better off just eating his contract and playing … anyone … in left field?

Could make that case.

Wells missed 58 consecutive games, beginning on May 21 and extending through July 27, and the Angels were 37-21 without him. Including an eight-game winning streak one day after he hit the DL (broken right thumb) and a five-gamer just before he came back.

Thus, the Angels are 44-48 this season with Vernon active … 37-21 with him on the DL.

I do not know Vernon Wells; the Angels acquired him 18 months after I left the country. But I have read that he is a cool guy, perhaps a little embarrassed that he is making $21 million when he no longer can play. That he is not being a jerk in the wake of his awful performances.

But that does not absolve the Angels (and Scioscia) from blame for playing a guy who is horrible.

Wouldn’t the club be better with Peter Bourjos playing in the outfield? Wouldn’t they be better off with whomever was playing left field at Triple-A?

Jerry Dipoto, the Angels general manager, said way back in March that Wells was their starting left fielder, and after another season of nearly nothing from Vernon Wells, we come back to the same question:

Why?