Good thing he got that ball signed.

So when should we expect the Pirates to sign him?

A dark day for the San Diego area restaurant industry.

I wouldn't think you could get a job anywhere in baseball if you were a rankler, especially Bud's rankler.

Does this free up two or three roster spots?

Best Regards

John

Now that they are both available, maybe someone can finally get David Welles and Sydney Ponson to finally settle the great question of our age: Who would win a sumo wrestling match?

So when should we expect the Pirates to sign him?

I hope someone does, for the sake of all the megafauna in Africa.

One two more serious notes:

1. I have seen Wells pitch a few times this year. I am not sure he is totally done, but an argument that if you can't succeed as a pitcher on the Padres in PETCO, you can't succeed as a pitcher in the majors anywhere makes sense.
2. Wells is the butt of many jokes, and for good reason. But I have heard a few stories about him here locally that paint a picture of a very nice guy, who has often made under-the-radar donations of baseball equipment to schools and rec centers, given a lot of free autographs to kids, etc. To these people, he has a big mouth and a temper, but is a very decent guy. I heard one story--do not know if it is true, got it third-hand--that a local buddy of Wells' from his past fell on very hard times (drug problem, destitute) and when Wells found out, he helped the guy get on his feet with money and other assistance, but kept it out of the papers.

I'm actually bummed by this because it gives Wells more time to go around the world killing and eating various endangered species. I think the WWF and Defenders of Wildlife should get some money together and keep him employed. The fat piece of ####.

...and the Padres get their rain tarp back.

USS Mariner (D. Cameron) is now campaigning for the M's to go after Wells, saying he is "obviously a far better pitcher" than Horacio Ramirez.

David Wells: Much closer to the HOF than I would've expected fifteen years ago.

Hey, the Yankees have brought back Clemens and Pettitte. They just need Wells to complete the set.

And I'm now down to 2 active players older than me, though it will be three again come September.

They just need Wells to complete the set.

Well, Hughes got hammered in his last start....

GO BOOMER!

So when should we expect the Pirates to sign him?

Why would the pirates wait to sign him when they can actually trade away some talent for him in the next three days and presumably take on his whole contract balance? That's the bucco way.

Maybe he needs to resume pitching drunk/hung-over.

Seriously, Wells managed to last longer as a decent innings-eater than I'd expected, which has value. He's been overrated at times because of WINS and he's not a credible candidate for the Hall of Fame, but he certainly makes it into the Hall of the Pretty Good. Wells had a few good seasons and great moments for the Yankees, so if this portends the end of his career, I wish him well.

Of course, now that I've posted this, he'll sign with some other team and pitch the entire 2008 and 2009 seasons...

The last 7 batters he faced all got hits. That might be how his career ends. Incredibly, that still wouldn't be the record for worst career-ending series of batters by a 200 game winner

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[/urlAnd I'm now down to 2 active players older than me, though it will be three again come September.

Don't worry. Rickey's coaching the Mets now, right? Maybe he'll activate himself as a pinch runner in the stretch.

...and the Padres get their rain tarp back.

Had Wells been using it as a bib?

David Wells: Much closer to the HOF than I would've expected...

Why...is he now facing the northeast?

Note to Ned: you need another starting pitcher. Hendrickson belongs in the pen.

The last 7 batters he faced all got hits. That might be how his career ends. Incredibly, that still wouldn't be the record for worst career-ending series of batters by a 200 game winner

Another bad one

Nice..
Props to yo David and your wonderful career.
Sad to see you go, but it had to be done.

Towers was on the radio today saying that they wanted to wait to talk to David and let him decide what to do here.

retire/release.

Probably the classiest way you could tell somebody, your fired.

"Gee, thanks for the option, Kevin, but I think I won't retire so I can continue to get paid for the rest of my contract."

Yeah, that's classy.

Another bad one

Wow. Dann Howitt.

And I thought that Tom Candiotti's last appearance was bad.

Isn't Philadelphia the obvious destination? They need pitching. They have cheesesteaks. Heck, Wells would have been perfect on that 1993 team.

Wells should sign with the Camden Riversharks, they play just across the river from downtown Philly. Currently they are hurting for ex-major leaguers by comparison with other Atlantic League teams. The only one is Craig Paquette right now, I believe.

Hey, the Yankees have brought back Clemens and Pettitte. They just need Wells to complete the set.

But Grimsley came to the Yankees in '99, when Wells was with Toronto.

I wouldn't mind seeing the braves take a flier on him

Heck, Wells would have been perfect on that 1993 team.

He would have been welcome on the '93 Jays, for that matter.

Apparently they don't have a commitment to his enlarged heart.