I can hear the trolling already. Many readers, particularly reading this through twitter, will comment on the title of this article. The purpose is obviously not to get a reaction, but to make a case why Vernon Wells and the Yankees can be a fit. I will play the role of the prosecutor and the burden of proof will be on me to show whether there is a fit or not. At the end of this article, you will play the role of the jury and be able to state whether this is something that can be worked out.
I have to start out by pointing out that Wells about to enter the sixth year of a $126 million extension he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays. For next season as well as the 2014 season, Wells will be paid $21 million each season. Add in the fact he hit just .230, 11, 29 in 77 games for the Angels last year, and the question would be... Why would the Yankees, or any other team for that matter, even think about taking on a guy like that with that contract? Maybe some Yankees fans would take Wells' contract for the next two seasons if he was traded straight up for Alex Rodriguez and the remainder of his contract. While that could be considered, thats not what I am getting at.
The Angels have a log jam in their outfield after the signing of Josh Hamilton. Mike Trout, Hamilton, Peter Bourjos and Mark Trumbo (if he is not playing 3B) are all capable MLB everyday OFs and Kendry Morales is their everyday DH. While the Angels may look to move Bourjos or Trumbo, they would prefer to move on from Wells, who has not regained the form he had in his best years in Toronto. The question is, how much do the Angels want to move Wells?
The Angels had a similar problem after they signed free agent OF Gary Matthews, Jr to a 5 year, $46 million contract before the 2007 season, around the time Wells signed his extension with the Blue Jays. After one season, the Angels decided to go in a different direction and signed Tori Hunter to play CF, changing Matthews role on the team. After season 3, the Angels became desperate to move GMJ, so desperate they traded him to the Mets before the 2010 season. The Angels traded Matthews and paid $22.3 million of the remaining $23.4 million of the last two years of his contract.
Could the Angels consider doing the same thing in regards to Wells? Wells is owed $42 million over the next two seasons ($21 million in 2013 and 2014). What type of role will he have on this team? Can the Angels even fathom paying a 5th OF that type of money? Obviously, they have to. Unless a team tries to deal for him. A team like the Yankees (this may have been discussed already) could see exactly how much of this contract the Angels are willing to pay. $15 million. $18 million. Maybe even more. Maybe the Yankees take on $6 million this year and $3 million next season to help them stay under the $189 million luxary tax threshold.
For that money, it would be worth it for the Yankees to take a chance on Wells. The Yankees currently have an OF that has three left handed hitters (Curtis Granderson, Brett Gardner, Ichiro Suzuki) and Wells could benefit from playing his home games in Yankee Stadium. And the Angels would still be paying for the majority of the contract. Arte Moreno did this once with GMJ, he may be willing to do it again with Wells.
The Angels have a log jam in their outfield after the signing of Josh Hamilton. Mike Trout, Hamilton, Peter Bourjos and Mark Trumbo (if he is not playing 3B) are all capable MLB everyday OFs and Kendry Morales is their everyday DH. While the Angels may look to move Bourjos or Trumbo, they would prefer to move on from Wells, who has not regained the form he had in his best years in Toronto. The question is, how much do the Angels want to move Wells?
The Angels had a similar problem after they signed free agent OF Gary Matthews, Jr to a 5 year, $46 million contract before the 2007 season, around the time Wells signed his extension with the Blue Jays. After one season, the Angels decided to go in a different direction and signed Tori Hunter to play CF, changing Matthews role on the team. After season 3, the Angels became desperate to move GMJ, so desperate they traded him to the Mets before the 2010 season. The Angels traded Matthews and paid $22.3 million of the remaining $23.4 million of the last two years of his contract.
Could the Angels consider doing the same thing in regards to Wells? Wells is owed $42 million over the next two seasons ($21 million in 2013 and 2014). What type of role will he have on this team? Can the Angels even fathom paying a 5th OF that type of money? Obviously, they have to. Unless a team tries to deal for him. A team like the Yankees (this may have been discussed already) could see exactly how much of this contract the Angels are willing to pay. $15 million. $18 million. Maybe even more. Maybe the Yankees take on $6 million this year and $3 million next season to help them stay under the $189 million luxary tax threshold.
For that money, it would be worth it for the Yankees to take a chance on Wells. The Yankees currently have an OF that has three left handed hitters (Curtis Granderson, Brett Gardner, Ichiro Suzuki) and Wells could benefit from playing his home games in Yankee Stadium. And the Angels would still be paying for the majority of the contract. Arte Moreno did this once with GMJ, he may be willing to do it again with Wells.
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