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Friday, August 24, 2007

David Wells agrees to deal with Dodgers

Fatburger...you’ve been warned.

David Wells is back in the pennant race with a new team: the Los Angeles Dodgers. Wells and the Dodgers agreed to a contract Thursday and the big lefty plans to make his first start for Los Angeles on Sunday night against the Mets in New York.

The 44-year-old Wells was designated for assignment by his hometown San Diego Padres on Aug. 9 and placed on release waivers four days later. He cleared waivers last Thursday and became a free agent.

The Dodgers will be his ninth team in a 21-year major league career.

“David’s excited to have an opportunity to continue his career with a team that has such a storied history,” said Wells’ agent, Gregg Clifton. “He’s excited to help any way he can to get the Dodgers back to the playoffs.”

Repoz Posted: August 24, 2007 at 02:22 AM | 23 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
  Tags: dodgers

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   1. shoewizard Posted: August 24, 2007 at 03:08 AM (#2497860)
This is like Christmas twice in one year...for a D backs fan.
   2. Brandon in MO (Yunitility Infielder) Posted: August 24, 2007 at 03:12 AM (#2497862)
I guess Wells will have more time to have Dodgerdogs sent to the dugout.
   3. Earvin 'Gold Stars' Johnson Posted: August 24, 2007 at 03:26 AM (#2497873)
Reminds me of Rickey Henderson signing with LA.
That worked out for... no one.
   4. akrasian Posted: August 24, 2007 at 03:49 AM (#2497884)
Meh. It's a gamble. For about a month and a half (from May 15 through July 2) he actually had solid enough results. The Dodgers are hoping that the rest he's had will allow him to pitch similarly for 5-6 starts.

If it gets rid of Tomko, it's not all bad. If the Dodgers keep Tomko in the pen (where he can work on his paintings while being rarely used), while dumping Roberto Hernandez, I'm okay with that too. I'm guessing a kid gets sent down instead, though.

If Wells just bites, then the Dodgers can bring up Houlton or McDonald.
   5. 6 - 4 - 3 Posted: August 24, 2007 at 04:07 AM (#2497893)
Reminds me of Rickey Henderson signing with LA.
That worked out for... no one.


Not true, it was a gift to most of his opponents. He hit .105 (2 for 19 with a walk) against Colorado.
   6. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: August 24, 2007 at 04:18 AM (#2497899)
Anybody else read that the first time as "such a steroid history"?
   7. Rich Posted: August 24, 2007 at 04:22 AM (#2497904)
Wells gives new meaning to the words: "He's baaaack."
   8. We don't have dahlians at the Palace of Wisdom Posted: August 24, 2007 at 04:26 AM (#2497907)
This is the first time this season that I've actively looked forward to a Sunday Night Baseball game that didn't happen to be the first game of the season.
   9. Ray (RDP) Posted: August 24, 2007 at 04:27 AM (#2497908)
His walk rate is way up now, which is the one indicator that's gone completely haywire on him (er, other than the runs allowed).

One reason Wells's career is interesting because, while some pitchers last into their 40s, he didn't seem to have the body type to do that. Yet, he just kept pitching and pitching and never really lost it.

It's amusing to look back at the comments Baseball Prospectus made about him year after year. They basically kept predicting over and over again that he was about to fall off a cliff. But it never happened.

The entry after 1997: "Maybe one good year. Maybe."

After 1998: "When he goes bad, he's going to go quickly."

After 1999: "I expect one more good year at around his 1997 level of performance with 50 fewer innings, then a sharp decline that's going to look very bad."

After 2000: "At age 38 with a waist to match, he's a bad risk."

Etc.
   10. Robert S. Posted: August 24, 2007 at 04:40 AM (#2497917)
2005 BPro on Brandon Webb: "An excellent candidate for a complete implosion"
   11. Ray (RDP) Posted: August 24, 2007 at 04:44 AM (#2497919)
That's a good one too; it can be hard to predict these things.

Mind you I like Baseball Prospectus, and I think they do good work; I wasn't criticizing them, only poking fun at them.
   12. Robert S. Posted: August 24, 2007 at 04:47 AM (#2497920)
2005 BPro on Russ Ortiz: "In a vacuum, he's a few ticks above average"
   13. scareduck Posted: August 24, 2007 at 06:22 AM (#2497945)
But how can he pitch if he spends all his time in the All-You-Can-Eat seats?
   14. Gambling Rent Czar Posted: August 24, 2007 at 06:47 AM (#2497955)
He is pitching Sunday huh? Thats means he will get the rock in San Diego next weekend.

it'll be like extended batting practice.
   15. Gromit Posted: August 24, 2007 at 10:59 AM (#2497973)
he will get the rock in San Diego next weekend.

it'll be like extended batting practice.


Naw! Watch. The Padres will that he's still on their team and give him no run support and end up losing.
   16. RB in NYC (Now with New iPhone!) Posted: August 24, 2007 at 11:29 AM (#2497974)
After 1998: "When he goes bad, he's going to go quickly."
Well, this is a little bit like Ruth's comment in the same vein on Gehrig. They were right, it just happened to be several years later.
   17. CFBF Hates Hyphens Posted: August 24, 2007 at 01:22 PM (#2498009)
It's a measure of my desperation that I'm a little upset the Braves couldn't sign Wells and use him to replace Jo Jo Reyes.
   18. James Darnell's #1 Fan Posted: August 24, 2007 at 03:55 PM (#2498194)
David Wells is back in the pennant race with a new team: the Los Angeles Dodgers.

This is good news... for all of the other NL West teams.
   19. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader Posted: August 24, 2007 at 03:57 PM (#2498199)
Watch out Los Angeles. But hold on to your dik-dik!
   20. Latnam's first name is Bob Lemon's middl Posted: August 24, 2007 at 04:33 PM (#2498232)
It's a measure of my desperation that I'm a little upset the Braves couldn't sign Wells and use him to replace Jo Jo Reyes.

I was about to post a similar thought. Man, the Braves' rotation is a gaping valley of suck right now.
   21. akrasian Posted: August 24, 2007 at 04:59 PM (#2498256)
The Dodgers would probably be willing to trade Tomko to the Braves.
   22. Neil Kinnock...Lord Palmerston! (Orinoco) Posted: August 24, 2007 at 05:02 PM (#2498258)
This Sunday, umm

What's the over under on how many RBIs Moises Alou is going to get off Wells? 4.5?
   23. Benji Posted: August 24, 2007 at 05:21 PM (#2498280)
My brother's a Dodger fan, so I try to see the moves in a better context. But I can't. Handing Betamit's future 40 HR seasons to the Yankees for a stiff can't be beat for idiocy, but signing Wells comes damn close. You know he's done when the NY writers didn't start demanding that the Mets saddle themselves with him.

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