Padres go to the Wells for new hurler

By: SHAUN O'NEILL - Staff Writer | Wednesday, December 31, 2003 10:34 PM PST ∞

New York Yankees' David Wells throws against the Florida Marlins in the first inning of game 5 of the World Series. Wells is reportedly headed to San Diego
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SAN DIEGO ---- Avid golfer Greg Maddux hoped to become the Padres' ace pitcher and take advantage of the area's many courses. Instead, the job went to another free-agent pitcher, one who "grew up a 9-iron away" from Petco Park.

The Padres on Wednesday lured Point Loma High graduate David Wells to spurn the New York Yankees and accept a one-year contract for what could be the left-hander's final major-league season. Wells, 40, will have a base salary of $1.25 million with the chance to earn as much as $7 million if he makes at least 35 starts in 2004.

The Padres will lose their second-round draft pick to the Yankees as compensation for signing Wells.

"We feel we got the right guy," general manager Kevin Towers said during a conference call. "This one's extra special because of his local ties."

The base salary would seem low for a pitcher who went 15-7 with a 4.14 ERA last season and has logged at least 200 innings in eight of the past nine years. It's a concession to the back problems that required surgery on Dec. 2.

"If you look at his career," Towers said, "when his contract is most incentive-laden is when he's most successful. He goes after those bonuses. I'm hoping he gets it all. If he does, it means we're a very successful ballclub."

Wells' local ties run deep. Not only, as Towers said, is Wells' boyhood haunts "a 9-iron away" from the Padres' new ballpark downtown, but the GM's wife, Kelley, attended Point Loma High at the same time as Wells.

And while starring for the Pointers, Wells dueled with Padres pitching coach Darren Balsley, a Mt. Carmel High alumnus. Balsley was the winner of a 1-0 classic in the CIF Class 3A championship game in 1981.

Balsley's career brought him back home last May, when he replaced Greg Booker on the coaching staff. Wells' return to San Diego came after he walked away from a deal with the Yankees.

Three weeks ago, Wells appeared set to return to New York. The money was agreed upon, but the Yankees' insistence on a weight clause kept the deal from going final.

The New Year holiday has brought much consternation to New York, as Wells' departure is being portrayed as a snub of the mighty Bronx Bombers ---- no different than when Wells backed away from a handshake agreement with the Arizona Diamondbacks two years ago.

"A dream of his has always been to play for the Padres," Wells' agent Gregg Clifton said. "What better way to fulfill that dream than to come home for what he has viewed as his final season?

"The deal (with the Yankees) wasn't done. Some of the terms were agreed to. Others, such as the weight clause, were never agreed to. I state emphatically that there was no deal finalized."

Yankees GM Brian Cashman told The Associated Press: "David agreed verbally to a deal. There was one component to be completed, a weigh-in. We didn't get it finalized, but we had the financials in place."

Regardless of the reasons for the Yankees-Wells divorce, Towers was an eager suitor. As Wells' talks with the Yankees dragged, Towers became discouraged after opening negotiations with Maddux. Towers' talks with agent Scott Boras led him to conclude Maddux wasn't going to come down much from the three-year, $10 million yearly terms that have seen print.

The contrast between Maddux and Wells couldn't be more stark. Maddux is right-handed, Wells left-handed. Maddux is generally reserved yet polished with the media. Wells makes headlines with his nightlife as well as his pitching, and he speaks first and apologizes later.

The Padres' interest in Maddux was as much because of his potential influence with the likes of Jake Peavy and Adam Eaton on the pitching staff as it was because of his 15- to 20-win consistency. Now the role model is a beer-chugging, round-bellied throwback who revels in the memory of Hell's Angels members attending his high school games.

"This guy's a competitor," Towers said. "We all know he's a little bit different. There's nothing wrong with that. It's all about putting up results, and he's put up results in the past. This guy's coming back home, and the last thing he wants to do is embarrass himself and his family where he grew up."

Wells' indiscretions include a 1997 fight outside an Ocean Beach bar that left him with a broken hand, getting punched out in a New York diner in 2002 and saying in his autobiography that his 1998 perfect game against the Twins was accomplished while he was "half-drunk."

Those lapses are nothing but history, as far as Towers is concerned. And, looking at Wells' 200-128 career record, Towers hopes the Padres' five-year streak of losing seasons is history, too.

"We're ecstatic to have this guy," said Towers. "We think this division is up for grabs, and having that No. 1-type starter in Wells gives us a chance to compete in the division."

Will his back hold up? Towers and Clifton say yes. Wells has had two arthroscopic procedures on a herniated disc in a 30-month span. He stopped throwing between starts for an extended period last season, and the back problems forced him out of Game 5 of the World Series after only one inning.

The latest procedure went well, Clifton said, and Wells should be fit to pitch by the time exhibition play begins in March. Towers said Wells, whom the Padres did not make available to the media Wednesday, told him the latest surgery went better than the first. Wells is on a walking program that goes more than three hours a day, Towers said.

"My gut call is he's going to have one of the best years he's ever had," Towers said.

Contact staff writer Shaun O'Neill at (760) 740-5045 or soneill@nctimes.com.