Vernon Wells Looking Up From Hole

NEW YORK – During the top of the fifth inning Friday, a gate in the outfield fence at $1.3 billion Yankee Stadium popped open.

When no member of the grounds crew appeared, Toronto center fielder Vernon Wells went over and latched the wall himself.

"I should have closed it," he joked, "and just stayed behind the gate."

Yes, it's been the kind of year that makes Wells want to hide.

And while the Blue Jays are just five games out of an AL playoff berth after Friday's 4-2 loss, they are also left to wonder: Where would we be with Wells playing up to his contract?

Wells, 30, came into this season with a .283 career average and .480 career slugging percentage. Even after two extra-base hits Friday, he is hitting just .252 with a .402 slugging percentage – lower than non-sluggers Jacoby Ellsbury, Juan Pierre and Chone Figgins.

Slumps are one thing. But a three-month slide at age 30 seems harder to explain.

"These guys get where they just don't ever get their timing for a full season," manager Cito Gaston said.

"It's just about getting ready [to swing] on time. You've got to load up and get ready – get the front foot down, or whatever. Just get ready to hit the ball. And a lot of times he's not ready. He's got pitches in-between that he might be sitting on – fastball, breaking ball. And you can't hit that way. You have to pick out one and go after it. And if you don't get it, come over here and sit by me."

Toronto has some concerns about Wells' work habits, preparation and drive. And he admitted to a snowball effect.

"Sometimes in this game you try to do too much to get out of things," Wells said, "and you end up spiraling in the wrong direction."

In an effort to relax Wells, who earlier this season had a career-worst homerless streak of 160 at-bats, Gaston on Friday dropped him to sixth in the order.

"If he starts to swing the bat well, I'll get him back up there," Gaston said. "Hopefully this will take a little of the pressure off of him and he can just get a little bit more loose and go out and swing the bat like he's capable of doing."

It was Wells' first time batting in the bottom third since June 2, 2005.

"Same approach," Wells said, "it just takes longer to get there to hit."

As for removing pressure: "You've still got to hit. That's part of it. You've got to go up there and do your job, no matter where you are in the lineup."

For a day, he did.

Wells lashed a double to right on a 96 mph fastball from A.J. Burnett in the second inning. Then, although Wells looked awful on breaking balls in the fourth and in falling behind in the sixth, Burnett threw a 0-2 fastball. And Wells hammered it to deep left for his eighth homer – just his third since May 6.

In the eighth, Wells had a chance to tie the game, but with Scott Rolen on second he grounded out on a slider from Phil Hughes.

"You're going to take some bad swings here and there," Wells said, "but you've got to be ready for the heater.

"Obviously, when you're able to hit A.J.'s fastball, your timing is a little better."

Gaston called the homer "encouraging."

"Let's hope that he ... brings it back tomorrow and hope that's going to get Vernon going," Gaston said. "We need him."

Thanks to Marco Scutaro, Aaron Hill, Adam Lind and Scott Rolen – instead of Wells and Alex Rios – the Jays are fifth in the AL in runs and afloat in the postseason race: 42-39 at the halfway point. When Toronto reaches the All-Star break, after its current trip to New York, Tampa Bay and Baltimore, the Jays will have a pretty good idea whether to chase a playoff spot or sell off some pieces.

Not that they could sell off Wells.

He's in just the second season of a seven-year, $126 million deal. After this season, there's five years and $98.5 million left on the contract (unless he opts out after 2011 and gives up $63 million guaranteed).

So the Jays have to find a way for Wells to get that timing back. Hey, David Ortiz was able to do it.

The first part of the battle will be getting Wells' confidence back.

"Until they feel it," Gaston said, "it won't happen, because they won't believe it."