Vernon Wells has been on the Yankees' radar for a long time. Now according to multiple reports, the injury-plagued Yankees are on the verge of signing the outfielder.
It's hard not to categorize it as a desperation move. But on second thought, I can't think of a player that fits in more with the 2013 Yankees than Wells.
1. He's past his prime, like most Yankees. He's 34, which isn't terribly old for this team's standards, but he's a 14-year veteran of the league. He couldn't stay on the field last year for the Angels, and the year before, well...
2. He was the owner of a .218 batting average .248 on-base percentage, both league worsts. The 2013 Yankees aren't going to be the same slugging home run team they've been in the last decade. There's just no way that's going to happen with Nick Swisher, Russell Martin, Eric Chavez and Raul Ibanez on different teams. Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez aren't 40-homer guys anymore either. Speaking of overpaid players...
2. He was the owner of a .218 batting average .248 on-base percentage, both league worsts. The 2013 Yankees aren't going to be the same slugging home run team they've been in the last decade. There's just no way that's going to happen with Nick Swisher, Russell Martin, Eric Chavez and Raul Ibanez on different teams. Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez aren't 40-homer guys anymore either. Speaking of overpaid players...
3. He's expensive. Wells is owed $42 million over the next two seasons. The Angels are taking on most of that, but it sounds like the Yankees will pay him $12 million this year and $1 million in 2014 as they try to stay under the $189 million payroll threshold. Wells can hit lefties, but he's not the player he used to be -- the player who is a career .301 hitter with 29 HR and 106 RBI against the Yankees in 166 games.
