azdad1978
Championship!!!!
By Jack Magruder, Tribune
TUCSON - Javier Vazquez sounded Thursday like a pitcher fully prepared to embrace Arizona, even if that means being compared to Randy Johnson — and even though he once lobbied against leaving New York in the first place.
"He (Johnson) is a sure Hall-of-Famer and has five Cy Youngs or whatever he’s got, I’ve lost count,’’ Vazquez said, drawing laughs in his first meeting with the Arizona media since being traded in December along with pitcher Brad Halsey and catcher Dioner Navarro from the New York Yankees for Johnson.
"He’s obviously a great pitcher. He won a World Series here. I’m not going to try to replace him, because it’s not going to be possible. But I have a job to do here and I know the team is counting on me to be a leader of the pitching staff.
"I’m up for it. I’m ready for the challenge. I’m ready to win some games and help us be in the (World) Series.’’
At the same time, Vazquez said he will keep his options open regarding a future broadened by the trade. After being dealt in the first year of a multiyear contract, Vazquez can declare himself a free agent at the end of this season. He would stand to forfeit the $24 million he is owed in 2006-07 but would be able to re-enter the market.
He compared his situation now to that of going to New York from Montreal last season, when he was at first apprehensive but later grew so content that after trade rumors hit he called Yankees general manager Brian Cashman with a request to finish what he had started with the Yankees, where he was 14-10 with a 4.91 ERA.
"I always remember I never wanted to play in New York. When you think about New York, you think about the whole media and the traffic and everything,’’ said Vazquez, who was 64-68 with a 4.16 ERA in his six seasons with the Expos.
"You go over there and you see that it is not all about the traffic and the media, and you start to like it. It’s all about being comfortable and being on a good team, and I think (the D-Backs) do have a good team.
"I am going to give it a chance here, and if I like it I’ll probably be here for a long time.’’
Vazquez, 28, is familiar with several of his new teammates from the major league all-star tour of Japan in 2000, on which the new heart of the D-Backs’ batting order — Luis Gonzalez, Troy Glaus and Shawn Green — also participated.
"He has always had a great sinker,’’ Gonzalez said. "His ball moves around a lot. He was successful with the Montreal Expos, and that was tough to do.’’
D-Backs manager Bob Melvin was even more complimentary.
"He has command. He has velocity. He throws four pitches and hides the ball well,’’ Melvin said. "In my earlier days with the Diamondbacks, he was the one guy we didn’t want to face.’’
The D-Backs’ offseason acquisitions, including Glaus and Green, were positives for a team coming off a 51-111 year, Vazquez said.
"Last year they had a tough time here. But I know about the history of the Diamondbacks. They are a winning organization. I know they are trying to do the best they can to put a winning team on the field. I can say I think we have a winning team on paper, but we have to play,’’ Vazquez said.
"I can’t say if I am going to ask for a trade or not because of this or that. I know that’s an option I have, but I can’t tell you right now what it is going to take. There was a lot of noise that I don’t want to play on the West Coast, but I prefer playing on a winning team in the West Coast than on a losing team in the East Coast.
"I might love Phoenix. I know I like Phoenix, but I have never been there more than three days before. During the season I will have an idea, and at the end of the season I’ll know.’’
Vazquez and fellow newcomer Russ Ortiz will be the top two men in the rotation, with the order to be determined, Melvin said.
Vazquez was 10-5 with a 3.56 ERA in his first 18 starts for the Yankees last season and started the All-Star game for the American League, but he dropped to 4-5 with a 6.92 ERA afterward, also struggling in three postseason appearances.
After studying film in the offseason, Vazquez said he pinpointed the problem — a lower arm angle that caused the movement on his pitches to decrease.
"I talked to Mr. Cashman with the Yankees and told him I didn’t want to get traded, because I really didn’t want it to end the way it ended in New York. I wanted to go back there and show everybody I’m a better pitcher than I was in the second half,’’ Vazquez said. "But it didn’t work out, and now I’m here, and I want to show everybody I’m better than what I was last year.’’
Like Vazquez, the D-Backs are not seeking a quick decision on the pitcher’s future.
"When this (deal) first came up, he thought of who we were a year ago. That really didn’t give him good comfort. By the time he arrived and we actually made the trade, we weren’t that team,’’ D-Backs managing partner Ken Kendrick said. "He’s very welcome here. We want him to be here. We hope that he will do well, and we will do well, and he will stay.’’
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=36602
TUCSON - Javier Vazquez sounded Thursday like a pitcher fully prepared to embrace Arizona, even if that means being compared to Randy Johnson — and even though he once lobbied against leaving New York in the first place.
"He (Johnson) is a sure Hall-of-Famer and has five Cy Youngs or whatever he’s got, I’ve lost count,’’ Vazquez said, drawing laughs in his first meeting with the Arizona media since being traded in December along with pitcher Brad Halsey and catcher Dioner Navarro from the New York Yankees for Johnson.
"He’s obviously a great pitcher. He won a World Series here. I’m not going to try to replace him, because it’s not going to be possible. But I have a job to do here and I know the team is counting on me to be a leader of the pitching staff.
"I’m up for it. I’m ready for the challenge. I’m ready to win some games and help us be in the (World) Series.’’
At the same time, Vazquez said he will keep his options open regarding a future broadened by the trade. After being dealt in the first year of a multiyear contract, Vazquez can declare himself a free agent at the end of this season. He would stand to forfeit the $24 million he is owed in 2006-07 but would be able to re-enter the market.
He compared his situation now to that of going to New York from Montreal last season, when he was at first apprehensive but later grew so content that after trade rumors hit he called Yankees general manager Brian Cashman with a request to finish what he had started with the Yankees, where he was 14-10 with a 4.91 ERA.
"I always remember I never wanted to play in New York. When you think about New York, you think about the whole media and the traffic and everything,’’ said Vazquez, who was 64-68 with a 4.16 ERA in his six seasons with the Expos.
"You go over there and you see that it is not all about the traffic and the media, and you start to like it. It’s all about being comfortable and being on a good team, and I think (the D-Backs) do have a good team.
"I am going to give it a chance here, and if I like it I’ll probably be here for a long time.’’
Vazquez, 28, is familiar with several of his new teammates from the major league all-star tour of Japan in 2000, on which the new heart of the D-Backs’ batting order — Luis Gonzalez, Troy Glaus and Shawn Green — also participated.
"He has always had a great sinker,’’ Gonzalez said. "His ball moves around a lot. He was successful with the Montreal Expos, and that was tough to do.’’
D-Backs manager Bob Melvin was even more complimentary.
"He has command. He has velocity. He throws four pitches and hides the ball well,’’ Melvin said. "In my earlier days with the Diamondbacks, he was the one guy we didn’t want to face.’’
The D-Backs’ offseason acquisitions, including Glaus and Green, were positives for a team coming off a 51-111 year, Vazquez said.
"Last year they had a tough time here. But I know about the history of the Diamondbacks. They are a winning organization. I know they are trying to do the best they can to put a winning team on the field. I can say I think we have a winning team on paper, but we have to play,’’ Vazquez said.
"I can’t say if I am going to ask for a trade or not because of this or that. I know that’s an option I have, but I can’t tell you right now what it is going to take. There was a lot of noise that I don’t want to play on the West Coast, but I prefer playing on a winning team in the West Coast than on a losing team in the East Coast.
"I might love Phoenix. I know I like Phoenix, but I have never been there more than three days before. During the season I will have an idea, and at the end of the season I’ll know.’’
Vazquez and fellow newcomer Russ Ortiz will be the top two men in the rotation, with the order to be determined, Melvin said.
Vazquez was 10-5 with a 3.56 ERA in his first 18 starts for the Yankees last season and started the All-Star game for the American League, but he dropped to 4-5 with a 6.92 ERA afterward, also struggling in three postseason appearances.
After studying film in the offseason, Vazquez said he pinpointed the problem — a lower arm angle that caused the movement on his pitches to decrease.
"I talked to Mr. Cashman with the Yankees and told him I didn’t want to get traded, because I really didn’t want it to end the way it ended in New York. I wanted to go back there and show everybody I’m a better pitcher than I was in the second half,’’ Vazquez said. "But it didn’t work out, and now I’m here, and I want to show everybody I’m better than what I was last year.’’
Like Vazquez, the D-Backs are not seeking a quick decision on the pitcher’s future.
"When this (deal) first came up, he thought of who we were a year ago. That really didn’t give him good comfort. By the time he arrived and we actually made the trade, we weren’t that team,’’ D-Backs managing partner Ken Kendrick said. "He’s very welcome here. We want him to be here. We hope that he will do well, and we will do well, and he will stay.’’
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=36602
