Catching up with Vernon Wells

Vernon Wells, forlorn. 

Just wondering how the old soldier is making out, you know? Let's have have a look together!


Through 32 games and 142 plate appearances, here's what we've got: .180/.225/.286 for an OPS of .511. But rate stats have never really been Vernon's forté, so let's be sure to take a close look at his counting numbers, too: 24 H, 3 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 7 BB, 29 K, 1 SB, 1 CS, and somewhat miraculously only 1 GIDP. 


That's an OPS+ of 46, and Baseball Reference has Vernon as a -1.1 WAR player through only a fifth of the season. If this trend continues . . . 


Last year, the Blue Jays paid about $15 million for the 4.0 WAR version of Vernon, which is not that bad given the going rate for marginal wins these days (the rising costs of marginal wins, amirite?) This year, the Angels are on the hook for $18 million of Vernon's $23 million (it was ultimately established that the Blue Jays are picking up $5 million, which Anthopolous did his best to keep quiet so as to make it seem more like a baseball trade than a contract-related pillaging, and so as not to hurt Vernon's [baseball] feelings). 


In short, friends, I am here to tell you that the Angels may have made a mistake on this one, if you can believe it. God bless Vernon Wells, and long may he run, but he has been incredibly bad so far, bad beyond even the worst forecasts. Like, you might have gone into this season thinking, "Gee, I bet Vernon Wells is done, what a crazy trade," but would you have believed he would be this bad? I wouldn't have, and I have seen Vernon play some pretty shitty baseball from time to time.


You might well say, but the Angels are in first place, so what do they care? Probably a lot, one would think, because they owe this man $63 million dollars after this season, and he's killing them out there. Mostly I feel bad for Vernon, though, which makes little sense, but such are the ways of the heart I guess.


KS