azdad1978
Championship!!!!
By Ed Price, Tribune
Their blockbuster trade in ashes, the Diamondbacks stepped back to regroup Wednesday and will “cool it for a few days,” as managing general partner Ken Kendrick put it.
The Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday pulled out of a proposed three-team deal that would have sent ace Randy Johnson from the D-Backs to the New York Yankees and four players, including right fielder Shawn Green, from Los Angeles to Arizona.
“We have basically decided that we need some time to rest,” Kendrick said, “and that's what everybody is going to do.”
As far as resuming trade talks on Johnson, there is an expectation in the industry that the Diamondbacks and Yankees will work out a two-team deal. But there were no discussions Wednesday.
And the D-Backs did not pick up negotiations with free agents on Wednesday, although not acquiring Green and right-hander Brad Penny leaves the team with holes to fill.
If the Diamondbacks are interested in resuming talks with free-agent outfielder Jeromy Burnitz, last week's cancelled meeting “would not stand in the way,”
agent Howard Simon said.
Simon was miffed after traveling from Connecticut to Phoenix before the D-Backs stood him up, but he said he and Burnitz are still interested in “being good listeners” and “personal feelings are not a factor; they shouldn't be and can't be.”
The sides had discussed salary and length of contract before the called-off session, but no offer was made.
Now, Simon said, “I think it just kind of depends on what's going on. We've had a lot of interest. . . . I feel very good about our position right now.”
The free-agent pool of starting outfielders was not deep to begin with, and only Burnitz, Magglio Ordoñez and Carlos Beltran are left (if reports that J.D. Drew has agreed to a deal with Los Angeles and Moises Alou with San Francisco are correct).
The Diamondbacks may also pursue a direct trade for Green.
Arizona had lefty Shawn Estes in for a visit on Dec. 15 but where that stands is unclear.
The D-Backs have said they will resolve Johnson's situation by the end of the month. Johnson has desired a trade for six months, and prefers to go to the Yankees — who certainly covet him.
“We're taking a breather from it today,” a Yankees official told the Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger.
New York has been unable to satisfy Arizona's goal to get two major leaguers (at least one a pitcher) and young players in return if it trades Johnson.
Previous discussions centered around right-hander Javier Vazquez, but at the time the Diamondbacks were considering dealing Vazquez to St. Louis, and the Cardinals have since traded for Mark Mulder.
“Javy is a guy we feel is a valuable member of our organization,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said at Wednesday's news conference to announce the signing of right-hander Carl Pavano. “If there's a one-in-a-million opportunity, then you pursue it. But there's a belief out there that we're trying to move Javy Vazquez, and that's really not the case.
“I told him there was one particular circumstance where he might end up in a trade, but other than that, he's not going anywhere.”
Reports have surfaced in the past that Vazquez does not want to play for Arizona, in part because he once fired D-Backs CEO Jeff Moorad as an agent. A player traded in the middle of a long-term contract has the right to demand a trade.
If traded, Vazquez could exercise that right after the 2005 season. However, if he were not traded by March 15, and he were not to retract his demand, he would become a free agent. In Vazquez's case, that would mean giving up the $24 million he is set to make in 2006-07 to test the market.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=33575
Their blockbuster trade in ashes, the Diamondbacks stepped back to regroup Wednesday and will “cool it for a few days,” as managing general partner Ken Kendrick put it.
The Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday pulled out of a proposed three-team deal that would have sent ace Randy Johnson from the D-Backs to the New York Yankees and four players, including right fielder Shawn Green, from Los Angeles to Arizona.
“We have basically decided that we need some time to rest,” Kendrick said, “and that's what everybody is going to do.”
As far as resuming trade talks on Johnson, there is an expectation in the industry that the Diamondbacks and Yankees will work out a two-team deal. But there were no discussions Wednesday.
And the D-Backs did not pick up negotiations with free agents on Wednesday, although not acquiring Green and right-hander Brad Penny leaves the team with holes to fill.
If the Diamondbacks are interested in resuming talks with free-agent outfielder Jeromy Burnitz, last week's cancelled meeting “would not stand in the way,”
agent Howard Simon said.
Simon was miffed after traveling from Connecticut to Phoenix before the D-Backs stood him up, but he said he and Burnitz are still interested in “being good listeners” and “personal feelings are not a factor; they shouldn't be and can't be.”
The sides had discussed salary and length of contract before the called-off session, but no offer was made.
Now, Simon said, “I think it just kind of depends on what's going on. We've had a lot of interest. . . . I feel very good about our position right now.”
The free-agent pool of starting outfielders was not deep to begin with, and only Burnitz, Magglio Ordoñez and Carlos Beltran are left (if reports that J.D. Drew has agreed to a deal with Los Angeles and Moises Alou with San Francisco are correct).
The Diamondbacks may also pursue a direct trade for Green.
Arizona had lefty Shawn Estes in for a visit on Dec. 15 but where that stands is unclear.
The D-Backs have said they will resolve Johnson's situation by the end of the month. Johnson has desired a trade for six months, and prefers to go to the Yankees — who certainly covet him.
“We're taking a breather from it today,” a Yankees official told the Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger.
New York has been unable to satisfy Arizona's goal to get two major leaguers (at least one a pitcher) and young players in return if it trades Johnson.
Previous discussions centered around right-hander Javier Vazquez, but at the time the Diamondbacks were considering dealing Vazquez to St. Louis, and the Cardinals have since traded for Mark Mulder.
“Javy is a guy we feel is a valuable member of our organization,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said at Wednesday's news conference to announce the signing of right-hander Carl Pavano. “If there's a one-in-a-million opportunity, then you pursue it. But there's a belief out there that we're trying to move Javy Vazquez, and that's really not the case.
“I told him there was one particular circumstance where he might end up in a trade, but other than that, he's not going anywhere.”
Reports have surfaced in the past that Vazquez does not want to play for Arizona, in part because he once fired D-Backs CEO Jeff Moorad as an agent. A player traded in the middle of a long-term contract has the right to demand a trade.
If traded, Vazquez could exercise that right after the 2005 season. However, if he were not traded by March 15, and he were not to retract his demand, he would become a free agent. In Vazquez's case, that would mean giving up the $24 million he is set to make in 2006-07 to test the market.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=33575
