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Monday, February 25, 2013

Vernon Wells plans to retire at 35 after 2014 season

When Vernon Wells’ seven-year, $126 million contract comes to an end in two years, so will his baseball career. The Angels outfielder, owed $42 million over the next two seasons, plans to retire at the end of 2014, even though he’ll be only 35.

He’s got two good reasons: One is 10, the other is 7, and both are boys.

“My kids,” Wells said Monday morning. “It’ll be time to invest more in their lives. I’ve gone through this for long enough. My thoughts right now as a family is to be done after two years, enjoy them, get to be there for them in those years where they’re going to need their dad every day, not just every now and then.”

Wells still loves the game, but is eager to return to his home in Southlake, Texas, long-term so he can be a full-time father.

He also has an interesting career route he’s eager to pursue: ownership.

Wells, who will end up grossing close to $150 million as a ballplayer, wants to own a Major League team someday. In fact, the plan is to partner with former Angels outfielder Torii Hunter.

Worked out for Roger Dorn. Why not?

RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: February 25, 2013 at 05:12 PM | 34 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: angels, bad contracts, retirement, vernon wells

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1. John Northey Posted: February 25, 2013 at 07:04 PM (#4375938)

I'm sure the Angels would like it if he retired immediately thus saving a lot of money. I remember when Wells signed that deal he said it set him, his kids and his kids kids up for life. Hopefully he kept that in mind and invested wisely thus far as I suspect if he did try to play after the deal ran out he'd only get ML minimum wage offers.

2. Jim (jimmuscomp) Posted: February 25, 2013 at 07:08 PM (#4375940)

####. Just go away VW. You are a bad player and I wish I didn't have to look at you "play" defense or try to hit ever again.

3. FancyPantsHandle glistening with foreign substance Posted: February 25, 2013 at 07:13 PM (#4375942)

Meh. He was a pretty good player for quite a while. His career is nothing to be ashamed of. It's not his fault the Jays signed him to a stupid contract, or that the Angels traded for it.

4. Dale Sams Posted: February 25, 2013 at 07:13 PM (#4375943)

My kids,” Wells said Monday morning. “It’ll be time to invest more in their lives

"But for now, my portfolio takes precedence."

5. booond Posted: February 25, 2013 at 07:15 PM (#4375947)

If he didn't announce this how would we know?

6. Mayor Blomberg Posted: February 25, 2013 at 07:18 PM (#4375948)

"But for now, my portfolio takes precedence."

Dale, if my dad had given me the choice at that age of a couple more summers with me or a couple million more starting out in life, I love the guy but he'd have been playing.

7. Cris E Posted: February 25, 2013 at 07:22 PM (#4375952)

Maybe he could retire now and parley his remaining salary into a small stake in the team. Arte might give a good price just to get him off the fricking field.

8. rexhound33 Posted: February 25, 2013 at 07:28 PM (#4375957)

Vernon stopped playing baseball awhile ago, but he still cashes the checks. Kind of like Newman when he didn't get the transfer to Hawaii.

9. Hello Rusty Kuntz, Goodbye Rusty Cars Posted: February 25, 2013 at 07:32 PM (#4375959)

The longer he hangs around, the less crowded his Hall of Fame ballot will be. Well, maybe.

10. Dale Sams Posted: February 25, 2013 at 08:07 PM (#4375978)

Is he voting?

11. Greg (U)K Posted: February 25, 2013 at 08:11 PM (#4375981)

Is it a bit weird to be announcing this two years in advance? It wouldn't surprise me if players make that kind of decision that far in advance quite often, but I can't recall hearing about it.

12. Walt Davis Posted: February 25, 2013 at 08:25 PM (#4375988)

He’s got two good reasons: one is 86 and the other is -.3.

13. akrasian Posted: February 25, 2013 at 08:39 PM (#4375992)

Understandably, he is not willing to give up $42 million - but there might be some sum that he would give up if the Angels offered to buy him out. Or at least take that $42 million over a number of years. I wonder if the Angels have made any offers along those lines.

14. Gonfalon Bubble Posted: February 25, 2013 at 08:44 PM (#4375995)

I could have sworn he retired after the 2008 season. [checking BB-Ref] Except for 2010, I was right.

15. Jeff Francoeur's OPS Posted: February 25, 2013 at 09:16 PM (#4376007)

Is anyone else really irritated by his talking about wanting to own a team?

16. Random Transaction Generator Posted: February 25, 2013 at 10:25 PM (#4376035)

In fact, the plan is to partner with former Angels outfielder Torii Hunter.

Isn't Torii Hunter one of the examples of athletes who make bad investments?

A quick search of Google says yes.

Maybe Vernon should find someone else to team up with...

17. pthomas Posted: February 25, 2013 at 11:22 PM (#4376046)

Talk about a lame duck.......

18. Jose Can Still Seabiscuit Posted: February 25, 2013 at 11:25 PM (#4376048)

Is it a bit weird to be announcing this two years in advance? It wouldn't surprise me if players make that kind of decision that far in advance quite often, but I can't recall hearing about it.

Players do this from time to time. They almost never mean it. I remember Clemens talking about retiring in the early 90s when his deal with the Sox expired in '96. He hung on for a few years after that.

What's funny about this one of course is what Calcaterra noted today, if it wasn't for the contract Wells would have been released a long time ago and is not likely to have the option of continuing his career when his contract expires. What was the line during the umpire strike in '99? "It's an offer to be accepted or a threat to be ignored" or something like that?

19. flournoy Posted: February 25, 2013 at 11:49 PM (#4376053)

I didn't realize until now that Wells' OBP for his two years in Anaheim is .258. That's outrageously bad. That's almost thirty points worse than Jeff Francoeur's career low!

20. RJ in TO Posted: February 25, 2013 at 11:51 PM (#4376054)

It's only 0.002 higher that Jeff Mathis' career mark!

21. John Northey Posted: February 26, 2013 at 12:14 AM (#4376063)

Every day that passes the better AA looks for dealing Wells for Mike Napoli and Juan Rivera. A shame he traded Napoli right away for Frank Francisco and cash but Francisco became a draft pick that was used to get LHP Matt Smoral ($2 mil bonus, double slot but didn't play last year due to a broken foot, drafted out of high school, 6'8"). Thus the Jays easily could be getting returns on that trade years after Wells retires. Rivera was traded for cash.

22. Russlan is fond of Dillon Gee Posted: February 26, 2013 at 12:21 AM (#4376067)

Players do this from time to time. They almost never mean it. I remember Clemens talking about retiring in the early 90s when his deal with the Sox expired in '96. He hung on for a few years after that.

I think the fact that salaries exploded in the late 90s and the aughts are a big reason some players of Clemens era stuck around. Clemens made roughly 150 millions dollars in his career and he made a third of that in his last 3 seasons he pitched and that included two seasons where he didn't start pitching until the middle of the year. That's a pretty huge difference.

Wells might be able to stick around after his contract expires but he isn't ever going to have another significant salary compared to what he has already made in baseball.

23. Shock Posted: February 26, 2013 at 12:23 AM (#4376069)

I have zero memory of Juan Rivera being on the JAys. Zero. None. According to the internet he actually appeared in games, too. Seventy of them; 70. No memory at all.

24. Walt Davis Posted: February 26, 2013 at 12:49 AM (#4376083)

Players do this from time to time.

Like Mark Buehrle who was gonna play for the White Sox or the Cardinals or retire.

25. Walt Davis Posted: February 26, 2013 at 12:51 AM (#4376084)

I didn't realize until now that Wells' OBP for his two years in Anaheim is .258.

Yeah, I thought about using that one in my tremendously clever post. The unfathomable thing is that somehow Wells has slightly positive oWAR for those two years.

26. bookbook Posted: February 26, 2013 at 08:25 AM (#4376141)

Didn't Eddie Murray plan to retire at 30? Buehrle was the same.

Wells' situation is different to be sure. He's saying he won't accept the inevitable NRI that's offered when this contract is up. Good for him.

27. RMc and His Roster of Rubbish Posted: February 26, 2013 at 09:00 AM (#4376151)

Option 1: Retire.
Option 2: Keep doing what I love, and get paid tens of millions of dollars.

Yeah.

28. Greg (U)K Posted: February 26, 2013 at 09:25 AM (#4376161)

I have zero memory of Juan Rivera being on the JAys. Zero. None. According to the internet he actually appeared in games, too. Seventy of them; 70. No memory at all.

He played the role of "we didn't want this guy, he doesn't really serve a purpose, he was part of the price of getting them to take Vernon Wells, but it would be rude to openly admit that and cut him...so he's going to play".

29. Matthew E Posted: February 26, 2013 at 10:23 AM (#4376198)

I am fond of Vernon Wells. He had a good run--he's one of the all-time greatest Blue Jays--and I wish him all the best.

30. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: February 26, 2013 at 11:01 AM (#4376215)

Understandably, he is not willing to give up $42 million - but there might be some sum that he would give up if the Angels offered to buy him out. Or at least take that $42 million over a number of years. I wonder if the Angels have made any offers along those lines.

What about an equity stake in the club? If he really wants to own a club, bring him on board and save yourself some money.

31. Willie Mayspedes Posted: February 26, 2013 at 02:53 PM (#4376414)

You can't measure the balance he brings to the Angels clubhouse. (Balancing out Trout's WAR that is)

32. Greg (U)K Posted: February 26, 2013 at 03:02 PM (#4376417)

I am fond of Vernon Wells. He had a good run--he's one of the all-time greatest Blue Jays--and I wish him all the best.

This is my feeling as well. That may be in part because I didn't have to see the tail end of this contract in Toronto, but even when he was here and over-paid I didn't hold it against him. Always seemed like a cool guy. I hope after his playing days he is a familiar face around SkyDome.

Speaking of which, does Carlos Delgado have much interaction with the Jays these days?

33. Willie Mayspedes Posted: February 26, 2013 at 03:09 PM (#4376422)

EDIT: double post

34. jack the seal clubber (on the sidelines of life) Posted: February 26, 2013 at 05:19 PM (#4376533)

I guess he still has the illusions that it's "stop the presses" time when he announces his intention to retire in two years. Just play your best for your current team and do what you need to do when the time comes. The world doesn't revolve around you any more than it revolves around the rest of us. He is a below average mlb player at this point with a wildly above average contract.

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Monday, February 25, 2013

Vernon Wells plans to retire at 35 after 2014 season

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