azdad1978
Championship!!!!
Sam Borden and Bill Madden
New York Daily News
Nov. 17, 2004 12:00 AM
NEW YORK - The Randy Johnson-to-the-Yankees talk has heated up to the point that a blockbuster, multi-team trade involving the Dodgers' Shawn Green, the Big Unit and Bombers righthander Javier Vazquez is under serious discussion.
Sources told the New York Daily News that while the deal is very complex, there appears to be a feeling of urgency from all the clubs to get it completed within the next day or so.
Several variations on the deal, including the possibility that a fourth team - possibly the St. Louis Cardinals - will be involved are being considered.
In lieu of the Yankees throwing cash into the deal, as was first discussed in their one-on-one talks with the Diamondbacks, they would instead include two of their top prospects - third baseman Eric Duncan, and former first-round pick, and catcher Dioner Navarro, who would go to the Dodgers, along with Vazquez.
However, a source on Thursday night told The Daily News that all of these talks gained momentum before Dodgers' free agent Adrian Beltre signed a 5-year, $64 million deal with Seattle.
"That could very well take the Dodgers out of this thing and it could wind going back to being just the Yankees and the Diamondbacks," the source said.
In those initial talks, the Dodgers would potentially send Green, pitcher Brad Penny, reliever Yhency Brazoban and another player to Arizona. Johnson and a prospect would wind up with the Yankees.
"All those players have been discussed," said a baseball official familiar with the negotiations. "But it's still all very fluid at the moment.
"There's a whole lot of music right now, but I think it won't be long before there's a symphony," said another source. "There's too many reasons why all these teams want to do this."
For the Yankees and Diamondbacks, the reasons are simple: The Bombers crave a front-line ace and Arizona has been trying to jettison an unhappy Johnson, who will earn $16 million this season, since last year. Since the Yanks are the only team willing to put enough money into a trade for Johnson as well as give the 41-year-old pitcher an extension of about $16 million, they're the only team for which the Big Unit is willing to waive his no-trade clause.
The D-Backs have also known from the beginning of discussions with the Yankees that Vazquez would demand a trade if he was shipped to Arizona since he fired incoming D-Backs CEO Jeff Moorad as his agent a few years ago. As a player in the middle of a multi-year deal, Vazquez would have the right to force a trade after one season if he were dealt away from the Bronx.
Conversely, Green would likely be willing to waive his no-trade clause to go to Arizona since Moorad was his agent before leaving that business to become a D-Backs executive.
There is more urgency for the Yanks and D-Backs to complete a deal now, too, since the Yankees had been in on trade talks for A's ace Tim Hudson (as had L.A.), but he was shipped to the Braves on Thursday for a package of three minor-leaguers including Atlanta's top pitching prospect, Dan Meyer. The Braves, who initially cut off discussions with Oakland after being asked for second baseman Marcus Giles, were willing to part with high-level prospects because they are confident they can sign Hudson to a long-term extension.
Arizona also appears to be in a tighter time crunch because owner Ken Kendrick reportedly said Wednesday that the team wants a resolution on Johnson before the end of the year - he'll be dealt by then or he'll finish out his contract with the D-Backs.
While engaged in talks for this deal, it's believed the Dodgers have stepped up discussions to land free agent first baseman Carlos Delgado, which would help offset the power loss of Beltre and possibly Green.
The Yankees and D-Backs have been dancing around a deal for Johnson since last season, when the teams tried to make a trade before the July 31 deadline but couldn't find common ground.
Talks broke down again at the beginning of this month after the Yankees balked at Arizona's request for Vazquez, Tom Gordon, several prospects and cash in exchange for the Unit. Alternately, the D-Backs asked the Yanks to acquire one of 10 pitchers from other teams and then include that hurler in a deal.
Yanks GM Brian Cashman spent almost no time on trying to land Johnson at the winter meetings over last weekend, instead bringing in pitchers Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright, whose free-agent deals are expected to be announced early next week.
But Moorad called Yankees president Randy Levine twice in the past week to revive discussions, and now it appears that those talks have reached a new level.
Throughout the Yankees-Diamondbacks Johnson negotiations, the Cardinals have made it known that they would be interested in acquiring Vazquez in a scenario where he would be flipped by Arizona.
In any case, a Yankee official said Thursday night, that there is "absolutely no deal" at this time.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/1217nydailynews-ON.html
New York Daily News
Nov. 17, 2004 12:00 AM
NEW YORK - The Randy Johnson-to-the-Yankees talk has heated up to the point that a blockbuster, multi-team trade involving the Dodgers' Shawn Green, the Big Unit and Bombers righthander Javier Vazquez is under serious discussion.
Sources told the New York Daily News that while the deal is very complex, there appears to be a feeling of urgency from all the clubs to get it completed within the next day or so.
Several variations on the deal, including the possibility that a fourth team - possibly the St. Louis Cardinals - will be involved are being considered.
In lieu of the Yankees throwing cash into the deal, as was first discussed in their one-on-one talks with the Diamondbacks, they would instead include two of their top prospects - third baseman Eric Duncan, and former first-round pick, and catcher Dioner Navarro, who would go to the Dodgers, along with Vazquez.
However, a source on Thursday night told The Daily News that all of these talks gained momentum before Dodgers' free agent Adrian Beltre signed a 5-year, $64 million deal with Seattle.
"That could very well take the Dodgers out of this thing and it could wind going back to being just the Yankees and the Diamondbacks," the source said.
In those initial talks, the Dodgers would potentially send Green, pitcher Brad Penny, reliever Yhency Brazoban and another player to Arizona. Johnson and a prospect would wind up with the Yankees.
"All those players have been discussed," said a baseball official familiar with the negotiations. "But it's still all very fluid at the moment.
"There's a whole lot of music right now, but I think it won't be long before there's a symphony," said another source. "There's too many reasons why all these teams want to do this."
For the Yankees and Diamondbacks, the reasons are simple: The Bombers crave a front-line ace and Arizona has been trying to jettison an unhappy Johnson, who will earn $16 million this season, since last year. Since the Yanks are the only team willing to put enough money into a trade for Johnson as well as give the 41-year-old pitcher an extension of about $16 million, they're the only team for which the Big Unit is willing to waive his no-trade clause.
The D-Backs have also known from the beginning of discussions with the Yankees that Vazquez would demand a trade if he was shipped to Arizona since he fired incoming D-Backs CEO Jeff Moorad as his agent a few years ago. As a player in the middle of a multi-year deal, Vazquez would have the right to force a trade after one season if he were dealt away from the Bronx.
Conversely, Green would likely be willing to waive his no-trade clause to go to Arizona since Moorad was his agent before leaving that business to become a D-Backs executive.
There is more urgency for the Yanks and D-Backs to complete a deal now, too, since the Yankees had been in on trade talks for A's ace Tim Hudson (as had L.A.), but he was shipped to the Braves on Thursday for a package of three minor-leaguers including Atlanta's top pitching prospect, Dan Meyer. The Braves, who initially cut off discussions with Oakland after being asked for second baseman Marcus Giles, were willing to part with high-level prospects because they are confident they can sign Hudson to a long-term extension.
Arizona also appears to be in a tighter time crunch because owner Ken Kendrick reportedly said Wednesday that the team wants a resolution on Johnson before the end of the year - he'll be dealt by then or he'll finish out his contract with the D-Backs.
While engaged in talks for this deal, it's believed the Dodgers have stepped up discussions to land free agent first baseman Carlos Delgado, which would help offset the power loss of Beltre and possibly Green.
The Yankees and D-Backs have been dancing around a deal for Johnson since last season, when the teams tried to make a trade before the July 31 deadline but couldn't find common ground.
Talks broke down again at the beginning of this month after the Yankees balked at Arizona's request for Vazquez, Tom Gordon, several prospects and cash in exchange for the Unit. Alternately, the D-Backs asked the Yanks to acquire one of 10 pitchers from other teams and then include that hurler in a deal.
Yanks GM Brian Cashman spent almost no time on trying to land Johnson at the winter meetings over last weekend, instead bringing in pitchers Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright, whose free-agent deals are expected to be announced early next week.
But Moorad called Yankees president Randy Levine twice in the past week to revive discussions, and now it appears that those talks have reached a new level.
Throughout the Yankees-Diamondbacks Johnson negotiations, the Cardinals have made it known that they would be interested in acquiring Vazquez in a scenario where he would be flipped by Arizona.
In any case, a Yankee official said Thursday night, that there is "absolutely no deal" at this time.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/1217nydailynews-ON.html
