Padres to release 44-year-old pitcher Wells

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Padres to release 44-year-old pitcher Wells

'Boomer' may seek spot on other roster, may retire

SAN DIEGO — David Wells is finished with his hometown San Diego Padres, and it's possible that the career of one of baseball's most boisterous characters could be over.

General manager Kevin Towers said Wednesday that the Padres will cut ties with the struggling 44-year-old left-hander on Thursday in order to activate All-Star Chris Young from the disabled list.

Towers said he and manager Bud Black met with the Boomer on Tuesday night after the Padres' game in St. Louis.

"We informed him that he would not make his next start," Towers told The Associated Press. "We kind of laid out some options for him. If he still wanted to play, we'll designate him for assignment and see if other clubs have interest, or if he wants to hang them up, he can retire. We're waiting for him to get back to us."

Wells has struggled in his last four starts, including Monday night when the Cardinals tied a major league record with 10 consecutive hits in a 10-run fifth inning. He is 0-3 with a 14.33 ERA in his last four starts. He gave up seven runs and 11 hits in four-plus innings on Monday.

Wells couldn't be reached for comment. It was unknown whether he will retire or try to finish the season with another team. Overall, he's 5-8 with a 5.54 ERA this season.

His agent, Gregg Clifton, thinks there might be a market for the lefty.

"I think based upon what David has done for his career and his season, his veteran status and what he brings to a team, I do think there would be a lot of interest in adding him to a roster for the stretch run," Clifton said by phone from his office in the Phoenix area.

Wells pitched a perfect game for the New York Yankees in 1998, then won Game 1 of the World Series against the Padres that season. The Yankees beat the Padres in a four-game sweep.

Despite Wells' struggles, Towers said it was a tough decision to let him go.

"He's had a pretty remarkable career," Towers said. "He's been a great teammate. It's going to be tough not to have his presence in the clubhouse. I'll miss that."

[AJ25]

i think that it's tim he retire.. i think he's been done for a while now.. great career though..