The Yankees received some unexpected news as 2003 rolled over into 2004: David Wells, the sole southpaw on their starting staff, is not going to pitch for them at all this coming year; instead, he is returning to his home town to pitch for the Padres. Wells and his agent had a handshake deal with the Yankees, but just as Wells snaked his way out of a similar arrangement in Arizona several years ago, he is now spurning the Yankees.

What goes around comes around, am I right? Wells understands that he’s probably burned his last bridge in the BX. Speaking about his old pal George Steinbrenner the other day, Wells said:

“I’m sure now I won’t hear from him ever again,” Wells told reporters during a conference call reported by The Associated Press. “He’s been good to me in a lot of ways. And in other ways, he’s been very stubborn. That’s George Steinbrenner.”

Along with Wells, Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens are gone too:

“They lost a lot of guys at once, and I think they’re in shock,” [Wells] said.

It’s true that Cashman must be burning over this one, but shocked? That’s a reach because nothing’s shocking when it comes to Wells. The question is why would Wells leave a playoff team