Vernon Wells tweets his goodbye to the Yankees
Just after 1 p.m. Friday, Wells wrote ‘Thank you @Yankees for the opportunity to be a part of such a storied franchise. #Blessed #NextChapter’
By Anthony Mccarron / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Published: Friday, January 10, 2014, 1:53 PM
Updated: Saturday, January 11, 2014, 12:40 AM
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Andrew Theodorakis/New York Daily News
Vernon Wells bats .233 last season with 11 home runs and 50 RBI in 130 games for the Yankees.
While bigger potential transactions loom for the Yankees — the announcement on Alex Rodriguez’s arbitration decision, the possibility of snagging Japanese ace Masahiro Tanaka — the club took care of some roster business Friday, saying goodbye to outfielder Vernon Wells.
Wells was designated for assignment because the Yanks needed a roster spot for lefty reliever Matt Thornton. The team formally announced Thornton’s two-year, $7 million
deal, which had been agreed to weeks ago.
Wells himself broke the news of his exit early Friday afternoon on Twitter, saying how grateful he was to have been a Yankee a few hours before the official announcement.
Wells (@VernonWells10) wrote, “Thank you @Yankees for the opportunity to be a part of such a
storied franchise. #Blessed #NextChapter”
The Yanks still owe $2.4 million to Wells, who batted .233 with 11 homers and 50 RBI in 130 games last season. He had a .282 on-base percentage and a .349 slugging percentage.
Wells had six home runs and a .911 OPS in the first month of the season as a helpful stopgap in the banged-up Yankee outfield. But he couldn’t sustain it when pressed into regular duty, and the Yanks didn’t have a spot on the 2014 team that has outfielders Jacoby Ellsbury, Carlos Beltran, Brett Gardner and Alfonso Soriano.
The 37-year-old Thornton was 0-4 with a 3.74 ERA in 60 appearances for the White Sox and Red Sox last season. He held lefties to a .235 average and .638 OPS.
TANAKA MYSTERY The Dodgers might the Yankees’ biggest competition to sign Tanaka, the Japanese ace who was 24-0 last season. But the process is shrouded in secrecy so far as the pitcher and his agent, Casey Close, meet with interested teams, including the Yanks. While there is a feeling in baseball that Tanaka is most interested in the big market teams, it’s difficult to gauge what’s happening now. Here is an example: a published report Friday said the Dodgers would not be outbid for Tanaka but that was amended to the Dodgers being interested, but not willing to spend wildly. Meanwhile, Texas’ Derek Holland suffered a knee injury falling down the stairs at his home that could keep him out to midseason, which likely will fuel speculation that the Rangers will get involved in Tanaka, too.
MET INVITES Pitching prospects Noah Syndergaard and Rafael Montero are among 20 nonroster players invited by the Mets to spring training. Other
interesting names: reliever Jack Leathersich, outfielders Brandon Nimmo and Cory Vaughn and catchers Taylor Teagarden and Kevin Plawecki.
SD Yankee Report 