Blue Jay Way

The Blue Jays have signed two of their young stars, Eric Hinske and Vernon Wells, to five-year, $14 M contracts, a la the mid-1990s Cleveland Indians.

Some may say it is too early to lock these players into long-term, guaranteed contract since they each only have one full year as a starter. Also, Wells had the league average OPS (adjusted for Sky Dome) and a .305 on-base percentage. Hinske was rookie of the year, but remember the Joe Charboneau.

I say that they locked in two good young players for five years for slightly under $3 M dollars, half a Rey Ordonez. Hinske will be 29 when the deal ends and Wells 28. If they don't work out then they are cheap enough to trade or eat if needs be.

Besides it increases the number of teams acting optomistically by one. That's 50% when you consider that the Phillies and Yankees are the only others that qualify in my mind.

To the rest: "Mr. Potter, in the whole vast configuration of things, I'd say you were nothing but a scurvy little spider!"