Vernon Wells Trade: May Be Good for Blue Jays, but It Still Hurts

Every article that has come out about the Vernon Wells trade has been about how great it will be for the Toronto Blue Jays' future.

I agree, the dumping of Wells' salary to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim was a great move for the Jays to make.

However, as a long-time Toronto fan it is still a heart-breaking trade.

While everyone breaks down how the trade benefits Toronto, I would like to break down what the Jays are losing in the trade.

Vernon Wells was an experienced guy in the locker room who started playing with the Jays in 1999.

I was heartbroken when Carlos Delgado left the Jays after the 2004 season and Vernon Wells leaving breaks my heart just as much.

Delgado was my favorite Jays player when he left, after he put up crazy good numbers in Toronto.

Once Delgado was gone, I then moved to Roy Halladay and Vernon Wells as my favorite Jays.

Both Halladay and Wells put up crazy numbers in Toronto and were easy to be fans of. Both guys never ran their mouths. Both guys went out and gave their full effort every night.

In 12 seasons, Wells put up a .280 BA and 223 HRs and 813 RBIs.

Once Halladay left for the nasty Philadelphia Phillies, Vernon Wells was the one left of the original Toronto core.

Getting rid of Wells now may make the most sense for the long-term of the franchise, but it still hurts.

Wells' numbers may not have been the best the last few years, but he was still something to be proud of in Toronto.

While many want to look at the Wells trade from a financial standpoint, I just ask everyone to look at it from a fan's viewpoint.

Let's not be so quick to celebrate the fact that Wells is gone.

Let's take a minute to appreciate what Vernon Wells did for this organization. He may have had a crazy contract, but would you have turned it down?

Wells was a good guy and I wish him all the luck in Los Angeles. Obviously, I will always root for the Jays when they play the Angels but I cannot help rooting for Wells at the same time.

Toronto has always been a city that appreciates athletes who have played there, and I hope the same applies for Wells.

Best of luck Vernon, we will miss you North of the border.