Jays Look At Wells?

[love_that_reefer]

The Jays would like to sign Wells, FOXSports.com has learned, but are skeptical they will get the chance. Wells, 43, lives in San Diego, and wants to rejoin his hometown Padres, for whom he pitched in 2004 and again in '06.

Wells' agent, Gregg Clifton, is expected to speak Wednesday with Padres general manager Kevin Towers. The Jays would enter the picture if the two sides can not reach a deal.

Wells has indicated that he would be willing to return to the Jays, his original team. He played in Toronto from 1987-92 and also in 1999 and 2000.

This is a club that tried to sign both free-agent righty Gil Meche and lefty Ted Lilly and landed neither. Free-agent right-hander John Thomson isn't the answer, not when oft-injured A.J. Burnett is the No. 2 starter and dubious lefty Gustavo Chacin, who pitched only 871/3 innings last season, is the No. 3. Thus, the Jays are targeting Wells, who is far more likely to sign with the Padres.

A trade remains possible; the Jays, according to major-league sources, failed in attempts to move outfielder Alex Rios to the Phillies for righty Brett Myers and to the Dodgers for righty Chad Billingsley and a second piece, most likely outfielder Matt Kemp or righty Jonathan Broxton. They need to keep pushing for such a deal; in the A.L. East, young righties such as Shaun Marcum and Casey Janssen can be asked to do only so much.

The team has discussed trading outfielder Alex Rios for a starting pitcher. Wells and right-handers Roger Clemens and Jeff Weaver are the most prominent free agents remaining on the market. Clemens isn't interested in returning to Toronto and Weaver struggled with the Yankees in 2002 and '03 during his lone stint in the A.L. East.

Wells appeals to the Jays because he won 15 games for an A.L. East club as recently as 2005, when he was with the Red Sox. Over the past 11 seasons, he has pitched for every A.L. East team but the Devil Rays - and at the moment, he's relatively healthy.

Wells underwent surgery on his right knee after the '05 season and missed six weeks early last season due to lingering knee soreness. In his first start back, the Devil Rays' Travis Lee hit a line drive that struck him in the same knee, forcing Wells to sit out another two months.

The pitcher, however, finished strong, going 3-4 with a 3.03 ERA in his final 10 regular-season starts for the Red Sox and Padres. He then lost Game 2 of the Division Series to the Cardinals, allowing two earned runs in five innings.

Wells is 230-148 lifetime with a 4.07 ERA.

He is used to the AL East and wouldn't be that bad of a pickup to go along with Halladay, Burnett, Chacin and Thomson.

If the Jays want to seriously get rid of Rios, someone shoot the GM. I am sure there will be a lot of teams wanted his services come spring training.

[browntown653]

David Wells is still hanging around? Wow.

[Halladay_is_God]

David fatty Wells hates the team and called the fans idiots, He's known for having a problem with the team for a long time its not likely to change just because he may get to pitch for his first team for the last time.

[Dr.Funk]

This would be horrible for the Jays. Besides being one of the biggst A-holes in the game, he doesn't have game anymore.

[Dr.Funk]

It appears David Wells is returning to San Diego, the deal should be finalized monday or tuesday.

[Halladay_is_God]

great news as far I'm concerned, I don't want Wells anywhere near a Jays' uniform

[SLAM]

^same.