Toronto — The Toronto Blue Jays have made a formal contract offer to Vernon Wells that would put the center fielder comfortably among the top-10 highest-paid players in the major leagues and likely exceed the average annual value of the free-agent deal Alfonso Soriano signed with the Chicago Cubs this winter.

 

"We have made a formal offer," Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi said Tuesday night, although he refused to confirm a report on Yahoo.com that said he had "floated" the idea of a seven-year, $126-million contract to his Gold Glove center fielder.

 

That would make the contract the sixth-highest in baseball history in dollar value. In average annual value, the contract would exceed Soriano's eight-year, $136-million package.

 

"It's somewhere in there," Wells said Tuesday night from his home in Arlington, Tex., when asked about the Blue Jays' offer. "But to be honest, other than that, I don't feel under any obligation to make any more comments about it."

 

Wells, who turned 28 last Friday, is not eligible for free agency until after the 2007 season. But the Blue Jays are interested in seeing if they can sign him early.

 

If they can't, the team is left with a difficult decision: keep Wells, who hit .303 with 32 home runs and 106 runs batted-in last season, in the hope that he helps them win a playoff spot out of the tough American League East Division. Or trade him, with an eye toward bolstering its starting rotation. Ricciardi has said he would like an indication by the new year whether signing Wells is a realistic goal.

 

In an interview Tuesday, Blue Jays president and chief executive officer Paul Godfrey said Wells's status is "a very major issue in the mind of the media."

 

Wells was left off the Blue Jays' annual Christmas card and has not figured in any of the team's off-season advertising.

 

He will make $5.6-million under the terms of his existing contract, and the Blue Jays have already had trade feelers from the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets.

http://www.globesports.com/servlet/story/R...tsBaseball/home

 

Average of $18 million a year for 7 years.

Edited December 13, 200619 yr by RME JICO

Sadly, that's still probably a lot less than he'll get on the open market next offseason.

If he's going to be unable to live the rest of his life on $126 million dollars, then by all means test the free agent waters. Nonetheless, even with Wells in the AL East, I hope he takes it.

Wow. How do you seriously turn that down? (Juan Gonzalez)

Wow. How do you seriously turn that down? (Juan Gonzalez)

Exactly. Its not worth the risk of injury or a bad season to turn that kind of money down. Even if he could get a little more if he had a big season, he could also get a whole lot less. If he doesn't sign, IMO he has a bad agent.

Exactly. Its not worth the risk of injury or a bad season to turn that kind of money down. Even if he could get a little more if he had a big season, he could also get a whole lot less. If he doesn't sign, IMO he has a bad agent.

 

The only other reason I could think of is if he REALLY hates Toronto/Canada, or something like that.

He REALLY doesn't want to stay in Canada, I really can't blame the guy for turning down that deal if the main reason for rejecting it is the team offering him the contract. Last season the Blue Jays had to have been the whitest team in all of baseball Wells, Molina Rios and Chacin are the only non-white players I can think of that were on the active roster. He's said in the past that he's not comfortable on a team with so little diversity.

 

The only other reason I could think of is if he REALLY hates Toronto/Canada, or something like that.

Bingo.

Are we talking Canadien or U.S. dollars?

Yeah from some of his comments before you get the feeling he just hates being up there.

Are we talking Canadien or U.S. dollars?

U.S. dollars, all big league contracts are expressed in American currency.

U.S. dollars, all big league contracts are expressed in American currency.

 

Thank you.

QUOTE(SoxFan101 @ Dec 13, 2006 -> 01:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah from some of his comments before you get the feeling he just hates being up there.

I'm curious as to what comments he's made...

He REALLY doesn't want to stay in Canada, I really can't blame the guy for turning down that deal if the main reason for rejecting it is the team offering him the contract. Last season the Blue Jays had to have been the whitest team in all of baseball Wells, Molina Rios and Chacin are the only non-white players I can think of that were on the active roster. He's said in the past that he's not comfortable on a team with so little diversity.

Bingo.

 

Interesting. I can think of about 29 teams the US that would love to have him.

The only other reason I could think of is if he REALLY hates Toronto/Canada, or something like that.

Blame Canada!

I'm curious as to what comments he's made...

 

Something along the lines of not having enough black players up there, and than he has always expressed interest to play for the Rangers with Michael Young.

The only other reason I could think of is if he REALLY hates Toronto/Canada, or something like that.

Or the fact that he will most likely never see a World Series playing for that team in that division.

The only other reason I could think of is if he REALLY hates Toronto/Canada, or something like that.

 

or another reason might be that its been his lifelong dream to sign with a certain american league team located on the south side of chicago for which he'd be willing to take a massive paycut.

 

 

... i have nothing to back that up.

All the more reason to trade for Michael Young?

If the real reason that he doesn't want to take the contract is because of the team offering the money, I'd love to see KW get on the phone and offer up the best package he possibly could without including one of the top five starters. Anderson + Fields + Broadway + ...

 

If Wells doesn't take this contract, Ricciardi's only other option (besides a trade) would be to let him walk for two picks. And I think the Sox can put together a package of players better than the two picks they'd get.

sure is a lot money for a career .336 OBP.

Are we talking Canadien or U.S. dollars?

I didn't know Montreal made an offer for him to play hockey.

Something along the lines of not having enough black players up there, and than he has always expressed interest to play for the Rangers with Michael Young.

Ironic since Young is white.

Ironic since Young is white.

he probably got confused with Vince Young when he used to play for Texas.

I didn't know Montreal made an offer for him to play hockey.

 

Check your atlas. Toronto is located north of the border. It must suck to be geographically challenged.

Are we talking Canadien or U.S. dollars?

 

Exactly what I thought, 126 million in Canada is like 900 thousand here isn't it?

 

sure is a lot money for a career .336 OBP.

 

The Cubs set the market on crazy contracts for guys that don't get on base with Alf.