The Globe and Mail reports that the Toronto Blue Jays have made a formal contract offer to outfielder Vernon Wells.
According to another report on Yahoo!, it is a seven year deal worth $126 million US. If signed, the contract would be the sixth-richest in baseball history, behind only Alex Rodriguez ($252 million), Derek Jeter ($189 million), Manny Ramirez ($160 million), Todd Helton ($141.5 million) and Alfonso Soriano ($136 million).
Just a freeking insane amount of money, and to be honest, Wells isn't worth it. He doesn't make others around him better, players around him make him better. When Glaus went on a slump, so too did Wells. Now with Glaus and Thomas in the mix, Wells should have a monster year comming up, but if either of the aformentioned players goes into a slump, expect Wells to as well. 126 mil is super-star money, Wells is a great player, but I wouldn't tag him with super-star just yet.
Wow. The 6th richest contract for a guy who was about the 30th best player in baseball last year. I'm not thrilled with JP, and am not the guy's biggest fan.
Threw gobs of money at his pitchers last year, signed Frank a year too late for way too much money, and now appears to want to overpay Wells also.
While the contract amount is insane and I think it is a large overpayment, I am glad to see the Blue Jays spending money.
Always being in the same division as the Yanks and Sox, they are used to playing going elsewhere for more money...
While the Thomas contract may be a little high, I think Wells can only improve. He isn't one of baseballs elite, but it would be great to see him in Toronto for another 7 years.
I wish they did this a few years ago and kept Delgado
While the contract amount is insane and I think it is a large overpayment, I am glad to see the Blue Jays spending money.
Always being in the same division as the Yanks and Sox, they are used to playing going elsewhere for more money...
While the Thomas contract may be a little high, I think Wells can only improve. He isn't one of baseballs elite, but it would be great to see him in Toronto for another 7 years.
I wish they did this a few years ago and kept Delgado
Fair enough, I get where you're coming from. My disagreement is, if you're going to pay that kind of money you pay it for the guy that IS elite, not the guy you hope will be some day. THAT is the chief difference between the Jays and Yankees: the Yankees are overpaying the right guys, while the Jays aren't getting the proper amount of return for their money.
So far, in Wells' career he has been:
Percent Over Average
2002: +0% (league average)
2003: +31%
2004: +3%
2005: +4%
2006: +26%
Average over that period: +12.*%
Now that's pretty good. The big problem is that they're talking about paying him Manny Ramirez-type money, when Manny has been +65% better than a league average hitter. Nobody could make up that kind of difference with their glove. Nobody. Not Mays, Speaker, DiMaggio( Joe or Dom), Griffey, Flood. Maddox, Blair. Certainly not Vernon Wells.
And yes: I badly wanted the club to keep Delgado. :(
Yeah but isn't Wells a two-time golden glove winner... at centre field? I mean that is a heavily contested postion and he has been the American league's best two times, that is impressive and a necessity for success.
__________________
Just say no to Pugs
Paid and brought to you by the Don't Ban Burnsy and Liam my Beautiful Lover Commission
Wear this signature if you want a chatroom back at HF!
Yeah but isn't Wells a two-time golden glove winner... at centre field? I mean that is a heavily contested postion and he has been the American league's best two times, that is impressive and a necessity for success.
Yes, he's a Gold Glove winner. Yes, it's good to have one. The real question is: what is that worth? The short answer is that it isn't worth nearly the difference between what Wells provides with the bat compared to other guys in that salary range. As stated in my previous post, his glove cannot make up that difference. Not even the greatest defensive CFers ever could hope to come close.
A couple of examples, using all-time great defensive players, that illustrate the point...
Ozzie Smith
Smith is either the best defensive SS in the history of baseball, or the second best (Wagner could well be #1). Over the course of his 19-year career, Smith got to a little over 500 more ground balls than an average shortstop would have gotten. That's 504 opponent bases. That's awesome, he's one of the best couple ever at the position.
What is the ground that can be made up with the bat? Astonishingly little.
26 walks per year OR
13 walks and 13 hits per year
Smith averaged 2 HRs per season during his career. If he had been able to hit even just 10 per season, he'd have blown that defensive advantage out of the water.
Smith's freakish defensive ability cannot make up the sort of difference between him and a strong hitter that plays average defense.
Willie Randolph
Comparing Randolph to the best second baseman ever, Bill Mazeroski, is interesting as well. Maz was, obviously, far better than Randolph was with the glove.
Maz turned 1,706 double plays in his career, while Randolph turned 1,547. Mazeroski was far better than Randolph (everybody, actually) at this. Accounting for the difference in innings, this is a difference of about 200 double plays.
NOW...
Mazeroski drew 447 BB during his career. Randolph: 1,243. Taking all of this into account, this leaves Randolph ahead by more than 475 bases. Again, the glove of an astonishing all-time great defensive fielder is unable to overcome differences in defense: in this case another hitter's eye.
The difference is that Wells is also good for 30 HRs
Right, and Ramirez (the guy in the salary range they want to put Wells into) is good for about 10 more per season, along with all of the other offensive things he is better at.
Look, don't ge me wrong: I like Vernon Wells, and I cheer for the Jays. It's just that this contract is completely untoward: an improper amount of money that the Jays cannot and will not get a proper return on.
They'd be far better off over-paying an MVP-type player (given availability: I just use this as an example) than they would this contract for Wells.
It will be sad to let him go. It's a shame when money is always the bottom line. He's already making almost $6M/year now, if they can get him at double that per year in a multi year that would be terrific.
Right, and Ramirez (the guy in the salary range they want to put Wells into) is good for about 10 more per season, along with all of the other offensive things he is better at.
Look, don't ge me wrong: I like Vernon Wells, and I cheer for the Jays. It's just that this contract is completely untoward: an improper amount of money that the Jays cannot and will not get a proper return on.
They'd be far better off over-paying an MVP-type player (given availability: I just use this as an example) than they would this contract for Wells.
Daryl
What I'm saying is that the Jays get both the glove and offence, I mean Jeter can't hit like Wells, and Ramirez can't catch like him and Wells is still making less then those two if he takes this contract. I also see a lot of room to grow with Wells with more hitting vets joining the team, not to mention how clutch Wells has become in the last two seasons. I am justifying this out of the "Please not another Delgoto(sp?)," defence. The team is starting to get good again and I don't want to see another set back like lossing Wells.
__________________
Just say no to Pugs
Paid and brought to you by the Don't Ban Burnsy and Liam my Beautiful Lover Commission
Wear this signature if you want a chatroom back at HF!
Report: Jays offer Wells 7 year/126 m deal
Report: Jays offer Wells 7 year/126 m deal
Linear Mode
