Yankees make deal for Vernon Wells

In desperate need for a bat before opening day, the New York Yankees have swung a deal with the Los Angeles Angels for outfielder Vernon Wells. Wells, 34, is another aging player added to a Yankees roster full of aging and breaking down players.

In a way, the Angels trade of Wells is a throw away. He has been producing poorly the last two seasons, and has not lived up to the enormous seven year $126 million contract he has with LA. Currently this is the sixth year of the deal, and the Angels are expected to pick up a big chunk of the remaining contract.

While Wells is coming on the cheap for the Yankees, the fact that the Bronx Bombers are adding him is another example of how desperate this franchise has become for any offensive player who can produce. It is also a condemnation of the Yankees minor league system which is bereft of major league ready talent. Those involved with the Yankees, continue to say that the Yankees have solid kids on the farm who are coming up the system, but most of them are years away.

Such is the sacrifice a team makes when they spent a better part of the last decade spending big money on big name players.

The Yankees will already be without Derek Jeter on Opening Day, who is still recovering from the ankle injury that keeps barking. Mark Tiexiera and Curtis Granderson are out 10 weeks, and Alex Rodriguez is likely lost for the season.

They added Brendon Bosch a week ago, and have been auditioning Ben Francisco in the outfield to take Granderson's place. Meanwhile, Travis Hafner, Dan Johnson and Juan Rivera have been auditioning for first base. None of these guys will make it happen. Anyone expecting Wells to fill the void admirably better check the stats sheet. 

While Wells will hit homers in Yankees Stadium, he will suffer the same fate that Juan Rivera, and Travis Hafner are likely to face this year as well; they will not produce consistently enough.

Wells productivity dropped significantly the past two seasons. He hit a combined .222 with 18 homers and 48 RBI in 2011-12, and missed 116 games due to injury. This is not the same player who was an All Star in Toronto; that guy disappeared years ago.

Wells is the same kind of player the Yankees have been adding over the years, a big name who has nothing left. Unfortunately for New York this is another desperate move by a front office not used to making desperate moves -- the Yankees can sense the division, which had been theirs for so many years starting to slip away as Toronto, Baltimore and Tampa continue to get younger and improve.

So enjoy the occasional homer by Mr. Wells, but don't expect him to be a clutch performer for the Bombers this season.