Blockbuster Baseball Trade

February 18, 1999 / 12:36 PM EST / CBS

In a trade that shocked the baseball world, the Toronto Blue Jays traded five-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens to the New York Yankees Thursday for David Wells, Graeme Lloyd and Homer Bush.

Clemens agreed to the deal but did not get an extension to his contract, which has two years to run and calls for him to be paid $16.1 million.

Immediate reaction from fans throughout New York is shock. While New Yorkers will certainly welcome Clemens, fans can't believe the Yankees gave up Wells, who was always fan favorite.

"I'm a little emotional right now," Wells said after meeting with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner at the team's training complex. "Give me a couple days. It's a little tough right now."

The trade shakes up the World Series champions -- coming off a record-setting 125-victory season -- on the day they start training camp. It's making some ask the question -- wonder why mess with a team that many consider the best to ever take the field?

Wells, a quirky left-hander known as "Boomer," was the toast of New York after pitching a perfect game against the Minnesota Twins last season. While he clashed with Steinbrenner and manager Joe Torre at times in 1997, he reached a peace with them last year and became one of the team's most effective pitchers.

"There's some shock in that room right now," Torre said of his clubhouse. "It's something you have to get used to. That is what the game is all about. There are going to be changes."

Going into Thursday, New York had retained 24 of the 25 players who helped win its second World Series title in three seasons, letting go of only outfielder Tim Raines.

"I'm shocked," Lloyd said. "To break up the team -- it's a shame."

Clemens, coming off consecutive Cy Young awards, will report to the Yankees this weekend. He always has been one of Steinbrenner's favorite players and is the only five-time Cy Young winner in baseball history.

"Roger Clemens is a non-stop Hall of Famer," Torre said. "The last two years, what he's done, it's incredible."

"The Rocket" exercised a clause in a side agreement between himself and the Blue Jays and demanded a trade Nov. 27, wanting to be dealt either to a contender or closer to his home in Houston.

Clemens, who has never played on a World Series champion, withdrew the demand Dec. 22, criticizing Houston Astros general manager Gerry Hunsicker for blasting his request for a $27.4 million, one-year contract extension, which would have left the Astros owing him $43.5 million over three years.

Texas, Cleveland and Houston also expressed interest in the 36-year-old right-hander, who went 20-6 last season, leading the American League in ERA (2.65) and strikeouts (271) and tying for the lead in victories. His career record is 233-124 in 15 seasons.

Toronto had sought several young prospects from teams when it shopped Clemens during December's winter eetings in Nashville, Tenn., but the Yankees were able to hold onto some of the players the Blue Jays coveted most: outfielder Ricky Ledee and pitcher Ramiro Mendoza.

On Wednesday, the Blue Jays finally lowered their demands and the Yankees couldn't say no.

"We had an offer yesterday from them to us that made my knees buckle," New York general manager Brian Cashman said. "It's tough when you have a player the caliber of Roger Clemens staring you in the face."

Still, the final decision was difficult. New York set an AL record for victories last year, going 114-48 in the regular season. The Yankees then went 11-2 in the postseason, including a World Series sweep of San Diego.

"It's not an easy choice to tinker with the success we had in 1998," Cashman said, adding, "We're a proactive organization and constantly looking to improve things."

Wells, a 35-year-old left-hander known as much for his fondness for heavy metal as his pitching, returns to his first major-league team. He was with the Blue Jays from 1987-92 before moving on to Detroit, Cincinnati, Baltimore and the Yankees. He has a 124-84 career record and a 3.96 ERA.

Lloyd, a 31-year-old left-hander from Australia, was 3-0 with a 1.67 ERA in 50 relief appearances last year, combining with Mike Stanton, Jeff Nelson and Mendoza to form perhaps the best middle relief corps in baseball.

Bush, a 26-year-old infielder who plays primarily at second base, was voted the top Yankees rookie in spring training last year. He hit .380 in 71 at-bats for the Yankees but was considered expendable because New York has Chuck Knoblauch.