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TSN.ca Staff with Globe and Mail files

12/13/2006 10:34:49 AM

The Globe and Mail reports that the Toronto Blue Jays have made a formal contract offer to outfielder Vernon Wells.

According to another report on Yahoo!, it is a seven year deal worth $126 million US. If signed, the contract would be the sixth-richest in baseball history, behind only Alex Rodriguez ($252 million for 10 years), Derek Jeter ($189 million for 10 years), Manny Ramirez ($160 million for eight years), Todd Helton ($141.5 million for 11 years) and Alfonso Soriano ($136 million, eight years).

"It's somewhere in there," Wells told the Globe on Tuesday. "But to be honest, other than that, I don't feel under any obligation to make any more comments about it."

The contract would also likely exceed the average annual value of Soriano, who signed with the Cubs last month.

"We have made a formal offer," Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi confirmed to the Globe.

Wells, 28, is under contract in 2007 for $5.6 million US but will be eligible for free agency after the season. Without a new deal he could leave the Blue Jays for little more than two draft picks as compensation next fall, which has led to speculation the club would try to deal him rather than risk losing him.

The Blue Jays' offer would be their largest financial commitment to a player since they gave first baseman Carlos Delgado a $68-million, four-year deal after the 2000 season.

"We will not talk about contract negotiations," Paul Godfrey, the team president, said Wednesday. "We're not going to make any comments."

Wells batted .303 last year with 32 homers and 106 RBIs while winning his second straight Gold Glove.