
Blue Jays News:
Vernon Wells is still at his home in Arlington, Texas, but the center fielder will be heading to Toronto Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays Tickets soon to officially announce he'll be suiting up for the Blue Jays well beyond next season.
Wells agreed to terms on a Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays Tickets seven-year, $126 million contract extension with Toronto on Friday, and a press conference could be held as early as Monday Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays Tickets to announce the deal. A source with knowledge of the negotiations told MLB.com the contract would include a no-trade clause and an opt-out clause after the fourth season. Due to its size, the deal had to be approved by team owner Ted Rogers.
"How can you not be happy?" Wells told The Associated Press on Friday. "Like I said, my family comes first. Obviously, this gives me an opportunity to set my Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays Tickets family up for a couple of generations.
"That's the biggest part of this thing. And this gives me a chance to do something special in Toronto that hasn't been done in a while."
From his home in Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays Tickets Worcester, Mass., Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi wouldn't confirm nor deny that a deal had in fact been reached, saying only that "nothing Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays Tickets has been finalized from our end."
According to multiple reports, the contract includes a $25.5 million bonus, which will be paid in equal installments of $8.5 million over the 2008-10 seasons. That Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays Tickets would leave financial flexibility for Toronto to continue to address its pitching needs.
The source said the groundwork for the current offer was established four months ago, when Wells' camp approached the Blue Jays about a seven-year deal worth $126 million -- an average of $18 million annually. Wells Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays Tickets stood by that asking price, even though his representatives believed he potentially could garner more as a free agent next winter.
Four months ago, though, Toronto wasn't willing to go beyond $14 million per year for four or five Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays Tickets seasons, according to the source. Things changed as salaries were driven up this offseason -- Alfonso Soriano signed an eight-year, $136 million deal with the Cubs, for example -- and discussions Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays Tickets between the two sides gained momentum this week.
Red Sox News:
The Boston Globe reported Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays Tickets Sunday that according to a Major League source Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays Tickets familiar with Drew's background, the star outfielder is scheduled to have a second opinion after concerns arose last week about his shoulder during a team-mandated physical.
The club and Drew's agent, Scott Boras, reached agreement on a five-year contract worth a reported $70 million on Dec. 6. Both sides have maintained Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays Tickets that only language issues have kept the deal from being finalized.
According to the paper, it's not known whether the physical issue could cause the Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays Tickets deal to fall through or just require revision of the guarantees in the contract.
Another possibility Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays Tickets includes the Red Sox shortening the length of the contract or putting more Boston Red Sox vs. Toronto Blue Jays Tickets incentives based on Drew's playing time.
The Red Sox are declining comment for now. Drew also declined comment when reached at his Georgia home by the Globe.