azdad1978
Championship!!!!
By Jerry Brown, Tribune
It . . . is . . . alive!
Once again, the longawaited, much-anticipated, Shawn Green-to-Arizona trade has not only risen from the dead, it has grown another set of legs that should finally carry it through to conclusion.
Friday night, sources confirmed the Los Angeles Dodgers had requested, and will receive, a second 48-hour negotiating window for the Diamondbacks to reopen talks with the All-Star slugger as soon as this morning. Then Arizona general partner Ken Kendrick confirmed the two teams had agreed on a revised trade that would send Green to Arizona for catching prospect Dioner Navarro, minor league pitcher William Juarez and two other pitching prospects. In return the Dodgers are expected to send up to $10 million, an increase from the $8 million they offered last week, to cover the $2 million difference between what the D-Backs offered Green and what he was seeking in a three-year contract extension.
That gives Arizona until Monday to reach an agreement with Green.
At the same time, Arizona has made a contract offer to left-handed pitcher Shawn Estes, in an attempt to complete their starting rotation for 2005.
All this comes just two days after a deal that would have sent Green and $8 million to Arizona for Navarro and Juarez fell apart when the D-Backs couldn’t work out an extension of Green’s current contract — set to pay him $16 million in 2004. At that point, Arizona was believed to be offering a restructured, three-year deal worth about $30 million.
Kendrick said that "money will be less of an issue’’ during this third round of negotiations with Green — meaning perks like ballpark suites and perhaps a no-trade clause to cover the length of the extension would help bring the two sides together. It could also mean that the Dodgers are willing to increase their $8 million offer in the revised deal.
It appears Arizona has continued contract talks with Green through the Dodgers since the first 48-hour window expired at 10 a.m. Thursday. Those talks, according to a source close to Green, appear to have moved the two sides into position for a final agreement that will put the 32-year-old in right field and in the middle of the Arizona lineup.
"We feel like with work that has been done with the Dodgers, we can have some good follow-up with Shawn when we talk,’’ Kendrick said from his home.
The Dodgers want the Green deal to be done quickly for their own reasons. They will use the money they save by trading Green to finalize a four-year, $36 million contract with Boston Red Sox postseason hero, and now free agent, pitcher Derek Lowe. Sources said Lowe could be introduced along with
another recent signing, pitcher Odalis Perez, at a press conference, which has been scheduled for Monday.
They might be able to introduce Navarro as well. He was shipped to Arizona with pitchers Javier Vazquez and Brad Halsey — along with $9 million — from the New York Yankees in exchange for ace lefty Randy Johnson. Physical examinations are all that stands between the final completion of that deal.
But first, Arizona and Green have to shake hands. Green’s agent, Greg Genske, told the Associated Press Friday night that his client was willing to again speak with the Diamondbacks.
‘‘If in fact the Dodgers and Diamondbacks agreed to a new trade proposal and they would like to reopen the negotiating window, we’re happy to engage in that process,’’ he said.
‘‘We were granted a short window (the first time) and within that window, Shawn was very impressed with the D-Backs organization and their level of interest in him.
"At the same time, it was a very difficult decision on whether Shawn was going to leave Southern California and the Dodgers.’’
So with past troubles in mind, the Diamondbacks are still keeping their options open.
General manager Joe Garagiola Jr. spoke with Harold Simon, the agent for outfielder Jeromy Burnitz, again on Friday, cementing Burnitz’s status as the top fallback target in case the Green scenario implodes again.
The D-Backs are also pressing ahead on other fronts. Dave Meier, the agent for Estes, confirmed Arizona has now made a formal contract offer to the Paradise Valley resident. The deal is believed to be for one year.
"Shawn has narrowed it down to a handful of teams.’’ Meier said, indicating Arizona was high on that list, which includes San Diego and at least two other teams.
Estes, who turns 32 in February, was 15-8 with a 5.84 ERA pitching in the thin air of Coors Field for the struggling Rockies last season. He would further shore up a starting rotation that would feature Vazquez (or a suitable replacement via trade), Russ Ortiz, Brandon Webb and a slew of contenders for the fifth rotation spot (Brad Halsey, Mike Gossling, Oscar Villarreal and Edgar Gonzalez).
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=34429
It . . . is . . . alive!
Once again, the longawaited, much-anticipated, Shawn Green-to-Arizona trade has not only risen from the dead, it has grown another set of legs that should finally carry it through to conclusion.
Friday night, sources confirmed the Los Angeles Dodgers had requested, and will receive, a second 48-hour negotiating window for the Diamondbacks to reopen talks with the All-Star slugger as soon as this morning. Then Arizona general partner Ken Kendrick confirmed the two teams had agreed on a revised trade that would send Green to Arizona for catching prospect Dioner Navarro, minor league pitcher William Juarez and two other pitching prospects. In return the Dodgers are expected to send up to $10 million, an increase from the $8 million they offered last week, to cover the $2 million difference between what the D-Backs offered Green and what he was seeking in a three-year contract extension.
That gives Arizona until Monday to reach an agreement with Green.
At the same time, Arizona has made a contract offer to left-handed pitcher Shawn Estes, in an attempt to complete their starting rotation for 2005.
All this comes just two days after a deal that would have sent Green and $8 million to Arizona for Navarro and Juarez fell apart when the D-Backs couldn’t work out an extension of Green’s current contract — set to pay him $16 million in 2004. At that point, Arizona was believed to be offering a restructured, three-year deal worth about $30 million.
Kendrick said that "money will be less of an issue’’ during this third round of negotiations with Green — meaning perks like ballpark suites and perhaps a no-trade clause to cover the length of the extension would help bring the two sides together. It could also mean that the Dodgers are willing to increase their $8 million offer in the revised deal.
It appears Arizona has continued contract talks with Green through the Dodgers since the first 48-hour window expired at 10 a.m. Thursday. Those talks, according to a source close to Green, appear to have moved the two sides into position for a final agreement that will put the 32-year-old in right field and in the middle of the Arizona lineup.
"We feel like with work that has been done with the Dodgers, we can have some good follow-up with Shawn when we talk,’’ Kendrick said from his home.
The Dodgers want the Green deal to be done quickly for their own reasons. They will use the money they save by trading Green to finalize a four-year, $36 million contract with Boston Red Sox postseason hero, and now free agent, pitcher Derek Lowe. Sources said Lowe could be introduced along with
another recent signing, pitcher Odalis Perez, at a press conference, which has been scheduled for Monday.
They might be able to introduce Navarro as well. He was shipped to Arizona with pitchers Javier Vazquez and Brad Halsey — along with $9 million — from the New York Yankees in exchange for ace lefty Randy Johnson. Physical examinations are all that stands between the final completion of that deal.
But first, Arizona and Green have to shake hands. Green’s agent, Greg Genske, told the Associated Press Friday night that his client was willing to again speak with the Diamondbacks.
‘‘If in fact the Dodgers and Diamondbacks agreed to a new trade proposal and they would like to reopen the negotiating window, we’re happy to engage in that process,’’ he said.
‘‘We were granted a short window (the first time) and within that window, Shawn was very impressed with the D-Backs organization and their level of interest in him.
"At the same time, it was a very difficult decision on whether Shawn was going to leave Southern California and the Dodgers.’’
So with past troubles in mind, the Diamondbacks are still keeping their options open.
General manager Joe Garagiola Jr. spoke with Harold Simon, the agent for outfielder Jeromy Burnitz, again on Friday, cementing Burnitz’s status as the top fallback target in case the Green scenario implodes again.
The D-Backs are also pressing ahead on other fronts. Dave Meier, the agent for Estes, confirmed Arizona has now made a formal contract offer to the Paradise Valley resident. The deal is believed to be for one year.
"Shawn has narrowed it down to a handful of teams.’’ Meier said, indicating Arizona was high on that list, which includes San Diego and at least two other teams.
Estes, who turns 32 in February, was 15-8 with a 5.84 ERA pitching in the thin air of Coors Field for the struggling Rockies last season. He would further shore up a starting rotation that would feature Vazquez (or a suitable replacement via trade), Russ Ortiz, Brandon Webb and a slew of contenders for the fifth rotation spot (Brad Halsey, Mike Gossling, Oscar Villarreal and Edgar Gonzalez).
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=34429
