Mourning Bells for David Wells?
| 11
|
by Tyduffy
David "Boomer" Wells may finally have hit the end of the road at age 44. The San Diego Padres have cut ties with Wells, and await his decision about whether he wishes to retire or to attempt to finish the season with another club. Wells had been 5-8 with a 5.54ERA in 22 starts for the Padres this season, but 0-3 with a 14.33 ERA in his last four starts.
If he retires, Wells would finish with a 235-156 record over 20 seasons and a 4.12 ERA. He pitched for eight different clubs over that period (Blue Jays, Tigers, Reds, Orioles, Yankees, White Sox, Padres, and Red Sox). He won 15 or more games nine times. His best year was the 1998 season when he went 18-4 with a 3.49 ERA. He finished third in the Cy Young voting, pitched a perfect game, and was the MVP of the ALCS. He was a three time all-star and won two World Series rings (1992-Blue Jays, 1998-Yankees). He was 10-5 with a 3.17 ERA in the Post-Season.
Despite his accomplishments on the field, Wells was better known for his off-the-field antics. His ample gut (fueled by copious amounts of food and beer) was of legendary proportions. He made waves with the Yankees by requesting Babe Ruth's number and wearing an authentic Babe Ruth hat onto the field in 1997. In his auto-biography PerfectI'm Not, he claimed that he was hung-over during his 1998 perfect game and made other disparaging comments about the Yankees (earning him a $100,000 fine). He has also earned numerous fines in recent seasons for critical comments of baseball and commissioner Bud Selig.
In March, Boomer was diagnosed with Type II diabetes, normally associated with lifestyle choices.
At his best, Wells was one of the best left-handed starters over the past 20 years, though he was plagued by inconsistency. If this is indeed the end of the road, he will be remembered fondly.
Originally posted at theoddsandsods.com
