Alex Anthopoulos: 'Vernon Wells Will Stay in Center'

Been a lousy day here, woke up with a headache, I seem to have developed a sensitivity to weather changes or I guess pressure changes would be more accurate. So after a morning of doing only what was absolutely necessary, I spent the rest of the day in bed in a dark room. It's the first time today I've turned the computer on. I figured with my luck the Jays would have done something big and I'd have missed it. But nope, not much of note today.

Closest to news is a piece Jordan Bastian wrote telling us that Alex Anthopoulos has said that they have not considered moving Vernon Wells out of center field. Now I'm of two minds on this. In reality, what is he going to say? "Yeah, Vernon's crap in center field, we've got to find someone better'. He can't do that. It doesn't do a team any good to run down one of their players in the press. Even if you are trying to replace him, it doesn't help to tell him he is terrible. You are far better off to say he's great and hope that the player buys into it. And, I felt, Vernon's defense improved as the season went on.

But behind the scenes, I gotta figure the Jays are looking to find someone that could play center so they could move Vernon over to right. For one, there is less running in RF and with the hamstring troubles Vernon's had over the last couple of years, less running would be a good thing. Add in that it is possible that Lind could be in left and Snider could be in right, Vernon will have to do a ton of running to cover for both of them. Keeping Vernon healthy would also help his offense. 

Part two is that you have signed two defense only shortstops, on the theory that your young pitching staff needs the confidence that a good defense gives. If you believe strong defense from short is important, why wouldn't you believe strong defense in the outfield is important to those young pitchers too. Good range in the outfield can turn a double or a triple into an out. You don't think that would help out our young starts.

While I understand that Anthopoulos has to say what he said, I really don't believe him. I think that if the Yankees give us Austin Jackson, in a package, for Roy Halladay we'll see Vernon in right field. And it would be the right move.