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Apparently Jays fans have been unfair:

"It's been a shock, obviously, to see the reaction from people that you've kind of grown up with throughout your career," Wells said. "You kind of get a true understanding of how some people are. Some people will jump on a bandwagon either way. The same people who are choosing to get on me now are the same people that will jump on when things are going better next year and back to normal."

http://www.thestar.com/sports/baseball/article/694981

Vernon is shocked and indignant about his treatment from fans. Seems to think Jays fans should cheer his .197 average with runners in scoring position. Does "VDub" really expect
108 MILLION more dollars and adoration from the paying crowd while failing to either hit or lead?

BTW - his excuse is that he worked too hard in the offseason.....

That's clearly an exaggeration of what he said, i don't see how anyone can find that offensive or even news worthy. I personally don't think there is room for the personal attacks Vernon gets as long as the player is trying and not being a club house cancer.

I can see where Vernon is shocked at how much vitriol he's receiving. Toronto fans ARE pretty much "thrive or die" with anything that isn't the Leafs.

Wells is having an epic-fail season and is a giant anchor around our neck as a team financially, so it's a big deal. He's a sports player, though, and among the highest-paid, so he needs to suck it up. His own comment works against him, he's talking about mental issues and him focusing on the fans is a big issue working against him. He should thank God he doesn't play for the YANKEES with that contract and that performance level.

In any job, you'll hear about it if you're performing under expectations, especially if you're flagrantly terrible. He's hitting 2 or 3 homers a month, hitting under .260 and has been consistently bad at the plate since the beginning of the second month of the season. He's struck out about 2x as much as he's walked, he's having the worst season of his career with RISP... He's getting roughed up a bit on baBIP, and his other indicators (BB%, SO%, GB/FB, AB/SO, etc) are all in-line with his career averages except for his SO/BB ratio. His HR/FB% is WAY down, though, and his IF/FB is up a bit, too.

So he's getting jobbed a BIT by balls in play, is popping up more frequent and not hitting dingers, but other than that, he's about the same as ever. OK, I can believe he'll bounce back next year, though the horrendous baRISP is concerning. It's also gone somewhat unnoticed, but he is also having the finest base-running season of his career. He's just about matched 2006 in SB and CS (16/4 versus 17/4) in 16 fewer games, which is nice to see.

But that's not even the whole story. There's a big reversal in the fielding ability he had a few years ago (and people deride even that, at times, Gold Glove or no) and he IS in fact wildly overpaid for even the production he managed at his peak.

Vernon needs to ignore the fans and focus on getting his head straight and playing good baseball instead of moaning about how we're not nice to him when he's epic-fail.

This can't help him.

The truth is that he's at least partially right about turncoat fans, but adopting this attitude can only make things worse for Vernon. I think I've (mostly) come to terms with his awful deal, and the fact is that Vernon, the Blue Jays and the fanbase will all have to work at it to make his membership on the team tolerable, because frankly we're all stuck with each other. If Vernon continues to punch back at the fans through the media things will only escalate & deteriorate, and eventually the FieldTurf in centre field could be streaked with blood by the end of his contract. I'd be nice is the fanbase was more supportive, but Wells should know that taking criticism comes with the territory of being the so-called franchise player on this team. He probably doesn't like the notion, but he is "The Guy" in that lineup (at least officially), and if he straddles the Mendoza line at the Dome, he should know and indeed expect to take heat for it.

So wait, is he saying he'll be back to "normal" next year?? Weren't the lovable fans saying he'd be back to normal by the second half of the season?

Last season Wells had a 121 OPS+ and 20 home runs in 466 plate appearances (his 3rd best home run year using HR/PA). Wells is not as good as his 2003/2006 seasons would indicate, but the only other time he has been this bad at the plate is 2007 when his shoulder was messed up. If he is in fact healthy this year, then it is perplexing why he has been so bad.

With that said, he is not going to get traded and he would have to be a fool to opt out after 2011, so the Jays are stuck with him. He will never be worth the contract but he cannot afford to have seasons like this again. Even if he hits like he did in 2008 for the remainder of his contract I would be thrilled.

He's probably referring to people like this: http://gojaysgo.tumblr.com/post/1499170 ... vernon-was

“But the worst was when Vernon was walking his dog with his wife and children for Dog Day festivities. Fans started yelling down at him, swearing at him, telling him he’s worthless, etc. Sometimes I truly feel embarrassed to be a Jays fan.”

That type of stuff has been going on all year. No wonder he's hitting .300 on the road and around .200 at home. I don't get the idea of booing your own players, no matter how bad the production. Jays fans have developed a rep recently as uncivilized drunken idiots and it's well-deserved.

Hoopstarr wrote:He's probably referring to people like this: http://gojaysgo.tumblr.com/post/1499170 ... vernon-was

“But the worst was when Vernon was walking his dog with his wife and children for Dog Day festivities. Fans started yelling down at him, swearing at him, telling him he’s worthless, etc. Sometimes I truly feel embarrassed to be a Jays fan.”

That type of stuff has been going on all year. No wonder he's hitting .300 on the road and around .200 at home. I don't get the idea of booing your own players, no matter how bad the production. Jays fans have developed a rep recently as uncivilized drunken idiots and it's well-deserved.

Sadly, most fans have that reputation...we just focus most of our abuse on Wells these days, having lost our other pinata in Burnett. I have a feeling that the abuse Rios has taken from White Sox fans (who are known to be a bit abusive...ask Tom Gamboa. And that's not even considering their coach) has assisted his slide from an untimely slump to a complete implosion; despite his ups and downs, he rarely received the consistent that he has gotten in Chicago thus far.

The thing I don't understand is that everyone, most notably the Jays broadcasters and other media idiots, keep saying that Vernon is off his usual form. But wait, what the hell is Vernon's usual form?

He had a very good 2006 but other than that he's never been a dangerous hitter (except maybe for a brief span in 2008 when the Jays were out of the race anyway). He's not a .300 hitter with power. He's Candy Maldonado with better range in the field. Nobody ever booed Candy when he struck out all the time and hit 16 homers and 60 RBIs. He was just the good old Candy Man and you were happy with whatever you got. But because of his dumb contract everyone thinks Wells is supposed to be a perennial all-star.

Bottom line is that Vernon is in no position to call out the fans. They not only pay his fortune, but they are also going to be subjected to 5 more years of whatever "VDub" brings to the table.

Vernon is in the position to say, "Fans have a right to be upset. I haven't performed to any reasonable set of expectations this year."

Anything short of that is cowardly and self-indulgent. If you can't be a hitter, then at least be a man. I don't feel that my dissatisfaction with Vernon's play this year is a legitimate factor contributing to #10's performance on the field and is a weak attempt at deflecting responsibility....

SharoneWright wrote:Apparently Jays fans have been unfair:

"It's been a shock, obviously, to see the reaction from people that you've kind of grown up with throughout your career," Wells said. "You kind of get a true understanding of how some people are. Some people will jump on a bandwagon either way. The same people who are choosing to get on me now are the same people that will jump on when things are going better next year and back to normal."

http://www.thestar.com/sports/baseball/article/694981

Vernon is shocked and indignant about his treatment from fans. Seems to think Jays fans should cheer his .197 average with runners in scoring position. Does "VDub" really expect
108 MILLION more dollars and adoration from the paying crowd while failing to either hit or lead?

BTW - his excuse is that he worked too hard in the offseason.....

Now now, no one is more upset with Wells performance then Vernon himself. The last few seasons we've seen a drop off in his production and he's lost a couple of steps in Center field as he's gotten a bit older. However as a 15 year fan of the team eventually going on to become a lifetime I can only say the following:

"If Vernon believes that next year he will turn it all around then he's got 108 million reasons that back him up, a career of faithful dedicated service to one team, and a work ethic that should be respected and appreciated. No one likes the lose and no one enjoys becoming used to it. One major argument made concerning Wells best offensive years was that of the protection afforded to him by King Carlos. Next season pitchers around the league will have Aaron Hill and Adam Lind staring them down with the numbers to back them up so it isn't that big of a stretch to assume Wells will improve as a result. I can still remember seeing Wells back in his first call up with the Blue Jays... he was a little guy (from my view in the 500 level) who knew the field and loved the play. That guy still lives within him and I still believe in what he says. This season has been a lot to stomach but Vernon Wells poor performance hardly tops the list of reasons why. Go Wells! Go Jays Go!"

X

I don't think it's safe to say his work ethic is beyond question. He doesn't play hungry at all; also he has no plate discipline. He doesn't have the mental toughness to bear down and adjust to how pitchers are pitching to him. Does he stay up late watching film of himself in the old days compared to know? Is he wearing out pitching charts trying to figure out what pitches and locations are getting him out? Has he tired out the coaching staff in search of ways to improve?

Or is he showing up to the park 90 minutes before the game, loafing through BP and shagging flies, then making the same mistakes at the plate over and over again?

Hoopstarr wrote:He's probably referring to people like this: http://gojaysgo.tumblr.com/post/1499170 ... vernon-was

“But the worst was when Vernon was walking his dog with his wife and children for Dog Day festivities. Fans started yelling down at him, swearing at him, telling him he’s worthless, etc. Sometimes I truly feel embarrassed to be a Jays fan.”

That type of stuff has been going on all year. No wonder he's hitting .300 on the road and around .200 at home. I don't get the idea of booing your own players, no matter how bad the production. Jays fans have developed a rep recently as uncivilized drunken idiots and it's well-deserved.

Oh give me a break, this would happen in any city. The guy deserves to be booed...are you forgetting just HOW MUCH money he's making. 20 million. 20 MILLION! He's being paid to be booed right now. There are no excuses, this is professional baseball - you don't get points for trying.

Duffman100 wrote:

Hoopstarr wrote:He's probably referring to people like this: http://gojaysgo.tumblr.com/post/1499170 ... vernon-was

“But the worst was when Vernon was walking his dog with his wife and children for Dog Day festivities. Fans started yelling down at him, swearing at him, telling him he’s worthless, etc. Sometimes I truly feel embarrassed to be a Jays fan.”

That type of stuff has been going on all year. No wonder he's hitting .300 on the road and around .200 at home. I don't get the idea of booing your own players, no matter how bad the production. Jays fans have developed a rep recently as uncivilized drunken idiots and it's well-deserved.

Oh give me a break, this would happen in any city. The guy deserves to be booed...are you forgetting just HOW MUCH money he's making. 20 million. 20 MILLION! He's being paid to be booed right now. There are no excuses, this is professional baseball - you don't get points for trying.

Has he killed someone and I am unaware of it?

No? I didn't think so. So leave him alone when he's with his kids, jackasses.

Modern_epic wrote:

Duffman100 wrote:

Hoopstarr wrote:He's probably referring to people like this: http://gojaysgo.tumblr.com/post/1499170 ... vernon-was

“But the worst was when Vernon was walking his dog with his wife and children for Dog Day festivities. Fans started yelling down at him, swearing at him, telling him he’s worthless, etc. Sometimes I truly feel embarrassed to be a Jays fan.”

That type of stuff has been going on all year. No wonder he's hitting .300 on the road and around .200 at home. I don't get the idea of booing your own players, no matter how bad the production. Jays fans have developed a rep recently as uncivilized drunken idiots and it's well-deserved.

Oh give me a break, this would happen in any city. The guy deserves to be booed...are you forgetting just HOW MUCH money he's making. 20 million. 20 MILLION! He's being paid to be booed right now. There are no excuses, this is professional baseball - you don't get points for trying.

Has he killed someone and I am unaware of it?

No? I didn't think so. So leave him alone when he's with his kids, jackasses.

I agree, that's a little over the top. But booing him at the game is the right way to go.

Either way, I don't feel too bad for him - he could buy his own park to walk around in.

I will boo him every time I see him and until I see improvement or he leaves T.O. If he was in NY he would be eaten alive. If he cant take T.O. opt out and leave. If he does not or his numbers dont improve the treatment will only get worse for Wells.

Do everyone a favour and opt out.

I think when you consider not just Wells' performance but what has happened to the season as a whole, there's absolutely nothing surprising about the treatment he's receiving. The team is going nowhere, he has the big contract but not the big production, and is generally the whipping boy. I happen to think the criticism is mostly warranted, although I never like to see the catcalls get overly vicious for anyone save those who truly deserve it (that usually involves guys who have been in jail or that type of thing).

Whether it's true or not, Vernon comes across as very passive a lot of the time, and fans in Toronto can't stand anyone they perceive as passive, rightly or wrongly. Obviously we've seen that with the Leafs over the years, but really it's true for all Toronto teams. Vince Carter is another example, although with him it was more of an on/off switch plus the excessive drama, while Vernon has been 'off' for 2-3 years now.

Really, he should just shut up and play - if he was producing, I'd take what he has to say more seriously.

A great way to be popular is to attack the fans, always works well.

A great way to attract free agents is to boo your players when they are on the street with their wife and kids. Always works well.

Modern_epic wrote:A great way to attract free agents is to boo your players when they are on the street with their wife and kids. Always works well.

Like I said, it would happen in ANY city. It's not like Toronto fans are drastically different from other cities. If Vernon was making 20 million, in almost any other city, he'd get harassed just as much.