Vernon Wells Designated for Assignment - Pickup?

[Fromagedujour]

Could we pick him up on the cheap side? Would it be worth it?

 

http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/10274743/vernon-wells-designated-assignment-new-york-yankees

[jays4life19]

Pass.

 

He was wRC+ 89 vs left handed pitching. So a Meh platoon for Lind. He was also s*** as a defender......he's probably going to take his money and run to retirement.

[Abomination]

Could we pick him up on the cheap side? Would it be worth it?

 

http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/10274743/vernon-wells-designated-assignment-new-york-yankees

 

This was sort of talked about in another thread. I wouldn't be opposed to it as a bench power bat and platoon guy with Lind if he comes cheap. There ARE better options (which may or may not want to come here cheap), but signing him may improve ticket sales more than any other bench guy possibly would. Bottom line is, I wouldn't love or hate it.

[dineke]

Vernon Wells ain't increasing ticket sales.

 

I'd rather not have a Blue Jay "great" rot on the bench here.

[Abomination]

Vernon Wells ain't increasing ticket sales.

 

I think he would among casuals. He certainly wouldn't among more knowledgeable fans.

[jayswin11]

Could we pick him up on the cheap side? Would it be worth it?

 

http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/story/_/id/10274743/vernon-wells-designated-assignment-new-york-yankees

 

I dont' think he would cost anything more than the minimum as Angels and Yankees pay the bulk of his salary. So why not again might make a dent platoon with Lind, backup outfielder. If he sucks don't really lose much by releasing him. He won't retire until the end of the year otherwise I believe he forfeits the rest of the salary and that would just be stupid.

[connorp]

I think when a guy is picked up off DFA under contract, you just pay league min dont you? I know you dont have to pay it all and the guy cant have two guaranteed contracts at once.

 

Im not pro Wells or anything btw just mean in general

[jayswin11]

Watch him come here, have a monster season and then the Jays sign him to another stupid deal. ha ha

[KingKat]

I think he would among casuals. He certainly wouldn't among more knowledgeable fans.

 

Do casuals even like him? Wells falling on his face after the big contract is much more prevalent in their mind then what he accomplished before. If anything, I think the casuals have forgotten that he used to be good and simply hate him now.

[GD]

I think there's a fairly large portion of the fan base that doesn't know who he is or that he played for the Jays.

[GD]

High School fans maybe?

 

Nope, that would be me and my friends. A lot of HS fans, if they're like the ones I know, grew up as kids watching Wells and Rios in the OF. As a kid, you're not gonna remember the role players and the relievers, but you're definitely gonna remember the big parts of the team, and that's what Wells was.

 

I was thinking more so the fans who've just started watching in the last year or two.

[L54]

Nope, that would be me and my friends. A lot of HS fans, if they're like the ones I know, grew up as kids watching Wells and Rios in the OF. As a kid, you're not gonna remember the role players and the relievers, but you're definitely gonna remember the big parts of the team, and that's what Wells was.

 

I was thinking more so the fans who've just started watching in the last year or two.

 

I'd be fairly confident in saying a mass majority of anyone who is currently a "fan" of the Jays knows who VW is.

[Dick_Pole]

Sign him to a one day contract and he retires.

[KingKat]

Sign him to a one day contract and he retires.

 

Ugh... I really hope that annoying trend doesn't become more common in baseball.

[JaysFan4Ever]

Around ST last year he said he planned on retiring after his contract was up, before being traded to the Yankees. He's been DFA, really only had one maybe two decent months last year, will likely not be offered a starting role anywhere so I wouldn't think he'd be in a rush to ride a bench for this year unless he really wanted to prove something. He cited focusing on family as one of the reasons he planned on retiring after 2014 so if you were him and are now given a chance to be with your family a year sooner PLUS get paid for it would you just say screw it and sit home and then retire at the end of the year formally?

 

I wouldn't be opposed if AA gave him an invite to ST once he's released if he decides to give it another shot as a player this year. I might be in the minority but I'd rather him compete and earn a spot on the roster than hand one to him considering the players already on the roster, NRI, and the possibility of anyone else being brought in between now and ST who might be able to do what he did last year. I could be wrong, he could have a decent year and go out on a high note if he wanted to play this year.

[jays4life19]

134 wRC+ in 2011 (First full s*** year) on only a .281 BABIP

54 wRC+ vs. Righties

 

Last three years vs. Lefties: 454 PA, 106 wRC+, .284 BABIP

 

True.

 

So last 3 years we have: 2013: 89 wRC+. 2012 88 wRC+ 88 wRC+ 2011 134 wRC+ .

 

I guess it's not the worst platoon partner for Lind. I still think he would lean towards retirement. He's a good teammate though and i wouldn't hate it if he comes back as a bench piece i guess.

[BlueJayWay]

no

 

apparently that's too short.

 

Nononononononononono

[BlueJayWay]

Nope, that would be me and my friends. A lot of HS fans, if they're like the ones I know, grew up as kids watching Wells and Rios in the OF. As a kid, you're not gonna remember the role players and the relievers, but you're definitely gonna remember the big parts of the team, and that's what Wells was.

 

I was thinking more so the fans who've just started watching in the last year or two.

The November 2012ers.

[TheHurl]

Question for someone who can do the research...Wells was actually coming out as a $3.5M negative (a credit) against the luxury tax calculation for the Yankees in 2014. Does this change with his release?

[John_Havok]

Question for someone who can do the research...Wells was actually coming out as a $3.5M negative (a credit) against the luxury tax calculation for the Yankees in 2014. Does this change with his release?

 

I don't know for sure, but logically I think there would only be a marginal adjustment if Vernon gets picked up, since the Yankees and Angels are still paying the same amount of his salary for 2014, except the Yankees get the league minimum picked up by the team who signs him.

[TheHurl]

Turns out that credits against the cap aren't allowed. He just went in as $0 counting against the cap and that doesn't change.

[43211234]

Wait, this thread isn't satire?

 

No, they should not sign one of the worst offensive players in the league.

[G-Snarls]

Yankees have announced that they have released Vernon Wells

[KingKat]

Yankees have announced that they have released Vernon Wells

 

I wonder if he'd make a good broadcaster. He always struck me as a smart and funny guy but he might not be loquacious enough. He's pretty sarcastic too. Whereas, Zaun takes everything too seriously, I figure he'd be the opposite.

[JugglingPitches]

Um...sorry but I don't want him anywhere near this team. His lazy attitude is already something we have in abundance on this team. Always smiling and joking around whether winning or losing...have we forgotten the patented Vernon Wells "pop fly, slam the bat down and scream while running to first base every other at bat"? I would hardly consider him a Blue Jay "great". He had one good season hitting in front of Delgado during his BEST season. After that he was mediocre at the plate and great in the field. He is one of the more tenured Jays, sure...but a great? I don't think so.

[The Cats Ass]

He had one good season hitting in front of Delgado during his BEST season. After that he was mediocre at the plate and great in the field. He is one of the more tenured Jays, sure...but a great? I don't think so.

 

He was an above average hitter for 6 of his 9 years here.

[G-Snarls]

He was an above average hitter for 6 of his 9 years here.

 

Yeah the California seasons were the horrid, historically bad ones.

[The Cats Ass]

Yeah the California seasons were the horrid, historically bad ones.

 

Ya, He wasn't really bad until he went to LA. People tend to think he was worse then what he actually was because of his stupid contract.

[awsomest]

Ya, He wasn't really bad until he went to LA. People tend to think he was worse then what he actually was because of his stupid contract.

 

His final year with the team he had a 4.2 War with 31 hr hitting .273 and was an all star. More naive me back then was actually upset when we traded him away for nothing.

[Brenner]

Yes but "he wasn't really bad" shouldn't pass a standard to be judged as a great Jay. He had 5 good to great years, and 4 mediocre to plain bad years. So overall he was a good player but not great regardless of his disastrous contract. Just never developed into the consistent and reliable 3/4 hitter we needed at the time he was here.