Phil Rogers opined in the Chicago Tribune on Saturday that Cubs could consider swapping albatross/outfielder Alfonso Soriano to the Angels for anchor/outfielder Vernon Wells. It’s an interesting thought but I wouldn’t bet on it happening for a few reasons:
1. Wells is owed $63 million over the next three seasons. Soriano is owed $54 million over the next three seasons. Soriano looks like a bargain in comparison.
2. Despite Wells being three years younger his decline has been more startling than Soriano’s. While Soriano has struggled Wells flat out stinks. Wells posted a .660 OPS for Los Angeles in 2011 with a horrendous .248 OBP. He’s basically Cesar Izturis with an outfielder’s glove.
3. Wells posted a WAR of -0.3 in 2011. Yes, that’s right, negative! He was worse than a replacement player, and all for the low, low price of $26 million. No wonder Tony Reagins was canned. Soriano, while no world beater, posted a WAR of 1.3.
In essence, trading Soriano for Wells would cost the Cubs $9 million extra over three years and make them 1.6 wins worse each season. They didn’t bring in Theo Epstein to make those kinds of decisions.
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