The Yankees traded for Vernon Wells, agreeing to take on $14 million of Vernon’s remaining salary. Maybe the Angels can give Mike Trout a raise next year!

Vernon talked about his troubles at the plate:

Wells attributed his drop off less to injuries — over the past five years, he also suffered a shoulder injury that needed surgery, a broken wrist, and several hamstring strains — than with having gotten into some bad habits at the plate, including becoming home run happy after hitting a career-high 33 for the Blue Jays in 2003.

“You get away with it in Toronto just because if you hit a ball well, it’s going to go out,” he said. “You start trying to hit fourth and fifth decks instead of just worrying about getting hits. Even my last year in Toronto, I think I hit 30 homers, but I still hit .260 something. From that point, it just gradually got worse. These last three weeks have been a matter of trying to stay inside the ball and hit the ball hard and still hit a few homers. When I am consistent with this approach, I’m a much better player than I have been the last couple of years.”

Wells said that he expected a combination of some offseason swing analysis — he has a batting cage in his home in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area — and the trade to the Yankees to rejuvenate his career.

It certainly took Wells a long time to realize he needed a change. One thing he needs to work on is plate discipline. Notice how over time he swung more at pitches outside the strike zone and less at pitches inside the zone. Even if his mechanics were good, that choice of pitches won’t lead to good outcomes.

I don’t think the Yankees will get their money’s worth.