04/19/24
January 21, 2011
Vernon Wells traded to Angels for Mike Napoli & Juan Rivera: The Toronto Blue Jays turned a lacklustre off-season on its ear with the trade of franchise cornerstone Vernon Wells to the Los Angeles Angels. Coming back for the all-star centre-fielder are catcher Mike Napoli and outfielder Juan Rivera. The blockbuster deal frees the Blue Jays from what many consider one of the more untradeable contracts in baseball. Wells is due $86-million over the final 4 seasons of the $126-million, 7 year contract he signed in December 2006.
posted by tommytrump to baseball at 08:10 PM - 10 comments
And even after all that, this isn't the most surprising deal to happen tonight...
posted by grum@work at 11:53 PM on January 21, 2011
And even after all that, this isn't the most surprising deal to happen tonight...
Didn't see that one coming. It looked apparent that Damon was going to the Rays, though.......but Manny?
posted by kcfan4life at 11:58 PM on January 21, 2011
Wow, big night in mlb.
posted by justgary at 12:10 AM on January 22, 2011
Holy Shee-at. Guess Bautista can get a contract now. Napoli can play a little first to spell Lind and Rivera can DH a bit. Wells isn't close to being worth the money that kicks in now. Certainly not when they realize he can't really play a good centrefield anymore.
It is highway robbery. Even if the Jays have no plans to keep either Napoli or Rivera around.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 12:23 AM on January 22, 2011
Vernon Wells isn't a terrible player -- he's a solid player with a terrible contract. And he is absolutely the wrong player right now for the Los Angeles Angels, who have made one the worst desperation moves I can remember.
The rest is pay only, but that about says it all.
posted by justgary at 01:28 AM on January 22, 2011
So much for "the most untradeable contract is baseball," huh? I know it is different front offices, but with dumping Rios on waivers and this trade, it starts to make me think there must be some Canadian Jedi mind power going on ("these are the undervalued assets you're looking for"), at least over the past two years.
posted by holden at 10:08 AM on January 22, 2011
Manny and Damon to Tampa Bay? Wow, the Rays have just assured themselves of sell out crowds...in Fenway!
posted by Howard_T at 02:32 PM on January 22, 2011
20 hours later, still having a hard time believing this. These definitely ain't J.P.'s Blue Jays anymore.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 03:36 PM on January 22, 2011
I heard something on ESPN about the Rays going after Embry, Timlin, and Foulke, too, but I wasn't sure if they were serious or not. It's like some sort of weird reverse reunion tour.
posted by feloniousmonk at 09:28 PM on January 22, 2011
Anthopolous just committed highway robbery.
The fact that he was able to trade Wells and his albatross contract to another team, get more-than-serviceable players in return (a catcher with a career 118 OPS+, an outfielder with a career 106 OPS+), and not send a single damn penny to Los Angeles...that's outstanding.
Did the Angels have this money earmarked for Carl Crawford, and then decide "Aw f*ck it, let's just spend it anyways."?
It's an even more impressive deal by AA considering the comments made by Wells about his own contract.
Seriously...this is such a mind-blowingly good deal by Toronto (and equally bad by Los Angeles), I can't help think that someone is getting punk'd and it's going to be reversed by tomorrow morning.