Once again this year, the Toronto Blue Jays could turn forecasters into fools.

Consider last April, when the Jays started their first season of the century without Roy Halladay. They had a largely untested rotation and a leadoff hitter named Jose Bautista. Sure, Adam Lind and Aaron Hill would hit. But come on, the soothsayers said, how can this team win more than 75 games?

They won 85, without big years from Lind and Hill, with an unprecedented power surge from Bautista and with young starters who often pitched beyond their years.

The Jays start 2011 with a new, meticulous manager and cohesive coaching staff, a new emphasis on aggressive baserunning and signs that Lind and Hill are back in the groove. They have a leadoff man who can run. The young starters are presumably a year wiser.

How can they not win 85 again? Well, two national baseball writers -Ben Reiter of Sports Illustrated and Rob Neyer of SB Nation -pick the Jays to finish last in the American League East. Among other things, they cite the departures of Vernon Wells and Shaun Marcum, predict a return to Earth by Bautista and talk up the alleged improvement of the Baltimore Orioles.

Most critics look for the Jays to finish third or fourth. But whatever your view, it is imprudent to predict a playoff berth. And yes, the Jays could take a step back.

The Starters

Ricky Romero, Kyle Drabek, Brett Cecil, Jo-Jo Reyes, Jesse Litsch. (Disabled list: Brandon Morrow)

It is rare for young starters to take an unimpeded path to consistency (remember that Halladay fellow?), so it wouldn’t be surprising to see one or more of the returnees relapse, which doesn’t preclude them eventually finding long-term reliability. Romero and Cecil struggled in spring training. Drabek is still a rookie. Reyes is trying to shake an erratic past and Litsch is coming off hip surgery. Morrow, perhaps the best of the lot, was having a great spring until his tight elbow sent him to the DL. The Jays expect him to miss one start. If the rotation can build off last season and stay healthy, Toronto could be surprisingly strong.

The Relievers

Shawn Camp, Jason Frasor, Casey Janssen, David Purcey, Jon Rauch, Marc Rzepczynski, Carlos Villanueva. (Disabled list: Octavio Dotel, Frank Francisco)

On paper, the bullpen looks formidable, but the Jays may soon start to worry about closer Francisco, who has been unable to get his arm loose all spring and will open the season on the DL, along with the veteran Dotel. Rauch had a solid spring and opens as the closer, with veterans Frasor and Camp setting him up. When Francisco and Dotel return, the Jays must make two moves. Of the candidates for demotion, only Purcey is out of options.

The Offence

With Vernon Wells, John Buck and Lyle Overbay gone, the Jays will hit fewer homers, but manager John Farrell is looking to build more diversity into the offence and hopes Rajai Davis (52 steals last year) will serve as a leadoff sparkplug. Almost every regular enjoyed a good spring, including Travis Snider, whose enormous potential has been dogged by injury and inconsistency. Bautista remains the fulcrum of this lineup, but the Jays are counting on Lind and Hill to share in the power production while curbing their strikeouts and improving their on-base percentage. If his teammates hit, rookie J.P. Arencibia (.161 in exhibition play) will feel less pressure to measure up to his banner triple-A season.

The Defence

The pressing concerns are at the infield corners. Adam Lind is still learning to play first base and a slimmer Edwin Encarnacion must shake that “E-5″ nickname he earned with his errant throws over the past season and a half. Although he occasionally botches a routine play, Yunel Escobar is a gifted shortstop with a cannon arm. Arencibia showed progress behind the plate in spring camp. Overall, this appears to be an average defensive team that could improve as the season progresses.

Team speed

Except for Davis, there aren’t any burners here, which shouldn’t stop the Jays from fulfilling Farrell’s mandate to run smarter and more aggressively on the basepaths. He wants them “thinking in twos,” looking to take two bases at every opportunity. The talk carried over into spring games, so the players know Farrell is serious about implementing the plan.

Prognosis

The Jays need consistent hitting -and not just home runs -throughout the lineup to help offset the question marks surrounding the pitching staff. The quick return to health and effectiveness of Morrow, Francisco and Dotel are keys. The Jays need everything to click consistently if they are to improve on last year’s win total.

© Copyright (c) National Post

Once again this year, the Toronto Blue Jays could turn forecasters into fools.

Consider last April, when the Jays started their first season of the century without Roy Halladay. They had a largely untested rotation and a leadoff hitter named Jose Bautista. Sure, Adam Lind and Aaron Hill would hit. But come on, the soothsayers said, how can this team win more than 75 games?

They won 85, without big years from Lind and Hill, with an unprecedented power surge from Bautista and with young starters who often pitched beyond their years.

The Jays start 2011 with a new, meticulous manager and cohesive coaching staff, a new emphasis on aggressive baserunning and signs that Lind and Hill are back in the groove. They have a leadoff man who can run. The young starters are presumably a year wiser.

How can they not win 85 again?

Well, two national baseball writers — Ben Reiter of Sports Illustrated and Rob Neyer of SB Nation — pick the Jays to finish last in the American League East. Among other things, they cite the departure of Vernon Wells and Shaun Marcum, predict a return to Earth by Bautista and talk up the alleged improvement of the Baltimore Orioles.

Most critics look for the Jays to finish third or fourth. But whatever your view, it is imprudent to predict a playoff berth. And yes, the Jays could take a step back.

The Starters
Ricky Romero, Kyle Drabek, Brett Cecil, Jo-Jo Reyes, Jesse Litsch
(Disabled list: Brandon Morrow)

It is rare for young starters to take an unimpeded path to consistency (remember that Halladay fellow?). So it would not be surprising to see one or more of the returnees relapse, which does not preclude them eventually finding long-term reliability. Romero and Cecil struggled in spring training. Drabek is still a rookie. Reyes is trying to shake an erratic past and Litsch is coming off hip surgery. Morrow, perhaps the best of the lot, was having a great spring until his tight elbow sent him to the DL. The Jays expect him to miss one start. If the rotation can build off last season and stay healthy, Toronto could be surprisingly strong.

The Relievers
Shawn Camp, Jason Frasor, Casey Janssen, David Purcey, Jon Rauch, Marc Rzepczynski, Carlos Villanueva
(Disabled list: Octavio Dotel, Frank Francisco)

On paper, the bullpen looks formidable. But the Jays may soon start to worry about closer Francisco, who has been unable to get his arm loose all spring and will open the season on the DL, along with the veteran Dotel. Rauch had a solid spring and opens as the closer, with veterans Frasor and Camp setting him up. When Francisco and Dotel return, the Jays must make two moves. Of the candidates for demotion, only Purcey is out of options.

The Offence
With Vernon Wells, John Buck and Lyle Overbay gone, the Jays will hit fewer homers. But manager John Farrell is looking to build more diversity into the offence and hopes Rajai Davis (52 steals last year) will serve as a leadoff sparkplug. Almost every regular enjoyed a good spring, including Travis Snider, whose enormous potential has been dogged by injury and inconsistency. Bautista remains the fulcrum of this lineup, but the Jays are counting on Lind and Hill to share in the power production while curbing their strikeouts and improving their on-base percentage. If his teammates hit, rookie J.P. Arencibia (.161 in exhibition play) will feel less pressure to measure up to his banner Triple-A season.

The Defence
The pressing concerns are at the infield corners. Adam Lind is still learning to play first base and a slimmer Edwin Encarnacion must shake that “E-5” nickname he earned with his errant throws over the past season and a half. Although he occasionally botches a routine play, Yunel Escobar is a gifted shortstop with a cannon arm. Arencibia showed progress behind the plate in spring camp. Overall, this appears to be an average defensive team that could improve as the season progresses.

Team Speed
Except for Davis, there are no burners here, which should not stop the Jays from fulfilling Farrell’s mandate to run smarter and more aggressively on the basepaths. He wants them “thinking in twos,” looking to take two bases at every opportunity. The talk carried over into spring games, so the players know Farrell is serious about implementing the plan.

Prognosis
The Jays need consistent hitting — and not just home runs — throughout the lineup to help offset the question marks surrounding the pitching staff. The quick return to health and effectiveness of Morrow, Francisco and Dotel are keys. The Jays need everything to click consistently if they are to improve on last year’s win total.

• Email: jlott@nationalpost.com | Twitter: @LottOnBaseball

Juan Rivera might follow former teammate Mike Napoli out of Toronto before the Blue Jays’ position players report to spring training by Feb. 19.

A FOXSports.com story on Wednesday suggested the Blue Jays would like to deal Rivera, according to major league sources.

Toronto assumed Rivera’s $5.25 million US salary for 2011 when it acquired the outfielder, along with Napoli, from the Los Angeles Dodgers for centre-fielder Vernon Wells in January.

The 32-year-old is a free agent after the upcoming season and probably isn’t in the Blue Jays’ future plans. Rivera set career highs of 25 home runs and 88 runs batted in while batting .287 in 2009.

Last season, he hit .252 with 15 home runs and 52 RBIs. In 10 seasons, Rivera has a career average of .280 with 112 home runs and 418 RBIs.

“He’s only 32 and he’s in a free agent year,” Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos told reporters after trading for Rivera. “[He] should be motivated to have a big year for us and has played all three outfield spots in the past. And, as a right-handed hitter, he can hit left-handers well [.264 in 148 at-bats in 2010].”

Rivera would be a reserve should rookie Toronto manager John Farrell open the regular season with an outfield consisting of Travis Snider, Rajai Davis and Jose Bautista from left to right.

Napoli was flipped to Texas for relief pitcher Frank Francisco four days after joining the Jays. The 29-year-old reached career highs in home runs (26) and runs batted in (68) last season in 453 at-bats, appearing in 140 games, including 70 at first base.

1-liner, Baseball TheBigLead February 3rd. 2011, 4:00pm

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Nonsensical attempts at secrecy are creating stories where there are none in terms of how much money the Toronto Blue Jays sent to the Los Angeles Angels in last week’s Vernon Wells trade.

When the deal became official last Friday, both clubs said the sum of the deal was Wells heading west in exchange for Mike Napoli and Juan Rivera.

But baseball sources confirmed to the National Post that Toronto also included a cash payment to the Angels.

Jon Heyman of SI.com, who broke the news of the money changing hands and is one of the most reliable insiders in the business, pegged the amount at US$5-million.

All cash transfers greater than US$1-million must be approved by the commissioner’s office.

When confronted with this information on Wednesday, Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos offered only a cryptic reply.

“We agreed for the deal to be that deal, that was the deal that was announced,” he said. “I don’t think there’s anything more to it. I think people are trying to read way more into this, like way more. There’s not. There’s no smoking gun. There’s no conspiracy theory.”

In truth, the only conspiracy comes from the two teams involved in their attempts to keep the money quiet.

This is what Anthopoulos said last Friday when directly asked about dollars changing hands in the deal:

“I guess what I would tell you is the deal that was consummated is the deal that we announced, which is  a 2-for-1 deal,” he said. “And that ultimately was the final transaction of Mike Napoli and Juan Rivera.”

Why Anthopoulos or his Angels counterpart Tony Reagins would try to cover up the payment is more of a mystery than anything else.

Given the US$86-million owed to Wells over the next four years and the fact the Blue Jays took on a maximum of about US$12-million in the trade, nobody should question Toronto picking up part Wells’ deal.

Certainly it seems like a necessary deal for the Blue Jays.

The Angels, roundly criticized for taking on such a huge contract for a veteran player, only look better if it is known they received cash in the trade. Neither team could possibly think it might disguise its financial position and thus better its negotiating position in trade talks with other teams in the future.

In baseball, if more than two people know about something, chances are it will eventually leak.

All the moving parts in the Wells deal — the commissioner’s office approval, union disclosure, etc. — guarantee that this information will come out.

To be sure, this is not an Anthopoulos version of the “it’s not a lie if we know the truth” game his predecessor J.P. Ricciardi played with B.J. Ryan’s fake back/real elbow injury.

Nobody is really going to care about the US$5-million. But nobody likes to be lied to, either.

• Email: jsandler@nationalpost.com | Twitter: @jeremysandler

TORONTO (Reuters) – The Toronto Blue Jays wasted little time trading newly acquired Mike Napoli, sending the first baseman-catcher to the Texas Rangers for relief pitcher Frank Francisco Tuesday.

The power-hitting Napoli, 29, had been on Toronto’s roster for just four days, coming to Toronto Friday as part of the trade that moved outfielder Vernon Wells to the Los Angeles Angels.

Napoli, who played in five seasons for the Angels, batted .238 with a career-high 26 home runs and 68 runs batted last year while splitting time between first base and catcher.

Hard-throwing right-hander Francisco posted a 6-4 record with two saves while making 56 relief appearances for the Rangers last season.

The 31-year-old Dominican figures to contend for Toronto’s closer job as he registered 25 saves in 2009 for Texas.

In six major league seasons with the Rangers, Francisco notched 315 strikeouts and yielded only 237 hits in 283.1 innings.

(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Raleigh, Editing by Steve Ginsburg)

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Former Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Vernon Wells spoke with Toronto media on a conference call Tuesday morning to talk about last Friday’s trade that sent him to the Los Angeles Angels.

(Update: Mike Napoli, acquired in the Wells trade, has been flipped to Texas.)

Below is a selection of what the career Blue Jay had to say about the deal and its impact.

How he feels about being traded:
“My first reaction was just nervousness, it’s a huge change from what we know and what we’re used to. Toronto has been our second home. At the same time it’s an opportunity for both sides and do something special, and it gives them the flexibility to do that and it gives me the opportunity to do it now. It’s a hard change but it’s a good one.

“This has been my only home since I was 18 years old. It’s difficult and it’s hard to keep my emotion in check talking to guys and it’s like a family. It’s saying goodbye to family.”

If he was ready to stay with the Blue Jays:
“I was fully ready to continue on the path that we were going on and it’s getting younger but it was getting more talented….they’re not that far away from being a consistent contender and a consistent team that’s going to be reckoned with.”

Who will be new leaders in the clubhouse?
“I think it’s going to be a few guys. I think Jose [Bautista], even before he did what he did last year was one of those guys that takes responsibility for his actions and what goes on around him…Ricky [Romero]’s going to be one of those guys with his work ethic, the way he handles himself on and off the mound.”

How did his seven-year, US$126-million contract affect him?
“I think expectations change when you sign a deal like that and usually expectations can only lead to negative things, you can never really exceed anybody’s expectations, that’s just life. I understand that and after my 2009 season, as bad as it was, I learned a lot from it. I learned no matter what I do, good or bad, that contract is always going to be there. Whether people choose to point to that all the time, I’ve got to move on.”

Highlights of his time with the Blue Jays?
“I don’t really have any personal moments, getting called up for the first time was awesome…[Carlos] Delgado’s four home runs, Brandon Morrow’s performance last year punching out 17 and almost throwing a perfect game and I think the most emotional moment was [John McDonald] last year coming back after his dad passed away and hitting that home run. That was probably the best of my time there.”

What he wants to say to fans:
“I can’t say thank you enough for the time there. It’s been a blast. It’s been a fun ride and it’s been a family, I think,  first and foremost. I’ve been able to grow up and learn so many things from so many different people and the city of Toronto and it’s hard to put it in words but obviously it’s hard to keep my emotions out of it once  you’re saying goodbye. I can only say thank you. It’s been a fun ride.”

• Email: jsandler@nationalpost.com | Twitter: @jeremysandler

Man, this is just so wrong on so many levels.

If the Angels can’t land Podsednik? Like that’s a good thing? The only important roster question left involves Scott Podsednik?

Yes, Vernon Wells enjoyed a nice comeback in 2010 after a lousy 2009 … just as he’d enjoyed a nice comeback in 2008 after a lousy 2007.

I don’t really believe in patterns, so I’m not going to predict a lousy 2011. It’s probably enough to point out that Wells is 32 and he’s got a .321 on-base percentage over the past four seasons. And that his career statistics don’t come anywhere near justifying an $86 million commitment over the next four seasons.

It’s like the Angels are doubling down on Torii Hunter’s contract … which, I should mention, has worked out a lot better than I predicted. I don’t know, maybe Hunter’s what made the organization forget about Darin Erstad, but Erstad’s disastrous contract is equally as germane as Hunter’s successful one. And it says here that the Angels’ outfield is going to look incredibly bloated, salary-wise, in a year or two.

Look, I’m not a huge Peter Bourjos fan; he just hasn’t reached base often enough as a professional to get me real excited. But if Bourjos hadn’t been so awful in the majors last year, the Angels probably wouldn’t have traded for Vernon Wells. If the Angels hadn’t struck out in their bids for Crawford and Beltre, they almost certainly wouldn’t have traded for Wells, if only because there wouldn’t have been room for Wells’ HUGE contract in their budget.

But both of those things did happen, and the Angels overreacted. Sort of classically.

This might actually work, for a year or two. But the Angels are now inside one of those hamster wheels, and I really wonder if they can keep their little legs moving fast enough to keep from being flung off before long.

Home run champ Jose Bautista could benefit the most from the deal that sent outfielder Vernon Wells from the Toronto Blue Jays to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for catcher/DH Mike Napoli and outfielder Juan Rivera on Friday.

Bautista, whose 54 homers were both a career and a major league high in 2010, is due a sizable raise in arbitration. He made only $2.4 million this past season but requested a $10.5 million deal for 2011. The Blue Jays countered with an offer of $7.6 million.

Because the Blue Jays rid themselves of the remaining $86 million of Vernon Wells’ contract, there’s speculates Jose Bautista could receive a long-term extension.

Because the team has rid itself of the remaining $86 million of Wells’ contract, the Toronto Star speculates the chances of a long-term extension for Bautista look strong. In that scenario, there would be no need for an arbitration hearing.

“Beyond 2011, the financial flexibility it gives our organization in 2012 and beyond with where we’re going and as we build this organization made a lot of sense for us,” Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos said in a conference call following the trade.

Prior to the Blue Jays creating this new-found financial flexibility, there was talk that they might have to trade Bautista before he priced himself out of their plans.

The Toronto Star speculated that Bautista will move to a full-time role in right field after splitting his time between there and third base in 2010.

In addition to his impressive homer total, the 30-year-old Bautista also set career highs with 124 RBIs, 100 walks, a .378 on-base percentage, a .617 slugging percentage, a .995 OPS, 109 runs scored and nine stolen bases this past season.

TORONTO (Reuters) – The Toronto Blue Jays have traded three times All-Star outfielder Vernon Wells to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for catcher Mike Napoli and outfielder Juan Rivera, the MLB teams said on Friday.

Wells has spent his entire 14-year career with the Blue Jays who made him the fifth selection overall in the 1997 draft. He is a lifetime .280 hitter with 223 home runs and 813 runs batted in. Last season Wells hit .273 with 31 home runs after slumping in 2009.

Wells has also won three Gold Glove awards and one Silver Slugger.

Napoli hit .238 last season with a career high 26 home runs and drove in 68 runs while playing first base and catcher. In five seasons in the major league Napoli is a career .251 hitter with 92 home runs and 249 RBIs.

Rivera has posted six seasons with 10 or more home runs, including a career high 25 in 2009. He is a career .280 hitter with 112 home runs and 418 RBIs. He has spent the last six seasons with the Angels and previously played for the New York Yankees and Montreal Expos.

(Reporting by Mike Mouat in Windsor, Ontario)

The Los Angeles Angels have acquired center fielder Vernon Wells from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for catcher/first baseman Mike Napoli and outfielder Juan Rivera.

Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) – The Los Angeles Angels have acquired center fielder Vernon Wells from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for catcher/first baseman Mike Napoli and outfielder Juan Rivera.

Wells rebounded from sub-par seasons in two of the last three years to belt 31 home runs and drive in 88 runs while hitting .273 for the Blue Jays in 2010. He is a .280 career hitter with 223 long balls and 813 RBI over 12 seasons, all with Toronto.

“Vernon is a player we have admired for some time,” said Angels general manager Tony Reagins. “He is a tremendous person and the type of player that will impact our club immediately both on offense and defense.”

The 32-year-old Texas native signed a seven-year, $126 million deal prior to the 2007 season and has been roundly criticized for not living up to the contract. During the first season after inking the mega-deal, Wells batted just.245 with 16 homers and 80 RBI. Two years later, he hit .260 with 15 long balls and 66 RBI, both full-season career lows.

Napoli is coming off a 2010 season during which he set career-highs with 26 home runs, 68 RBI, 108 hits, 24 doubles and 212 total bases over a career-best 140 games with the Halos.

Originally signed as a catcher, Napoli spent most of last year at first base following the season-ending leg injury suffered by Kendry Morales.

The 29-year-old is a .251 career hitter with 92 round trippers and 249 RBI over five big league campaigns, all with Los Angeles.

Rivera, 32, just finished his sixth season in an Angels uniform. He hit .252 with 15 homers and 52 RBI in 124 games this past season. He’s a career .280 hitter with 112 long balls and 418 RBI, having also played for the Yankees and Montreal Expos.

© 2011 The Sports Network

TORONTO The Toronto Blue Jays turned a lacklustre off-season on its ear with the reported trade of franchise cornerstone Vernon Wells to the Los Angeles Angels, perhaps setting the stage for a long-term contract with Jose Bautista.

Coming back for the all-star centrefielder are catcher Mike Napoli and outfielder Juan Rivera, FoxSports.com reported Friday night.

The stunning blockbuster deal frees the Blue Jays from what many consider one of the more untradeable contracts in baseball. Wells is due $86 million US over the final four seasons of the $126-million, seven-year contract he signed in December 2006.

Combined with the nearly $59 million US the team saved by allowing the Chicago White Sox to claim Alex Rios off waivers in August 2009, general manager Alex Anthopoulos is suddenly blessed with some new-found financial flexibility.

One of the areas where the money can be used is on Bautista, the home-run king who can become a free agent after the 2011 season.

Bautista and the Blue Jays were $2.9 million apart on a contract for this year when they exchanged arbitration figures earlier this week, and a long-term deal will require a significant outlay.

The parting of ways with Wells ends his see-saw run with the team, as he alternated between strong and poor seasons while becoming a lightning rod for fan discontent after signing the big contract.

To be fair, he often played through injury without complaint and provided a quiet clubhouse leadership. But there have been concerns over his decline in skills and some insiders feel there is no chance he will provide a reasonable return on the back end of his contract.

The off-season has mostly been a quiet one for the Blue Jays, with the additions of outfielder Rajai Davis and relievers Octavio Dotel and Jon Rauch among their most notable moves.

Moving Wells certainly changes that, while Napoli and Rivera both become useful short-term pieces.

Napoli a reasonable defensive catcher who can also play first base, is headed to salary arbitration. He’s seeking $6.1 million US, while the Angels countered at $5.3 million US.

Adding him gives the Blue Jays a veteran presence behind the plate while they try to integrate rookie J.P. Arencibia to the big-league roster.

Rivera is set to earn $5.25 million US in the final season of a $12.75-million, three-year deal, and is eligible for free agency afterwards. He set career-highs of 25 home runs and 88 RBI, while batting .287 in 2009.

The Canadian Press

By Jon Heyman, SI.com

The Los Angeles Angels, frustrated by their failure to land Carl Crawford or Adrian Beltre, are close to completing a trade with the Toronto Blue Jays for Vernon Wells, according to sources.

Catcher Mike Napoli is expected to be going to Toronto in the deal. FoxSports.com, which first reported the trade, suggested outfielder Juan Rivera would also be shipped to Toronto.

Wells signed a seven-year, $126 million extension prior to the 2007 season and has been roundly criticized for not living up to the contract. Wells, however, bounced back with a decent season last year, batting .273 with 31 home runs and 88 RBIs. There is $86 million and four years remaining on the deal. Wells has a no-trade clause but reportedly will waive it to join the Angels.

The Angels are believed to have offered Beltre a five-year, $75 million deal. It is thought they suggested about $108 million and six years to Crawford and may have increased the offer into the $120 million range before he went to the Boston Red Sox for $142 million over seven years. Beltre signed a six-year, $96 million deal with the Texas Rangers.

The Angels have desperately sought offense to go with their fine pitching staff this winter.

Wells was shopped to other teams earlier this offseason, and they all wanted Toronto to pick up part o his contract. It isn’t known how much the Blue Jays are paying in this deal, but the Napoli and Rivera contracts would offset it to some extent.

Napoli is seeking $6.1 million in arbitration, while the Angels submitted a figure of $5.3 million. Rivera will make $5.25 million this season, the final year of a three-year contract. Both players have been on the trading block this winter.

TORONTO — Mixed emotions ruled the day for both player and team in the wake of Friday’s huge trade that saw Toronto Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos send  outfielder Vernon Wells to the Los Angeles Angels.

Toronto did not pick up any of the US$86-million owed to Wells over the next four seasons in the deal that brought catcher/first baseman Mike Napoli and outfielder Juan Rivera to the Blue Jays.

“First I’d like to thank Vernon Wells for all his years with the Toronto Blue Jays,” Anthopoulos said on a conference call to discuss the trade that he said began with the team approaching the player. “I know he was very sentimental when he spoke about this.”

Wells, a career Blue Jay drafted fifth overall by Toronto in 1997 and near the top of the franchise’s all-time records in a host of offensive categories, first Tweeted thanks to Blue Jays fans before going on an Angels conference call alongside L.A. GM Tony Reagins and manager Mike Scioscia.

“It was very difficult, it’s still difficult for me today to talk to some of the guys, that’s the hardest part is having to say goodbye,” he said. “When Alex called me and kind of explained to me what’s going on and his conversations with Tony and how much they wanted me as a part of that organization and what the Blue Jays organization got out of this and what they’re trying to do moving forward, it made sense for both sides.”

Rivera, who hit .252 with 15 home runs and 52 RBIs last season, is scheduled to make US$5.25-million this year in the final season of a three-year contract.

Napoli, who was headed for an arbitration hearing with the Angels after requesting US$6.1-million compared to an offer of US$5.3-million from the team, is eligible for salary arbitration next year as well.

That makes Toronto’s total financial commitment about US$20-million.

While Anthopoulos said the money had not been earmarked for ay player — refusing to comment if it might help fund a contract extension for 2010 major league home run leader Jose Bautista — the GM conceded cash considerations were the major benefit to the Blue Jays looking at 2012 and beyond.

“To have that financial flexibility is a big bonus and big advantage,” he said. “Right now there’s certainly an opportunity at least for the current season to really plow those dollars back into scouting and player development and then going forward it will definitely give us flexibility to jump on opportunities.”

How the Wells deal impacts Toronto’s lineup remains to be seen

Napoli, who bats right-handed, appears to give Toronto experience playing first base and a veteran catching option capable of starting if rookie J.P. Arencibia turns out not to be ready for the job.

He can also play first if Adam Lind’s audition at the position goes sour.

Rivera gives the Blue Jays an option in the outfield, at first base or as a right-handed hitting DH.

While centre-field now belongs to Rajai Davis, who just this week agreed to a two-year-plus-an-option contract extension, Anthopoulos said he and first-year Blue Jays manager John Farrell have just begun working out other details of where everyone fits.

“We’re still working through that,” he said. “We haven’t finalized exactly how it’s going to look. We have some ideas.”

The trade, which began with talks at baseball’s GM meetings last November, accelerated in the last two weeks and really got completed in the last few days, ends an up-and-down ride for Wells in Toronto.

At times a fan favourite when things were going well, the seven-year, US$126-million contract former Toronto GM J.P. Ricciardi gave him after the 2006 season made the 32-year-old a lightning rod for criticism and boo-birds at the Rogers Centre.

“I think I view it as a family,” Wells said. “In a family you’re going to have disputes. At the end though, I think we all sit back and think of the good things that happened. This was a fun run.”

But Wells, who said the Angels were one of two teams he considered waiving his no-trade clause to join, said he was excited about the deal even though the three-time Gold Glover will likely be moving to left field.

“It’s going to be a blast,” he said. “I’ve had a smile on my face the last two days and getting a chance to talk to Tony and to talk to [Scioscia], to hear in their voices about the upcoming year, it kind of lights a fire under me.”

Vernon Wells has spent his entire 12-year major league career in Toronto. (J. Meric/Getty Images)

The Toronto Blue Jays have turned a lacklustre off-season on its ear with the trade of franchise cornerstone Vernon Wells to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, perhaps setting the stage for a long-term contract with Jose Bautista.

Heading for Toronto in exchange for the all-star centre-fielder in the deal announced Friday night are catcher Mike Napoli and outfielder Juan Rivera.

The blockbuster deal frees the Blue Jays from what many consider one of the more untradeable contracts in baseball. Wells is due $86 million US over the final four seasons of the $126-million, seven-year contract he signed in December 2006.

Combined with the nearly $59 million the team saved by allowing the Chicago White Sox to claim Alex Rios off waivers in August 2009, general manager Alex Anthopoulos is suddenly blessed with some newfound financial flexibility.

“The biggest component, I think it goes without saying, was the financial implications,” Anthopoulos said on a conference call. “Beyond 2011, the financial flexibility it gives our organization in 2012 and beyond, with where we’re going and as we build this organization, made a lot of sense for us.

“At the same time we think Mike Napoli and Juan Rivera are very good players.”

One of the areas where the money can be used is on Bautista, the home run king who can become a free agent after the 2011 season. Bautista and the Blue Jays were $2.9 million apart on a contract for this year when they exchanged arbitration figures earlier this week, and a long-term deal will require a significant outlay.

The parting of ways with Wells, 32, ends his see-saw run with the team, as he alternated between strong and poor seasons while becoming a lightning rod for fan discontent after signing the big contract.

Quiet leadership

To be fair, he often played through injury without complaint and provided a quiet clubhouse leadership. But there have been concerns over his decline in skills and some insiders feel there is no chance he will provide a reasonable return on the back end of his contract.

On Friday night, Wells tweeted: “To my new home … LA! Winning is all that matters!! Let’s do this!!”

A three-time all-star, Wells leaves Toronto as the club’s all-time leader in at-bats (5,470) and sits second in runs (789), hits (1,529), doubles (339), home runs (223) and RBIs (813).

“Vernon is a player we have admired for some time,” Los Angeles general manager Tony Reagins said. “He is a tremendous person and the type of player that will impact our club immediately, both on offence and defence.”

The off-season has mostly been a quiet one for the Blue Jays, with the additions of outfielder Rajai Davis and relievers Octavio Dotel and Jon Rauch among their most notable moves. Moving Wells certainly changes that, while Napoli and Rivera both become useful short-term pieces.

Happy in Toronto

Anthopoulos said he had received some inquiries about Wells during the GM meetings in November, one of them from the Angels, and he warned his outfielder that his name might show up in trade rumours but he didn’t plan to follow up on them.

“He said, look, if there’s ever a decision that the Toronto Blue Jays would make to go in some other direction and we felt it made sense for us, there were two or three spots he’d explore going because he was happy in Toronto,” said Anthopoulos. “He mentioned Anaheim as one of those select teams.”

Anthopoulos and Reagins, who fell short in his pursuit of free agent outfielder Carl Crawford, kept talking throughout the winter, and talks picked up two weeks ago. They finished them in the last few days.

Napoli, 29, a reasonable defensive catcher who can also play first base, is headed to salary arbitration. He’s seeking $6.1 million, while the Angels countered at $5.3 million.

Adding him gives the Blue Jays a veteran presence behind the plate while they try to integrate rookie J.P. Arencibia to the big-league roster.

Napoli posted a .238 average with a career-high 26 home runs and 68 RBIs last season, splitting time between first base (70 games), and catcher (66 games). He has a career .251 average with 92 home runs and 249 RBI in parts of five seasons.

Rivera, 32, is set to earn $5.25 million in the final season of a $12.75-million, three-year deal, and is eligible for free agency afterwards. He set career-highs of 25 home runs and 88 RBIs while batting .287 in 2009.

He batted .252 with 15 home runs and 52 RBIs in 2010 after setting career-highs of 25 home runs and 88 RBIs while batting .287 in 2009. In 10 seasons, Rivera has a career average of .280 with 112 home runs and 418 RBIs.

To make room on the 40-man roster following the trade, the Blue Jays designated left-handed pitcher Rommie Lewis for assignment.