Former outfielder Vernon Wells was back in uniform for the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday, this time as a guest coach.
With Toronto looking to 22-year-old Canadian Dalton Pompey to fill the void in centre field, Wells' three-day coaching stint this week should pay dividends.
"I think he's kind of in position right now where it's kind of his spot to lose," said Wells. "With that mentality, you've kind of got to go out and try to dominate every day. I've been in that position and it's a fun position to be in, but you can't take for granted the work that you need to put in to excel.
"It's not a matter of winning this job. It's a matter of trying to be the best centre-fielder you can be in the American League."
Wells, 36, believes players get to the major leagues quicker these years, perhaps missing some teaching as a result.
He cites Carlos Delgado as one of his mentors, helping educate him about hitters and pitchers.
In working with young players, Wells can draw on his own experience. Just 20 when he made the majors in 1999, he says he thought he had it all figured out.
'I tell kids now ... it's not a matter of failure, you're going to fail. It's how you respond to that failure is what kind of defines you as a person, as an athlete.'- Former Blue Jays centre-fielder Vernon Wells
"I got sent down [the next year] and I pouted pretty much all of 2000, which wasn't the right way to handle it," he said.
He was demoted again the next year, but handled it better when he realized it was more about the number of outfielders Toronto had.
"So for me, going through the year of the struggle was good," he said. "I tell kids now … it's not a matter of failure, you're going to fail. It's how you respond to that failure is what kind of defines you as a person, as an athlete."
Wells called Pompey "a good kid" who is willing to learn.
"For him, it's just going to be a matter of 'Relax. Absorb the information that's coming to you. And try to make it work as quick as possible."'
Wells was released by the Yankees in January 2014 with one year left on the $126-million US, seven-year contract he signed with the Jays prior to the 2008 season.
He says continuing his career was "talked about, prayed about" before deciding to be a stay-at-home dad. He has missed the three hours of game play each day but not much else.
Wells, who still looks like he's in game shape, finished with a .270 career batting average, 270 home runs and 958 RBIs in a 15-year, 1,731-game career that included brief stops with the Angels and Yankees after 12 seasons with the Jays.
"It's good to have this uniform back on," Wells said of his Jays' blue. "Unfortunately I had to take it off for a few years but it's good to be back here."
Away from baseball, Wells says he is busier than ever these days thanks to the Vernon Wells Perfect 10 non-profit organization he and wife Charlene established to help children in need.
"My wife's schedule, it's impressive," he said.
Based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, he also coaches their nine and 12-year-old sons' baseball teams.
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