Vernon Wells Rumors

Vernon Wells Extension Reactions

On December 15th, 2006, Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi signed center fielder Vernon Wells to a seven-year, $126MM extension. The heavily-backloaded contract included a full no-trade clause and an opt-out clause after the 2011 season. At the time of the signing, Wells was a year away from free agency. With five years and $105MM remaining, the Wells extension is now widely regarded as the worst contract in baseball. I thought it'd be interesting to see what sportswriters were saying at the time of the signing. Jerry Crasnick, ESPN: "Depending on your viewpoint, Wells' new deal with Toronto is either a...   Continue Reading

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Cubs, Jays Talking Bradley For Wells?

12:50pm: According to Paul Sullivan of The Chicago Tribune, a Cubs source "quickly responded to the report by saying the rumor has 'no legs at all,' adding the team has not discussed the possibility of bringing Wells to the North Side." 9:45am: We've heard plenty of talk that the Cubs will try to trade disgrunted outfielder Milton Bradley this offseason, and somewhat surprisingly there's been plenty of interest in his services. Most believe the Cubs might have to take on another bad contract in return, maybe someone like Pat Burrell, but Bob Elliott of The Toronto Sun tosses a new...   Continue Reading

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Discussion: Jason Bay and Toronto

Dave Perkins has an interesting idea in the Toronto Star: should the Blue Jays go get Jason Bay this offseason? Perkins points out that Bay's .921 OPS certainly didn't suffer after coming to the American League- it was best in the junior circuit among outfielders. He's also Canadian-born and would make a solid addition to an outfield that also figures to have Travis Snider and Vernon Wells returning in 2010. Perkins also adds that Bay will be just 31 on Opening Day 2010, and the Jays will not only benefit from having Bay, they will also benefit by taking Bay...   Continue Reading

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Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Deadline, Rios, Yanks

On this date two years ago, the Yankees and Padres failed to reach an agreement on a trade for Kei Igawa after San Diego claimed the pitcher on waivers. The Yankees also chose not to let Igawa go to the Padres for just the waiver claim. Since then Igawa has made two starts for the Yankees and has spent the entire '09 season in Triple-A. With several teams active in the waiver market this season, let's take a look at what is being written in the Blogosphere... Around the Majors takes a look at how the deadline deals have worked...   Continue Reading

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Heyman On Halladay, Francoeur, Brewers

Jon Heyman of SI.com hears the Blue Jays have told the Yankees and Red Sox they're unlikely to trade Roy Halladay within the AL East and haven't even returned a call the Yankees placed about Halladay over a week ago. That leaves the Phillies and, now, the Dodgers as frontrunners to acquire the Jays ace. Here are the details and a few stray rumors: One executive believes that any Blue Jays-Phillies swap would have to begin with the supposedly untouchable Kyle Drabek, who impressed in this week's Futures Game. At least one exec believes the Jays would want to pluck...   Continue Reading

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Roy Halladay Rumors: Thursday

7:08pm: T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com says the Rangers have had discussions with the Blue Jays about Halladay, but sources call it a "long-shot." 5:13pm: Joe Strauss of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the Cardinals are now downplaying a potential Halladay trade, mentioning that they have too little pitching and won't include centerfielder Colby Rasmus in a deal. 3:56pm: The Blue Jays told the Yankees and Red Sox they'd prefer to deal Halladay outside of the AL East according to Jon Heyman. 1:21pm: MLB.com's Todd Zolecki heard from a Phillies source who says Halladay's $14.25MM salary is nothing and won't be...   Continue Reading

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Odds and Ends: Pedro, Wells, Tepesch, Zito

A few links for your pre-second half entertainment: Dave Cameron at Fangraphs is counting down the 50 players with the most trade value. Today, he posted #30-#26. ESPN's Jayson Stark recaps the Pedro Martinez press conference, and contends that the newest Phillie will start off on the DL because he didn't want to sign a minor league contract. Anthony Rieber of Newsday.com argues that the Yankess are in a unique position to land Roy Halladay - if they are willing to eat the contract of Vernon Wells. In the latest in a series of short videos on college prospects, ESPN's...   Continue Reading

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Odds And Ends: Glaus, Magglio, Halladay

More links for the afternoon... for those on Roy Halladay alert, he pitched well today, though he wasn't exactly lights-out. Troy Glaus could begin rehabbing this weekend, according to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. ESPN.com's Rob Neyer says it will be "exceptionally difficult" for Magglio Ordonez to bat 166 more times if he remains in a platoon. If he bats 165 times or less, his $18MM option for 2010 doesn't vest. Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News says there's almost no way the Yankees would agree to take on Vernon Wells' salary in a potential Roy...   Continue Reading

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Rosenthal On Holliday, Lee, Jays

On the MLB Network, Ken Rosenthal says he wouldn't be surprised to see the Indians deal Cliff Lee. Here are the details and the rest of his rumors: There's a good chance Matt Holliday will be dealt, though the A's aren't shopping him now. They say they'd have to be impressed to deal him, but Rosenthal suggests this is just a more subtle way of asking for offers. Several GMs believe Billy Beane will trade Holliday this month. Rosenthal isn't sure Cliff Lee will be in Cleveland for the rest of the year. He says the Indians aren't going to...   Continue Reading

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Odds And Ends: DeRosa, Royals, Jays

The runner-up for Mark DeRosa, thoughts on the Blue Jays and a pair of discussions to listen in on... Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News says the Reds came in second in the DeRosa sweepstakes. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that DeRosa's already fitting in well with the Cards. The Phillies, who are scouring the league for starters, could have interest in Gil Meche and Brian Bannister so, as David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News reports, the Royals scouted Lou Marson and others in Triple A. MLB.com's Mark Bowman notes suspicion that the Braves are...   Continue Reading

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