I’d forgotten how irritated I was when the Padres signed David Wells last January. To quote myself:

This is the savior? This is the man to lead the Padres’ young rotation? This is a 41-year-old guy with a good appetite and a bad back. I don’t get it. This was the off-season things were supposed to happen. There were a few nice moves made. The deal with the A’s wasn’t great but it filled a gaping hole. Kevin Towers built a potentially very solid bullpen on the cheap. But right now it looks like the Pads are planning to go into the season without a true center fielder and without a true #1 starter. One or the other I could stomach. But I thought one of the points of assembling such an inexpensive bullpen was that it would help free up money for a Mike Cameron or a Greg Maddux. No offense, but Eugene Kingsale and David Wells isn’t an acceptable substitute.

The rant actually goes on for 13 paragraphs and then picks up again a few days later. In retrospect, I’m glad the Padres didn’t sign Maddux for the money he ended up getting (3 years, $24M). And Wells contributed more to the ballclub than I’d thought he would. In particular, I may have underestimated the impact he would have on the younger pitchers:

When Wells hangs ‘em up after the season (assuming his back and other body parts hold up that long), who is going to step in to replace him? Sign Maddux to a 2- or 3-year pact, and you don’t need to ask that question. The only thing I can figure is that Towers doesn’t think this is the year for the Padres and he’s punting again, saving his money for the #1 pick in the June draft and/or members of the 2004-05 free agent class.

Well, I guess the answer to my question is your NL ERA champ, Jake Peavy. And again, I’m very glad the Pads didn’t sign Maddux to a long-term deal. As for saving money for this year’s free agents, two things:

1. There have been some truly awful signings so far.
2. The winter is young and there is still plenty of time to make deals.

Speaking of nabbing guys late in the game, that last quoted paragraph finishes with a plea to sign Jay Payton:

But how much longer is this cycle going to persist? We were told that this winter would be different, that the Padres would make some moves. And we watched as player after player signed elsewhere, and the pool of available talent slowly dried up. Jay Payton is still available and by most accounts can play a passable center field. Not that he’s great, but even just as a gesture?

I still think the Payton signing was a smart one, even if it didn’t work out last year. He’s a good enough player to bounce back if given the chance.

Back to Wells, an article in today’s U-T gives a little insight into how negotations between he, his wife, and the Padres unraveled at the 11th hour. I’m grateful to Wells for what he brought to the Pads last year. But I’m also grateful to Kevin Towers for not offering him a second year guaranteed. No matter how disappointed some people may be (myself included) that Wells isn’t coming back, for Towers to have tried to compete with the Red Sox financially would have been stupid.

For those who feel somehow betrayed by Wells, remember that this is who he is. Two years ago Wells backed out of a deal with the Diamondbacks to rejoin the Yankees. And recall the circumstances that surrounded his coming to San Diego.

This is nothing new for Wells. It’s his nature; no harm, no foul. I’m sure the Padres and many fans probably feel jilted, but you know what? Get over it. And no blaming of Towers for the fact that Wells is a flake.

We move on. And with or without Boomer, we kick ass in 2005.