Vernon Wells

2013

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2012

Wells hit 25 home runs in his first season in Anaheim, but he also had a career-worst .218 batting average and totaled just 66 RBI. Still, Wells may actually be somewhat of a bounce-back candidate in 2012. His average probably can't get any worse, so if he can maintain his power stroke, his counting numbers should increase with Albert Pujols in town. Wells is worth a late-round draft pick in most formats, and there are plenty of circles where he's undervalued because of his terrible contract.

2011

Wells bounced back in a big way last season, hitting .273 with 31 homers and 88 RBI for Toronto. He's now entering the cringe-inducing portion of his contract as he's set to make $21-$23 million in each of the next four years. There's virtually no way he'll earn that, but the Jays would be thrilled with a repeat performance of his 2010 campaign. There wasn't a drastic change to his approach at the plate, so tread carefully if you're chasing his power spike as he hadn't topped 20 homers since 2006 prior to last year's outburst.

2010

To borrow a phrase from Monty Python, "ALBATROSS!". That's exactly what Wells' contract has become to the Jays as he's owed over $100 million in a contract that runs until 2014. In all fairness, he may have failed to reach the lofty heights some were hoping for from a fantasy perspective, but he's far from a sinkhole. He did manage to swipe a career-high 17 bases to go along with 15 homers and 84 runs scored in 2009. He'll be back as the team's starting center fielder and those in AL-only formats can bid with confidence as his contract makes him virtually untradeable.

2009

Wells battled hamstring and wrist injuries but still managed 20 homers and 78 RBI while playing in just 108 games. He had played in over 130 games in the previous six seasons, so hopefully this isn't an early sign of a player breaking down. Despite the likelihood of a reduced price on draft day, he just turned 30 in December and should have a few more productive seasons ahead of him.

2008

Wells never got on track after signing a big contract the previous winter, and eventually went under the knife for a torn labrum that likely contributed to his season-long struggles. He had a solid April (.298/.368/.543, four homers, five steals) but it was downhill after that. If he's fully healthy for the start of the season, Wells is a solid bet to bounce back in some capacity in 2008.

2007

Wells enjoyed his best season since 2003 last year, including a career-high 17 stolen bases. His home/road splits were massive -- 1.038 OPS and 24 homers at home vs. a .762 OPS and eight homers on the road -- so it's good he signed a five-year contract extension this offseason. His first half showed real growth, including a nice 35:46 K:BB in 325 at-bats, but he fell apart (19:44 in 286 at-bats) during the second half. He's shown wild fluctuations in the past, so be aware the possibility exists again. A pretty solid supporting cast should mask most of it, however.

2006

Wells rebounded modestly after a subpar 2004, but it was mainly because he was healthy again. It still wasn't as good as his 2003, but at 27, anything's possible. It looks like he has a ceiling at 30 HR and a .270 average, but could produce more runs and RBI with a stronger supporting cast.

2005

Wells' 2003 was such a jump over his 2002 numbers that it's wasn't entirely unexpected he came back down to earth last year. He's starting to get a grasp of the strike zone so there's some chance for a rebound, but he may never reach his 2003 level again. Bid expecting a healthier Wells as calf problems sidelined him nearly a full month.

2004

Twenty four-year old centerfielders who pound out 87 extra base hits are a rare breed. He hit just 10 HRs and drove in 33 runs after the All-Star Break, but hit .344. Wells had three months (June, August and September) where he hit .343 or higher, which is tough to maintain given his somewhat low walk total. It's tough to maintain a 140-point spike in your OPS from the previous season, but he's at that age where it's reasonable to expect it and the jump came along with a decent spike in his walk rate. Expect his numbers month-to-month to be more consistent in 2004, but the overall totals should be similar to 2003 again.

2003

We'd feel a lot better about his second half breakout (.286, 13 HRs, 58 RBI) if it was accompanied by a more patient approach at the plate, but it wasn't. He's at that age where you can expect a big jump in production, so we certainly won't dismiss the progress he made. He's due to hit in the middle of a good young lineup, which will help his overall numbers. Don't overpay based on his second half stats, but his end of the year numbers should be similar again and they aren't too shabby.