Wells catches eye of Chicago officials
Posted By BOB ELLIOTT, SUN MEDIA
Posted 10 months ago
It's not a match made in heaven.
In fact, it is quite the opposite.
The Chicago Cubs would like to -- have to -- deal disgruntled outfielder Milton Bradley.
And one player they are eyeing as a target destination is the Toronto Blue Jays with centre fielder Vernon Wells going to the Cubs in return.
"It's early on, but we think this one has some legs," said one Cubs official.
"They aren't the only team we are talking with."
Bradley, suspended for the season by the Cubs Sept. 20, has two years and $21 million remaining on contract.
Wells has six years left on contract extension, $107 remaining, including $8.5 million, the final installment of his signing bonus, which is due on March. President Paul Godfrey and former general manager J. P. Ricciardi signed Wells to the contract.
This wouldn't be a good old-fashioned baseball trade, like when the Jays sent Fred McGriff and Tony Fernandez to the San Diego Padres for Robbie Alomar and Joe Carter at the 1990 winter meetings in Chicago.
The Cubs suspended Bradley a day after he criticized the team in a newspaper interview, knocking the organization and saying "you understand why they haven't won here in 100 years."
The Cubs idea is to split the difference on monies owed. Wells has $107 million and Bradley $21 million for a difference of $86 million.
Each team absorbs $43 million.
Simple as pie. Right?
Likely not from the Jays end. While the Jays have given players a second chance over the years -- bringing back Fernandez in 1993 after Dick Schofield had season-ending surgery -- they haven't been big on taking on players who have had trouble with numerous teams.
The Cubs were Bradley's ninth team.
With the Cleveland Indians he and manager Eric Wedge had a confrontation in the dugout during spring training and was dealt to the Dodgers in 2004.
Later the same season he tossed a plastic bottle at the feet of a fan in the right-field seats at Dodger Stadium after someone threw it onto the field and received a five-game suspension. He was also given a four-game suspension for tossing a bag of balls onto the field after being kicked out.
The next year he called infielder Jeff Kent a racist and the Dodgers dealt him to the Oakland A's.
In 2007 he feuded with A's GM Billy Beane and was moved to San Diego. With the Padres in the midst of a pennant race he tore his right knee when spun around by Padres manager Bud Black, who was attempting to keep him going after umpire Mike Winters.
With the Texas Rangers, Bradley attempted to confront Royals announcer Ryan Lefebvre in the press box after a game due to what comments he made on the air. Manager Ron Washington and GM Jon Daniels managed to head Bradley off at the pass before he reached Lefebvre.
The Cubs have to deal Bradley. Other possible landing spots: The San Francisco Giants for lefty Barry Zito, who has four years remaining at $83 million; the Cleveland Indians for Travis Hafner, three years for $40.25 million, Giants' Aaron Rowand, three years at $36 million, Los Angeles Dodgers Juan Pierre, two years at $18.5 million and Tampa Bay's Pat Burrell, one year at $7 million.
Finally: Alex Agostino of Montreal has turned down an offer to scout in Canada for the Jays. Agostino was interviewed, but elected to stay with the Phillies. Agostino is driving to Philadelphia for the World Series games ... The Jays have asked permission to speak to four Texas Rangers scouts, no doubt the influence of former Ranger scouts Mel Didier and Perry Minasian, now with the Jays. Didier is a senior adviser in development and Minasian is the new head of pro scouting.
bob.elliott@sunmedia.ca
