If I really wanted to arouse panic - panic? - I would've written a headline reading Vernon Wells Has Torn Ulnar Collateral Ligament. It wouldn't even be a lie! Vernon Wells does have a torn ulnar collateral ligament! Just not the usual one. Vernon Wells doesn't need Tommy John surgery.

BREAKING: #Angels outfielder Vernon Wells will miss 8-10 weeks due to surgery on ulnar collateral ligament in right thumb tomorrow.

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) May 21, 2012

The news was broken by none other than Vernon Wells himself:

Got bad news today. Need surgery tomorrow. Torn ligament in my thumb. #PrayersPlease

— Vernon Wells (@VernonWells10) May 21, 2012

Vernon Wells was injured while attempting a stolen base Sunday. Now he's going to miss something like two months trying to get back. Wells is sitting on a .244/.282/.422 batting line, so it's not like this is a crippling blow to the Angels' lineup, but then one can expect to see more of Peter Bourjos, and he's sitting on a .203/.288/.281 batting line. Of course, Bourjos isn't that bad, and he's an outstanding defender, which Wells isn't. So it's an open question as to whether Wells' injury hurts the Angels at all.

But it definitely hurts Vernon Wells, and by the time he's back in the lineup, we'll know whether or not the Angels are a contender, or a bust. We already have our ideas, but maybe they're just a slow starter.