RJ back to Dbacks?

[Espo]

Who's the better starting pitching option for the next two years? I think Johnson is the most viable option for the Diamondbacks. They are going to have to make a trade in order to get a pitcher and other then Johnson it will probably be someone like Jake Westbrook in Cleveland and you will still have to give up young talent. I think this deal still is done tomorrow when the Selig's office re-opens from the holiday.

 

[overseascardfan]

Who's the better starting pitching option for the next two years? I think Johnson is the most viable option for the Diamondbacks. They are going to have to make a trade in order to get a pitcher and other then Johnson it will probably be someone like Jake Westbrook in Cleveland and you will still have to give up young talent. I think this deal still is done tomorrow when the Selig's office re-opens from the holiday.

I wouldn't give up Owings in any deal but trading Nippert, Olhendorf, Medders, and someone like Scott Hairston to get a younger SP like Westrook who is a groundball pitcher would be more acceptable instead of someone that will cost you three promising players , 28 million and is on the decline.

 

[Zeno]

Who's the better starting pitching option for the next two years? I think Johnson is the most viable option for the Diamondbacks. They are going to have to make a trade in order to get a pitcher and other then Johnson it will probably be someone like Jake Westbrook in Cleveland and you will still have to give up young talent. I think this deal still is done tomorrow when the Selig's office re-opens from the holiday.

Westbrook is only 29 ys old compared to 43 yr old broke down Johnson. I'd be more willing to accept giving up a prospect for him.

If the Johnson deal goes down this is the worst deal the D-Backs have done in a long while. We'll be paying $16 million and another $12 million for about 20 starts a season, an ERA close to 5, 20+ HRs allowed and a bad attitude.

 

[Espo]

I wouldn't give up Owings in any deal but trading Nippert, Olhendorf, Medders, and someone like Scott Hairston to get a younger SP like Westrook who is a groundball pitcher would be more acceptable instead of someone that will cost you three promising players , 28 million and is on the decline.

There is no way its going to cost them Owings in the deal for Johnson unless the Yanks throw in a good amount of cash. If they do they are idiots. I honestly don't think Westbrook would be much better.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Westbrook is only 29 ys old compared to 43 yr old broke down Johnson. I'd be more willing to accept giving up a prospect for him.

If the Johnson deal goes down this is the worst deal the D-Backs have done in a long while. We'll be paying $16 million and another $12 million for about 20 starts a season, an ERA close to 5, 20+ HRs allowed and a bad attitude.

Totally agree...if our plan is to use some of our very deep farm system, at least get a chip in return that may have potential for an upside. What is the best anyone could possibly expect from Johnson? Dontrelle Willis is a pipe dream, but would be worth the high cost, as long as you don't give up Drew or Upton. That would make sense and give us two dominanting starters at the top of the rotation which seemed to be the foundation of our past success.

 

[Estringonly]

Maybe bring RJ back as the 3rd starter and pay him no more than 8 million a year. Dude is just about washed up.

 

[Stallion]

The D'Backs apparently would like to sign Johnson for 2008, but they want to be creative about it. For one thing, they have only about $10 million to spend in 2007 and Johnson is due $16 million. The Yankees could help there in return for more talent. Arizona could also try to do away with some of the $40 million in deferred money Johnson is still owed by the team, with a future stake in ownership one possibility.

So he gets a ton of money AND he gets part ownership of the team?? Man, I wish I was a 43-year-old with a bad back and 5+ ERA.

 

[devilfan02]

So he gets a ton of money AND he gets part ownership of the team?? Man, I wish I was a 43-year-old with a bad back and 5+ ERA.

No, the Dbacks would give RJ a ownership stake in the team in return for some of his deferred payments. It would be the same thing that Matt Williams did. If he accepts the ownership stake and has a good attitude about it, it could work out very well for the Dbacks. That part of the trade/extension is the last thing I'm worried about

 

[Ryanwb]

Maybe bring RJ back as the 3rd starter and pay him no more than 8 million a year. Dude is just about washed up.

I just want to point out that he has won 17 games in each of the last two seasons which is more than any D-back has had in a season since 2002

 

[devilalum]

I just want to point out that he has won 17 games in each of the last two seasons which is more than any D-back has had in a season since 2002

And if the Dbacks get ARod, Jeter, Sheffield...... to provide run support he can win 17 next year too.

 

[devilfan02]

I just want to point out that he has won 17 games in each of the last two seasons which is more than any D-back has had in a season since 2002

THE MOST USELESS STAT IN ALL OF SPORTS!!!!

NYY Lineup:

Cano
Jeter
Sheffield
Giambi
Arod
Matsui
Damon
Abreu

Winning 17 games means absolutely nothing with that lineup covering his ass. He gave up 5 or more runs last year in 4 outings and got wins, that wouldn't happen on any other team in baseball.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

I still don't want them getting him for top prospects.

 

[Espo]

Olhendorf and Medders aren't considered top prospects.

 

[devilalum]

THE MOST USELESS STAT IN ALL OF SPORTS!!!!

I wouldn't say useless but you definitely have to look at why. RJ was successful at eating innings and keeping the other team from going nuts so the new bombers could win 17. Does that translate to 17 wins for the Dbacks?


I don't think so.

ERA isn't everything either. Some pitchers seem to have a knack for winning in spite of bad ERAs even on teams that don't have big offenses.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

Olhendorf and Medders aren't considered top prospects.

No but Owings is.. And every rumor I'm hearing has his name attached to it.

 

[Espo]

No but Owings is.. And every rumor I'm hearing has his name attached to it.

I just find it hard to believe he's involved and even if he is our "top" pitching prospects are middle of the pack pitching prospects in baseball.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

I still don't find getting Johnson to be as neccessary as some do. I'm a fan of Owings, and think he'll do fine in the majors.

 

[Estringonly]

Just waiting for the "he'll bring people back to the stadium" take. His last season here in AZ he was not bringing people to the stadium. Just don't see why we would bring him back here and why would he want to come back here. The D-backs are not World Series contenders. Wouldn't a team like the Angels be more realistic?

 

[Zeno]

Just waiting for the "he'll bring people back to the stadium" take. His last season here in AZ he was not bringing people to the stadium. Just don't see why we would bring him back here and why would he want to come back here.

I'm with you, he's not exactly the most likeable guy either--in fact he is a world class jerk, always has been, but we tolerated that when he was striking out batters left and right and winning Cy Youngs...he won't be doing that anymore.

 

[Stallion]

ERA isn't everything either. Some pitchers seem to have a knack for winning in spite of bad ERAs.

That's what they said about Russ Ortiz.

Great offensive teams win games in spite of mediocre pitching. We will not have a great offensive team in 2007.

But it sounds like the return of RJ is all but certain, so I guess we just have to accept it and hope he can miraculously improve over the past couple seasons.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Unit Close to Return with D-Backs
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/0103johnson0103.html

 

[boondockdrunk]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/jon_heyman/01/03/offseason.improvement/1.html

• People around baseball don't see much chance that the Yankees will bring back Randy Johnson after going to all this trouble to be rid of him. As reported in this space Saturday, excising Johnson will enhance their chances to land Roger Clemens, who they'd like to get on the field much earlier than when he started in 2006 (June 22), maybe even in April or early May. But if Clemens does come, don't expect him to agree to spend his whole spring in Tampa with the team.

• The Yankees have turned down Arizona's request to have a window to work out an extension, but that shouldn't prevent the D'backs from doing a deal with Johnson. A one-year extension for $10-12 million shouldn't be that complicated.

• If the Yankees get the package they want -- say Ross Ohlendorf, Micah Owings and Luis Vizcaino -- they may be willing to pay a few million toward Johnson's $16 million 2006 salary. But if they get only two of the players on their A-list, they'd want Arizona to pay the full salary.

I would much rather keep Owings and pay RJ the whole $16 million. The trading of Vizcaino and Ohlendork really does not hurt our team in the long or short run. In addition, I still believe that management will not give up our top pitching prospect in this deal.

 

[devilfan02]

Here's a rather useless question but holds some merit- If RJ comes back to the desert, will he be fine taking a back seat to Webb/being the #2 (or maybe worse) starter? I'm sure he wouldn't care but it's worth discussing

 

[devilalum]

Here's a rather useless question but holds some merit- If RJ comes back to the desert, will he be fine taking a back seat to Webb/being the #2 (or maybe worse) starter? I'm sure he wouldn't care but it's worth discussing

Webb just won the Cy Young if RJ thinks he should be #1 over Webb he needs serious therapy. He could be #2 if he outperforms Livan.

 

[devilfan02]

ESPNNEWS just reported that the RJ to AZ trade has hit some "financial snags" and that the Padres submitted their final offer to obtain RJ today