Three-way deal in making that finally sends 'Unit' to Yanks
The endgame of Randy Johnson's maneuvering to be traded to the New York Yankees, an issue in Arizona since June, is close to being written in blockbuster-trade fashion.
In a megadeal involving three clubs, parameters of a trade are in place in which Johnson will be dealt to the Yankees, pitcher Javier Vazquez and two minor-leaguers (catcher Dioner Navarro and third baseman Eric Duncan) will move from the Yankees to the Los Angeles Dodgers and outfielder Shawn Green and pitchers Brad Penny and Yhency Brazoban will be traded from Los Angeles to Arizona.
Though this deal is not yet complete, three sources close to the talks told SportsLine.com Thursday night that it is in place and waiting to become official. It is an exceptionally complicated transaction in that both Johnson and Green have no-trade clauses they must waive. And, with eight players involved, several physical examinations must occur -- Penny, for one, finished last season on the disabled list with nerve irritation in his arm, so Arizona surely will want to make sure he is healthy.
Johnson and Green -- each of whom makes $16 million and is entering the final season of his contract -- are expected to waive the no-trade clauses. Johnson wants an extension from the Yankees -- another issue that could even extend the official completion of this trade beyond Friday, one source said. Also, Johnson's Diamondbacks contract includes several perks, such as a suite at Bank One Ballpark and tickets to the NBA's Phoenix Suns games, that need to be translated into a Yankees' deal.
Green, whose former agent, Jeff Moorad, is in line to become the chief executive officer for Arizona pending approval from the Commissioner's Office, also is expected to waive his no-trade clause.
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| It looks like Randy Johnson might get his wish -- a trade to the Yankees. (Getty Images) |
The combinations of Arizona's Western locale (Green is from Southern California), the personnel moves the Diamondbacks have made this winter to position themselves to win in 2005 and the presence of Moorad is said to fit Green's requirements. It is not believed he will ask for a contract extension.
Barring last-minute glitches that would blow up the deal -- and multiple sources said Thursday night that they were confident that the details will be worked out -- the trade will put Johnson in the place he's wanted to be since last season and will give the Yankees a dramatically overhauled rotation for 2005.
As things would stand when the trade is finalized, the Yankees rotation likely would line up as Johnson, Mike Mussina, Carl Pavano, Kevin Brown and Jaret Wright.
Only Mussina and Brown were part of the rotation in '04, and there are indications the Yankees would like to trade Brown if they can find a partner -- though right now that seems unlikely, especially in light of Atlanta trading for Tim Hudson from Oakland on Thursday. Nevertheless, the Yankees also have been speaking with the agent for free-agent left-hander Eric Milton.
Johnson, 41, was 16-14 with a 2.60 ERA in 35 starts for the Diamondbacks in 2004. Given very poor run support throughout the season, Johnson nevertheless won 16 games and finished second in ERA in the National League to San Diego's Jake Peavy.
While this unquestionably will be a marquee addition to the Yankees' glittering galaxy, it also will give them two aging aces who have battled health problems in recent years. Johnson has had knee and back trouble; Brown, who will turn 40 in March, has a history of back and elbow problems and broke his left hand when he punched a wall during a fit of anger in September.
But it gives the Yankees a future Hall of Famer who, on his best nights, remains as dominant a pitcher as anyone in the game. It gives them someone who can set the tone (and change the tone) in a short October series and it certainly seizes the attention back away from the Mets, who introduced Pedro Martinez on Thursday.
