The Hunt For Blue October: Revisiting The Wells Trade

Image via USA Today
The date is August 12, 2011.

The Toronto Blue Jays are home to the Los Angeles Angels.

It's the top of the 2nd and there are already 2 out. Vernon Wells, in his first appearance back to the Rogers Centre, steps up to the plate and, to no surprise at all, receives a standing ovation. The crowd roars and Vernon then tips is helmet to the crowd.

This was the very moment why I wanted to be inside the dome - to hear Tim Langton over the PA system call Wells' name again felt a sense of closure and restoration. The crowd was electric and Vernon deserved all of it.

For 8 seasons, Wells was the core that brought the Blue Jays' outfield together. He was a huge contributor to the starting lineup and he was able to walk away from the Jays with 3 Gold Gloves, 3 All Star appearances and a Silver Slugger Award in 2003. So for him not to get a standing ovation and a huge applause in a city that birthed his career would be bitter.

He steps in the box. Brandon Morrow goes through his windup and tosses him the first pitch of the at bat. Vernon connects and hits it high, over the left field wall for a home run. Suddenly, those cheers that were echoed throughout the stadium just a short few seconds ago rapidly turned into boos. As Vernon rounded the bases, those boos got louder and all of a sudden, Toronto turned against for the entire game.

Earlier in the off season, Alex Anthopoulos, the man behind putting the Blue Jays on the field, traded Vernon to the Angels for Juan Rivera and then slugging catcher, Mike Napoli. When I first read about that trade 4 years ago, I was really excited in picking up Napoli from the Angels as he was one of the best up-and-coming catchers at the time. This could have possibly been the trade that reshaped the Blue Jays. But low and behold, Alex wasn't finished.

4 days later, Anthopoulos trades Napoli to the Texas Rangers. In all hindsight, Napoli never even got to try on a Blue Jays uniform, nor play in the Rogers Centre with the home crowd chanting his name. We may never know how well Napoli could have been for the Jays if this trade never took place.

But here we are, 4 years later as Toronto establishes itself for baseball in October for the first time in 22 years. After winning the American League East Division Title, the Blue Jays will face the Texas Rangers in the first round of the playoffs.

And guess who will be in uniform for the Rangers? Mike Napoli. The 4-day Blue Jay.

[ESPN: 1 & 2]
[MLB Video]
[Blue Jay Hunter]

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