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December 29, 2004 -- A new year is near, with the Yankees in an old position — again on the brink of obtaining Randy Johnson.
In a series of intensified phone calls, Yankee President Randy Levine and Arizona incoming chief executive Jeff Moorad yesterday cherry-picked pieces of the three-team trade that Los Angeles doomed last week at the 11th hour, infuriating the Yankees.
The executives believe they have created a compromise framework that will satisfy the Diamondbacks' desire for money, veteran players and prospects to a great enough degree to deal Johnson — possibly as early as today.
Earlier this month, the Yankees and Diamondbacks had discussed a deal in which, for Johnson, Arizona would receive Javier Vazquez, between $12 million and $19.5 million to defray a portion of the $34.5 million over three years left on Vazquez' contract, and prospects Melky Cabrera, Abel Gomez and Brad Halsey.
It was then that the Dodgers injected themselves into discussions in what would have been a 10-player blockbuster that included the Yankees sending two better prospects, Dioner Navarro and Eric Duncan, to the Dodgers; Shawn Green going from Los Angeles to Arizona; and the Yankees taking on about $3 million of Dodger lefty Kaz Ishii's contract.
This time around, the Yankees have offered a middle-ground scenario in which the D'backs can mix and match prospects.
But if Navarro and/or Duncan replace anybody from the group of Cabrera, Gomez or Halsey, the Yankees pay fewer dollars toward Vazquez' contract.
It is believed the Yanks have offered to pay as little as $7 million if Arizona takes both Duncan and Navarro, who were ranked the Yankees' first- and fifth-best prospects, respectively, by Baseball America. The Diamondbacks have lowered their sights, asking for a maximum of around $15 million.
However, Arizona apparently is still trying to deal independently with the Dodgers to obtain Green, who remains very available with J.D. Drew having signed this week with Los Angeles. The Dodgers highly value Navarro, a switch-hitting catcher.
The clock is ticking on finalizing a deal. Johnson has warned the Diamondbacks that if a trade is not completed by the end of the year he wants discussions to cease and will simply return — unhappy — to the organization to play out his contract.
Johnson is due $16 million in 2005 and if, as expected, he is traded to the Yankees, he probably will receive an extension for at least one and, more probably, two years at around the same dollar figure.
The final hurdle to a deal could be the approval of Commissioner Bud Selig, who must endorse any trade that includes more than $1 million exchanging hands. Selig is worried about the solvency of Arizona and the Yankee payroll swelling beyond $200 million. Still, he is not expected to block a trade.
http://newyorkpost.com/sports/yankees/37382.htm
In a series of intensified phone calls, Yankee President Randy Levine and Arizona incoming chief executive Jeff Moorad yesterday cherry-picked pieces of the three-team trade that Los Angeles doomed last week at the 11th hour, infuriating the Yankees.
The executives believe they have created a compromise framework that will satisfy the Diamondbacks' desire for money, veteran players and prospects to a great enough degree to deal Johnson — possibly as early as today.
Earlier this month, the Yankees and Diamondbacks had discussed a deal in which, for Johnson, Arizona would receive Javier Vazquez, between $12 million and $19.5 million to defray a portion of the $34.5 million over three years left on Vazquez' contract, and prospects Melky Cabrera, Abel Gomez and Brad Halsey.
It was then that the Dodgers injected themselves into discussions in what would have been a 10-player blockbuster that included the Yankees sending two better prospects, Dioner Navarro and Eric Duncan, to the Dodgers; Shawn Green going from Los Angeles to Arizona; and the Yankees taking on about $3 million of Dodger lefty Kaz Ishii's contract.
This time around, the Yankees have offered a middle-ground scenario in which the D'backs can mix and match prospects.
But if Navarro and/or Duncan replace anybody from the group of Cabrera, Gomez or Halsey, the Yankees pay fewer dollars toward Vazquez' contract.
It is believed the Yanks have offered to pay as little as $7 million if Arizona takes both Duncan and Navarro, who were ranked the Yankees' first- and fifth-best prospects, respectively, by Baseball America. The Diamondbacks have lowered their sights, asking for a maximum of around $15 million.
However, Arizona apparently is still trying to deal independently with the Dodgers to obtain Green, who remains very available with J.D. Drew having signed this week with Los Angeles. The Dodgers highly value Navarro, a switch-hitting catcher.
The clock is ticking on finalizing a deal. Johnson has warned the Diamondbacks that if a trade is not completed by the end of the year he wants discussions to cease and will simply return — unhappy — to the organization to play out his contract.
Johnson is due $16 million in 2005 and if, as expected, he is traded to the Yankees, he probably will receive an extension for at least one and, more probably, two years at around the same dollar figure.
The final hurdle to a deal could be the approval of Commissioner Bud Selig, who must endorse any trade that includes more than $1 million exchanging hands. Selig is worried about the solvency of Arizona and the Yankee payroll swelling beyond $200 million. Still, he is not expected to block a trade.
http://newyorkpost.com/sports/yankees/37382.htm
