"We like him a lot"

[harlem]

Wells offered extension by Blue Jays

By ROB GILLIES, Associated Press Writer
December 13, 2006

TORONTO (AP) -- The Toronto Blue Jays have offered All-Star center fielder Vernon Wells a contract extension worth more $120 million.

"We like him a lot and we're going to try to keep him," general manager J.P. Ricciardi said Wednesday.



Ricciardi declined to give specifics. Wells told the Globe and Mail that it would be worth between $126 million and $136 million and extend for seven or eight years. That would make it the sixth-largest contract in baseball history, trailing only Alex Rodriguez ($252 million), Derek Jeter ($189 million), Manny Ramirez ($160 million), Todd Helton ($141.5 million) and Alfonso Soriano ($136 million).

"The guy is a Gold Glover. He's a .300 hitter, a home run hitter and an RBI hitter who bats third in our lineup," Blue Jays president Paul Godfrey said. "It would be very nice to sign Vernon Wells to a long-term contract."

Wells hit .303 with 32 homers and 106 RBIs this year and is due $5.6 million next season. If they can't reach an agreement, the Blue Jays might trade Wells, but Ricciardi didn't put a timetable on when he'd like to get it done.

Toronto also agreed to a $750,000, one-year contract with infielder John McDonald, who hit .223 with a career high three homers and 23 RBIs in 104 games last season. He's expected to share time at shortstop with Royce Clayton.




-----------------------------------------------------------

What's more shocking, the money Vernon Wells is getting or the amount they paid nutsack John McDonald? I am in the wrong business. I should have been a sports agent.

[osu054]

I would pay Wells that money before I would that nut job from Japan. Time and time again these japanese pitchers come over and dominate for one year and then all of their trickery is figured out when they can't throw three types of fastballs and a 90+ mph slider. Boras may have got hosed by the Sox but in the long run I think the Sox are the ones getting hosed.

[Doobs]

He is by far the best center fielder in the game today by my estimation. Well worth the money!

[theforty]

I'll suggest Carlos Beltran is better, and not by a small margin.

I also like Grady Sizemore more, but he is a lead-off hitter, so it's a littler harder to gauge the value of his batting versus Wells.

I am glad to see that Toronto is willing to employ an otherwise unemployable utility infielder. I suppose Shane Halter wasn't available.

[Doobs]

I am stating a personal opinion. I just like him as a player.

[theburns]

ROYCE CLAYTON?? His dead ass is still around???

[theforty]

Yeah...the Blue Jays are going to fill the SS position with Royce Clayton and John McDonald.

I'm going to go ahead and suggest they aren't going to be able to compete the the Red Sox or Yankees.

[theburns]

Only if they are able to resurrect Damaso Garcia.

[harlem]

I'd be ready for the second coming of Mike Fischlin, myself.

[theforty]

Hell, you just KNOW Tony Fernandez will come back before that.

I know we are talking about Monopoly money at some point, but the contract offered to Wells is one of the biggest in the game today. Is he really THAT valuable? By this, I mean, is he one of the 5 or 10 best players in the game? Of all players in the league, would he be a guy that a team would choose to build itself around?

Maybe it's me, but he seems like, how to put this, a second tier star. He is a fine player, but, I don't know is that he is the type of player that can play at an MVP level, or be THE reason a team reaches the post-season.

[Doobs]

And just because of Sean's statement, Toronto is in the play-offs this year for sure! "Hello Vegas, what are the odds on Toronto to win it all next year?"

[theforty]

Probably 50:1.

I'll take the Yankees any day of the week and twice on Sunday over the Jays.

[Doobs]

Let the Yankees make the play-offs again this year. That just gives us the opportunity to sweep them like we should have last year!