See who's coming to town............The BIG UNIT :TU: :TU: :beer NOT ENTIRELY DONE BUT CLOSE Big Unit about to land in Bronx Friday 12 17 2004 - 02:29:59 AM After two failed efforts, the Yankees have likely secured Randy Johnson. If L.A.'s Shawn Green waives a no-trade clause and agrees to land in Arizona and Johnson gives his OK to work in The Bronx, the Dodgers, Diamondbacks and Yankees will have put together a blockbuster trade that establishes the Yankees as the AL favorite not to mention stealing the excitement caused by the Mets signing Pedro Martinez. Of course, there are the usual nuances to clear before a deal is announced. All bodies must pass physicals and the Yankees have to work out an extension for Johnson, who will likely be paid roughly $16 million to waive his no-trade clause. "It's not done yet," a Yankee official said late last night. "There are so many moving parts that need to come together." The biggest hurdles are the physicals. Dodger right-hander Brad Penny, who goes to the Diamondbacks with former Yankee farmhand Yhency Brazoban, missed time last year with a biceps nerve problem and that will be given a good look. He was a combined 9-10 with a 3.15 ERA in 24 games for the Marlins and Dodgers. Johnson's right knee has been receiving synthetic gel injections to lubricate the joint and has been bothered by back problems. A source close to the deal believed the physicals wouldn't be deal killers. Johnson also has perks in his contract that the Yankees don't give. Like Kevin Brown a year ago, the Yankees need time to figure out how to convert those perks to money value. Moving from the Yankees to the Dodgers are Javier Vazquez, minor league catcher Dioner Navarro and minor league infielder Eric Duncan. Navarro and Duncan were the Yankees' top prospects in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Unlike earlier proposals, the Yankees don't have to part with cash to make up the difference between Johnson's $16 million salary next year and the $35.5 million left on Vazquez' deal that has three years on it. Navarro was expendable because he went backward last season playing for Trenton (Double-A) and Columbus (Triple-A). Duncan, the Yankees' first-round pick in 2003, is a third baseman and the Yankees are set there for years with Alex Rodriguez. The deal came together yesterday when the Diamondbacks and Yankees talked for the second straight day and third time in four days. Each club chatted with the Cardinals and White Sox before settling on the Dodgers as the third team in the ring. With the Cardinals, the names were Kiko Calero, Danny Haren and Rich Ankiel. The White Sox and Diamondbacks talked about a deal two weeks ago that featured first baseman Paul Konerko and John Garland. In the end the Dodgers had the best package for the Diamondbacks. Even if Penny is a question mark and is likely to get $5 million since he made $3.73 million last year and is eligible for arbitration. Brazoban, a 24-year-old former outfielder in the Yankee organization, was acquired from the Yankees in the Kevin Brown deal. In his first big league season the right-handed reliever went 6-2 with a 2.48 ERA in 31 games. Johnson, 41, gives the Yankees the No. 1 pitcher they lacked a year ago when Mike Mussina suffered from a mid-season elbow problem, Kevin Brown wasn't healthy and Vazquez didn't build on a solid first half. Now, the Yankees' rebuilt staff looks like this: Johnson, Mussina, Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright and Brown, if he isn't traded. Next up for George Steinbrenner is securing free agent center fielder Carlos Beltran, who will likely command a seven-year, $105 million deal. The Astros and Cubs are the Yankees' main competition. So, after failing to get Johnson at the Aug. 1 trade deadline, something that probably cost the Yankees a trip to the World Series, the Yankees are very close to landing arguably the best pitcher in baseball. E.
Pat, I wish I could be as excited as you, but adding old, worn out, used tires to the roster that has already had it's share doesn't seem like the way to build a team to me. I hope Johnson ptches well for the Yanks, if he does, in fact, come to NY, but I'd rather they give Vazquez a shot and go for more young arms. Randy Johnson's arm is gonna fall off one of these days. They needed him ten years ago, not in his forties. I wasn't happy about them getting Brown last year for the same reason. Of course, despite my disappointment with some of their moves, I'll be at the Yankee Stadium box office when tickets go on sale Tuesday morning, to buy my tickets as usual. I normally go to six or seven games a year. :beer
But! I don't follow the Baseball thing much, but I still buy the cool Yankees shirts at the VF Outlet for my sister! She's never been to a Yankees game but knows all the dirt about them and then some, maybe someday when the Yanks play the Detroit Tigers again I can get her here in Michigan to see a game! In the mean time, whatever, when I was a kid, along time ago, I liked the St. Louis Cardinals, and for the life of me I can't remember why, maybe one them drove a Buick, Duh? o No:
