Interest in Vernon Wells? Please, don't do it

The Phillies need hitting, but they're not going to get it from Vernon Wells, who owns the third-worst on-base percentage in baseball over the past three years.

There's still an interest in signing Wells, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. Wells, whose best days are long behind him, batted .226/.267/.387 with the Angels and Yankees from 2011-13. 

His OBP is better than only Yuniesky Betancourt's (.257) and J.P. Arencibia's (.260) over that span.

The 35-year-old Wells is on the books for $21 million in 2014, to be paid by the Angels ($18.6M) and Yankees ($2.4M), so any signing would almost definitely be a minor-league deal.

The Phillies need right-handed hitting, you say, so why not bring in Wells? Problem is, they already have John Mayberry Jr., who can play outfield, provide (some) right-handed pop off the bench and should never step into the box against a right-handed pitcher.

Comparing the pair from 2011-13 vs. LHP:

Wells: .267/.315/.437
Mayberry: . .273/.324/.515

So Mayberry, who isn't necessarily a spectacular platoon player, has actually been better than Wells against southpaws. Plus, Mayberry's already due $1.6 million from the Phils next season thanks to their recent agreement to avoid arbitration.

Another named linked to the Phillies who made a little more sense is Lyle Overbay, who hit .240/.295/.393 with 14 homers for the Yankees last season.

Overbay signed with the Brewers, however, this afternoon.

The soon-to-be 37-year-old would have provided some left-handed power off the bench, of which the Phils currently have none. He could have also served as a fitting defensive substitute late in games for Ryan Howard at first base, although Darin Ruf would also be adequate in that role.  

Comments

[Biggs]

awh, I'm not suggesting the owners should have gone hog wild and spent well into the 200 millions. It would have created some excitement if they brought in a couple players that made the fans feel like they have a chance.

My understanding, and it could be wrong or changed with additional national TV money and soon to come cable money, is that the Phils payroll is based on the previous years gate receipts and anticipated receipts of the coming year. This town, unlike say Atlanta, will come out and support a good team. I've seen Atlanta have playofff games that weren't sold out and can't imagine that here.

Remember the last world championship was won with mostly homegrown players and a couple of pieces Gillick added (Vic, Werth, Romero, Lidge et al). Lidge didn't even cost that much at 6.3 million. The entire team payroll was only about 94 million.

The core then is the core now, but they made far less in 08. Howard made 10M. Utley made 7.8M, Rollins made 8M, Ruiz made 425K and Hamels made 500K. Combined they earned about 27M. Now those same 5 players earn a combined 82M. We all know Amaro hung on to the core too long and these players aren't what they were in their 20's in 2008.

At the end of the day this is Monty's team. He makes all the big on-the-field decisions and he's decided the fans should pay for his chosen GM mistakes. Somebody has to pay and I guess it's us. That doesn't sit right.

Like you I'm a fan. I'll watch and I'll root, but I know this team can't compete despite Amaro's claims that if they stay healthy they will. Staying healthy is just part 1 of the equation. For the most part the core won't come anywhere close to what they were when they contended. And as you've pointed out, there's hardly any pitching after Hamels and Lee. Next to nothing was done to improve the league's 2nd worse bullpen.

Amaro would like us to believe the downfall is all due to injuries. It just isn't the case. I think we're going to have to wait on Franco, Biddle, Quinn, Tocci, Crawford and some of the other high picks to come. That could take a while.

[NEPP]

@bap: What did Gaudin do? Is he a wife beater like Myers was?

[bay_area_phan]

NEPP:

http://www.ibtimes.com/chad-gaudin-arrested-giants-pitcher-charged-lewdness-groped-woman-las-vegas-hospital-blames-1341841

[NEPP]

Was that wrong? Should I not have done that?

[Sil]

Wouldn't be a recent Phils spring without a mediocre Chad in the fold.

[ramsey]

Vernon Wells' career 2.03 Production™ makes him the clear favorite for the Phillies' outfield. Darin Ruf's weak 0.91 Production™ wasn't cutting it.

[NEPP]

Production is RBI/BB, right?

I cant remember specifically what we decided but that sounds right.

[ramsey]

That's what I'm using here.

[oogie urbina]

Chad Gaudin= WFC

[bay_area_phan]

The Chad Gaudin signing is just crying out for some fake dialogue between RAJ and his new stats guy. But, alas, I'm too busy this morning to undertake the project myself.

[awh™]

"It will really be a testament to how terrible an organization this has become if they can consistently beat basic regression."

Jack, that's what the new stat guy is for... to help them figure out a way to beat basic regression.

[oogie urbina]

So Gaudin's attorney blames groping a woman on a gurney to a form of kidney disease. WTF? Hard to imagine why the Giants (or anyone else) wanted to ink the guy.

[bay_area_phan]

oogie: I doubt the Giants knew about it. The incident didn't become public until mid-season. The Phillies, on the other hand . . .

[Criff Ree]

This is sum good rawyer.

[oogie urbina]

BAP-- I meant the Giants passed on re-signing him this year. Also, it was reported that he was drunk during the incident. I'm sure the Phils' medical geniuses accepted the explanation of excess creatinine as a precursor for lewdness.

[oogie urbina]

One other medical note re: Gaudin: Last August, he was put on the DL due to carpal tunnel syndrome (insert joke here).

[Jack]

What cracks me up is that the Phillies supposedly always put an emphasis on getting "quality character guys."

It would be one thing to make exceptions for guys who were super talented--for example, Manny Ramirez (whose problems never came close to the level of anti-semitism or molestation, on a moral scale, but still).

But Delmon Young and Chad Gaudin? Really? Rube doesn't seem to understand the whole talent side of the character/talent calculus.

[Gary Matthews (fo real)]

Titties is tough to squeeze.

[norbertods]

Jack: Don't forget to add to that list a pitcher who forged his identity and a known PED user.

[pblunts]

The most miraculous part of this signing that it wasn't guaranteed or a multi-year deal. I'm not being sarcastic.

[Iceman]

Just a minor league deal? Thank God.

Gaudin is probably the 4th/5th best relief option at this point.

[oogie urbina]

The sad part is that when he gets here, he may well be the 4th best reliever on the team. Scary.

[oogie urbina]

Beat me to it Iceman...

[LorecorE]

Gaudin is a freaking lock for the 2014 Phillies.

#1. He sucks
#2. Over 30
#3. Coming off career year
#4. Owns the Phillies (2.02 ERA .975 WHIP in 13IP)
#5. Named Chad

Posted by: lorecore | Friday, May 31, 2013 at 04:09 PM

[Meyer]

Regarding Tanaka I find it interesting that Pete Mackanin supposedly scouted Tanaka in Japan last year for the Yankees.

[oogie urbina]

The Phillies have a 1B/3B prospect at Lakewood named Willie Carmona. I think we better check his passport.

[MG]

All jokes aside, Gaudin on a minor league deal is fine. Better than Camp and quite possibly Manship and O'Sullivan as a starter.

[NEPP]

I agree. This is a decent depth signing given our lack of any SP depth and he's not blocking anyone in Lehigh anyway.

[Harry Callous]

(Rube looks dreamily out of the window of his office into the whirling snow, Charlie, Dallas and Gillick do a large jigsaw puzzle on the floor. All wear footie pajamas and sip cocoa. Ed Wade is field stripping an Uzi at his desk.)

(Freedman walks in wearing a suit, carrying piles of dot matrix scouting reports)
Freedman: I just compiled some production stats for the last 15 years of all the minor league systems in the world...

Rube: I think I am just going to call Vernon again today, promise him he can start 100 games at centerfield at around 4 mil a year for 4 years with an easy vesting option.

Freedman: What?

Wade: I'm getting lunch.

[Wayne from PA in Nebraska]

I would say Gaudin, O'Sullivan and Manship are 6,7, and 8.

[Harry Callous]

This proves that Rube couldn't get Tomko to sign a 5 year $36 million contract.

[bay_area_phan]

"All jokes aside, Gaudin on a minor league deal is fine."

Aside from the fact that he's a scumbag, I generally agree with you. But, when we're 22 days away from pitchers & catchers reporting, it's very, very difficult to view the Chad Gaudin signing in isolation, instead of viewing it in combination with the rest of this bizarre off-season.

[Captain Hindsight]

I can't imagine my life ever being sad enough that I would have to look up a post from 8 months ago just so I can prove my worth to Internet people that I don't know.

But lorecore's is.

Loser

any minute now your knight in d*ckhead honor aksmith will be here to help.

[MG]

BAP - Understood and the D. Young/Gaudin signings kind of take away much credibility when Amaro & Montgomery mention the importance of 'character' when they sign players.

I haven't heard either one of them mention that this offseason though.

[MG]

Really thought 2 weeks ago the Phils would make at least one more reliever signings with a guaranteed MLB deal and a starter on a minor league deal at the minimum.

Gaudin checks off Rube's 'Established Veteran Journeyman Starter' box.

See if he likes anyone well enough to sign another reliever but it looks like minor league contracts from here on out.

[awh™]

CSN regurge on Gaudin is coming...

I think I saw NEPP posting over at mlbtr...

Such is the state of BL, that we're all heading other places.

Didn't used to be that way. I wonder how long it will be before they just shut it down?

[CS]

It gets better as Phillies check on abreu.

[DPat]

Yeah~ TTI the only person who is worse here than me is you. You're beat and wrong so deal with it. I haven't posted anything at all here that wasn't true this off-season. And you can't stand that. And at least I don't hide behind alternate handles.

[Cyclic]

Abreu...

http://www.csnphilly.com/baseball-philadelphia-phillies/bobby-abreu-phillie-again-maybe-0

[MG]

Odds Abreu would have the best OBP on this team if he would get signed and make the team as the LH bat off the bench?

[Meyer]

BL Twilight Zone. Jeebus we discussed this days ago.

[Cyclic]

"Abreu has eight 100-RBI seasons on his ledger, but his production dropped precipitously with the Angels and Dodgers in 2011 and 2012"

Abreu Production™

1996-2010: 0.9433
2011-2012: 0.7304

The numbers don't lie.

[Cyclic]

MG-- Guarantee he'll be in the top 3.

[Sil]

Abreu signs = BL explodes

[MG]

Moyer is only 51. Maybe the Phils can milk a 'Gordie Howe' type comeback in spring training by having Moyer pitch some games.

[Harry Callous]

I am not the best expert on teams of the past (I am not old), but I gotta say this team looks like an early Devil Rays squad with just a better pitcher or two.

[clout]

BAP: What? You've never found yourself wandering a hospital corridor, drunk, at 4:30 in the morning?

[The Truth Injection]

DPat: I don't like what you post because it is delusional and not based on reality. You are a buffoon and a moron. And people laugh at you. You are the court jester here..

and what is the alternate name comment about? Is that something else you say but don't need to prove.

[clout]

Had Bobby Abreu been on the 2009 Phillies instead of Ben Francisco, the team would've beaten the Yankees in the WS.

[aksmith]

Of course Abreu would have the best OBP on this team, since most of the team is highly allergic to OBP. And I wouldn't mind him making the team as the LH bat off the bench if he looks good in the Spring. With mostly pinch hitting, he could be fine.

[CS]

Someone is gonna give him an invite to Spring Training, might as well see what life he has left.

[aksmith]

Hey, I used to work at Desert Springs Hospital in Las Vegas. Of course, I retired before I got to meet at least one celebrity, I guess. Chad Gaudin, why didn't you call while you were in town? Would have loved to watch you groping some locals.

Yeah, I don't get a lot of entertainment since I retired. That's why it's better when the Phillies don't suck.

[The Truth Injection]

Bobby Abreu is coming.

[Chris in VT]

Gaudin sounds like a scumbag. Well done Phillies! Way to make this team more likable.

[Phillies Dude]

Hey I'm writing this from the other side of the Atlantic .... in the cool city of Vienna,Austria..

First of all - we (The Phillies) still have Cliff Lee. In all of baseball there has been no better pitcher over the last seven years than Cliff Lee ... and he's ours. He's a red-pin-striped Phillie. Thanks God!

We have Cole Hamels. He's not quite Cliff Lee but he's kinda Cliff Lee II. Def a plus.

Chase Utley is ours. Is there a better and smarter position player player in baseball? Okay - perhaps there are better .... but not smarter.

Anyway begin your analysis of the 2014 Phillies with the fact that we have on our team - Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, and Chase Utley. I wouldn't automatically rule the 2014 Phillies out of making some noise!