Anaheim Angels outfielder Vernon Wells is the second highest player in Major League Baseball. The former Hagerstown Suns player will be making $26.2 million this season. It’s as if a straight $26 million wouldn’t have been enough money for the baseball services of Vernon Wells, another $200,000 had to be kicked in to make the deal happen.

The only player making more this season is Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees. A-Rod is set to make $32 million this season. It’s only $4 million less than the entire payroll of the Kansas City Royals. It’s also the 11th straight year A-Rod will be the richest paid. Mostly this is due to two reasons: he plays for the New York Yankees and he’s arguably the best player in Major League Baseball.

Though it may be easy to understand why Alex Rodriguez is the highest paid, it’s absurd that Vernon Wells is the second highest paid. Though he’s a decent baseball player and an even better person, I don’t think anyone would ever accuse Vernon Wells of being the second greatest player in baseball.

The fact that he is making so much money this season is due to the fact that in 2006 he signed a back-loaded $126 million seven year contract when he was with the Toronto Blue Jays. This past January, Wells was traded to the Angels.

I have to wonder what it feels like to be Vernon Wells, to make so much money knowing you don’t deserve it. I can’t imagine, deep down, it feels all that great.