David Wells Wants to be Traded

Gordon Edes of the Boston Globe wrote today that David Wells would like to be traded from Boston to a West Coast team. Count me among the people who think David Wells was well worth the money this year. The big guy finished with a 15-7 record and a 4.45 ERA and at age 42 he still pitched 184 innings spread over 30 starts. Wells signed an incentive laden contract and he made about $9 million (because of the 30 starts).

So who could you trade him for?

I'm assuming that Wells would want a trade to San Diego, the Dodgers, the Angels, A's, the Giants or the Diamondbacks. I think Wells' base salary next year is $2.5 million with another $1.5 million due from his signing bonus. Wells also has his incentives for starts-made which should bring the deal up into the $7-9 million range if he is healthy. Who on the West Coast wants a player with a contract like that?

Realistically, Wells will probably be traded for flotsam and jetsam and that would be OK by me. We squeezed a lot of juice out of 42-year old body this year and it is probably unrealistic to think he'd hold up for another 30 starts next year. Plus the Sox already have Schilling, Wakefield, Clement, Arroyo and Jon Papelbon.

I don't think the A's would be a fit. The Angels could be losing both Paul Byrd and Jarrod Washburn so they might want a guy to eat up some starts and innings. Maybe the Angels send the Sox Jeff DaVanon to be the utility outfielder (career .806 OPS vs lefties). The Diamondbacks don't look like a fit either since they have Vazquez, Webb, Halsey and Ortiz already in the rotation. Would the Dodgers want to get rid of Hee-Seop Choi? The Giants seem to need pitchers but are they too cheap to pick up Wells' contract? That leaves the Padres.

The Padres seem the logical choice. Wells wants to be there and the Padres have some players they would like to move. Let's take a look a couple:

- Ryan Klesko because he's due to make $10 million next year the Padres may want to trade him. The Sox do need a first baseman but Klesko is unlikely because he's a 10/5 guy and he loves it in San Diego (surfer guy).

- Brian Lawrence because the Padres seem to have soured on him and he'll make $3.5 million next year. This would be almost an salary swap and Lawrence may just need a change of scenery.

- Xavier Nady who at one time was going to be the next big thing but has turned into the West Coast version of Gabe Kapler (but much cheaper). Nady does very well against lefties (.323 BA and .843 OPS) and the Sox really need a back-up who can spell Trot Nixon against southpaws.

- Sean Burroughs is out of favor in San Diego (they brought in Joe Randa because Burroughs wasn't getting the job done). He could be a guy who just needs a change of scenery. He could also be non-tendered by the Padres. I don't see a fit for Burroughs though.

Maybe no fit is found and Wells comes back. I doubt it - he's gone. For all his faults Boomer did right by Red Sox Nation this year and although I'd say adios in a heartbeat it would not be without a tinge of gratitude.