Was Just A Rumor: Diamondbacks Request A 72 Hour Negotiating Window With The Big Unit

[asuhoopsnut]

Per Rotoworld ..... the DBacks have requested a 72 hour negotiating window with Johnson. It looks like the players are agreed upon and they just have to work out the contract extension and other financial issues (deferred payments) in 72 hours! Here is the link :

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/HeadLines.aspx?sport=MLB

 

[devilfan02]

ESPN.com Insider just reported that AZ and NYY have agreed on the players involved in the trade but financial issues are the sticking point (which leads me to believe the 72 hour window has been asked for and granted).

Said the three issues are 1) Arizona wants New York to kick in some cash for Johnson's '07 salary ($16M), 2)the D-Backs would like to have Johnson under contract in '08, and 3)Arizona owes Johnson $40M in deferred compensation.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

Ugh, why the heck would you get Randy back and give up prospects...I don't ge tit.

 

[The Commish]

Please don't give up Owings. That's all I ask.

 

[abomb]

$40M in deferred comp?!? Wow, I didnt realize we were still paying the bills on those early teams.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Ugh, why the heck would you get Randy back and give up prospects...I don't ge tit.

Exactly... Heck, even if the Yanks paid his entire salary, it makes no sense to give up young prospects for this malcontent of a relic...
It's not like the addition of RJ means a trip to the World Series... This is a collossally STUPID move by the D-Backs...

 

[devilfan02]

No way we trade Owings, no way. The only way that happens is if Kendrick is making Byrnes trade him to sell tickets. Even then, I don't see that happening. I'll reserve judgement until it's finalized, there have been many different rumors

Abomb, we're still paying players that were Dbacks well before RJ was on the team. It's the reason why we're not spenders at all this offseason. I might be the only one here who likes the idea of the Dbacks trying to give RJ a ownership stake in return of some of his deferred payments. RJ is the one who wants to come here so make him sacrifice some of the those payments. If that were to happen (depending on how much ownership stake he agrees to take), we could start realistically spending on free agents much sooner then in 2-3 offseasons down the road

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

No way we trade Owings, no way. The only way that happens is if Kendrick is making Byrnes trade him to sell tickets.

What proof of that is there?

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

$40M in deferred comp?!? Wow, I didnt realize we were still paying the bills on those early teams.

Not only does the team still owe guys like Randy money, they still have to send checks to scrubs like Bernard Gilkey.

 

[abomb]

Abomb, we're still paying players that were Dbacks well before RJ was on the team. It's the reason why we're not spenders at all this offseason. I might be the only one here who likes the idea of the Dbacks trying to give RJ a ownership stake in return of some of his deferred payments. RJ is the one who wants to come here so make him sacrifice some of the those payments. If that were to happen (depending on how much ownership stake he agrees to take), we could start realistically spending on free agents much sooner then in 2-3 offseasons down the road

Not only does the team still owe guys like Randy money, they still have to send checks to scrubs like Bernard Gilkey.

Boy, I didnt think it was *that* bad. Does anyone have a list of the players and amounts?

 

[devilfan02]

What proof of that is there?

No proof, just a hunch. Byrnes has refused to deal any top prospects so why would he start now when trying to deal for a 43 year old pitcher he only wants through 2008? If Owings is indeed part of this trade, it's my opinion that there are other parties involved that are having more of a say then Byrnes

 

[AZZenny]

If Owings is indeed part of this trade, it's my opinion that there are other parties involved that are having more of a say then Byrnes

Which is a given. Byrnes wouldn't even be looking in RJ's direction if this were a baseball decision and up to him. This has Moorad/Kendricks written in neon all over it.

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Which is a given. Byrnes wouldn't even be looking in RJ's direction if this were a baseball decision and up to him. This has Moorad/Kendricks written in neon all over it.

Once again, why?

 

[devilfan02]

Once again, why?

Why don't you think there's any chance this scenario may indeed be true? A trade like this is EXTREMELY unlike Byrnes. Trading away a top prospect (pitching at that), taking on a ton of money (still unknown amount but will still be a large amount), and bringing in a 43 year old who is declining.

Owings may not be a part of this trade so I'm speculating..... However, if a trade involving Owings happens then there are other powers invloved. There's no way Byrnes makes a trade like that

 

[coyoteshockeyfan]

Why don't you think there's any chance this scenario may indeed be true? A trade like this is EXTREMELY unlike Byrnes. Trading away a top prospect (pitching at that), taking on a ton of money (still unknown amount but will still be a large amount), and bringing in a 43 year old who is declining.

Owings may not be a part of this trade so I'm speculating..... However, if a trade involving Owings happens then there are other powers invloved. There's no way Byrnes makes a trade like that

I did not say that there was no chance that others are behind this trade, I asked why people are automatically assuming that this is the case. Why is this extremely unlike Byrnes? What makes it impossible for him to do such a trade? Josh Byrnes is still a rookie GM with very little track record to go off of. I am amazed at how quickly he has attained this golden boy status without doing much of anything, to the point where people instantly think that any bad deal must intrinsically not have been made by him.

 

[devilfan02]

I did not say that there was no chance that others are behind this trade, I asked why people are automatically assuming that this is the case. Why is this extremely unlike Byrnes? What makes it impossible for him to do such a trade? Josh Byrnes is still a rookie GM with very little track record to go off of. I am amazed at how quickly he has attained this golden boy status without doing much of anything, to the point where people instantly think that any bad deal must intrinsically not have been made by him.

You might classify Byrnes as a rookie GM who hasn't done much but I respectfully disagree. He's unloaded contract after contract and has set us up for success in the near future. He got rid of overrated Glaus and his rediculous contract and got back Hudson who had a career year (not to mention his defense is a big reasaon for Webb's Cy Young year). He got rid of Green and opened a spot for Q, he made a great trade for Livan, made a great trade for Doug Davis, got what could be a great return for Javy, etc..... He hasn't traded away any of our prized prospects and hasn't spent money like a crazed man either.

Yes, he has only been here for a little over a year but he has established certain characteristics as a GM. Trading away a top prospect for a broken down 43 year old who doesn't figure into our future plans is highly unlike the characteristics he has portrayed. Kendrick trying to sell tickets and have RJ renegotiate his deferred payments through ownership rights wreaks of the actual reasons for a RJ trade.

You may be amazed at how we view Byrnes has a "Golden Boy" but I find it more amazing at how you repeatedly defend Kendrick.

 

[Ryanwb]

I'm really upset about bringing Randy back.... yeah he played well for us but why are we possibly mortgaging the future for him?

 

[devilfan02]

I'm really upset about bringing Randy back.... yeah he played well for us but why are we possibly mortgaging the future for him?

Plain and simple- so he'll restructure his deferred payments. Kendrick now has leverage (and rightfully so) due to RJ wanting to come back to AZ. If RJ agrees to take ownership shares in return for some of his deferred payments then it will take some financial pressure off Kendrick and Co. However, the Dbacks trading away top prospects to facilitate such a trade is what bothers me. It better not happen

 

[Phill11]

Plain and simple- so he'll restructure his deferred payments. Kendrick now has leverage (and rightfully so) due to RJ wanting to come back to AZ. If RJ agrees to take ownership shares in return for some of his deferred payments then it will take some financial pressure off Kendrick and Co. However, the Dbacks trading away top prospects to facilitate such a trade is what bothers me. It better not happen

I really like that idea though. If we can get RJ to somehow restructure his contract, we could get off the hook for a good amount of that $40 million.

I wouldn't mind paying RJ $12-14 million this season if he got rid of $10-20 of that million in deffered money.

Owings is the last guy I want to trade in this deal. But I honestly don't mind trading Nippert and Medders.

 

[devilfan02]

I really like that idea though. If we can get RJ to somehow restructure his contract, we could get off the hook for a good amount of that $40 million.

I wouldn't mind paying RJ $12-14 million this season if he got rid of $10-20 of that million in deffered money.

Owings is the last guy I want to trade in this deal. But I honestly don't mind trading Nippert and Medders.

I agree that offering RJ ownership stake is a good idea and I posted that in another post. However, trading Owings to achieve that would be a huge mistake. I have never been high Nippert and wouldn't mind seeing him go but I would like to hold onto Medders. Nippert, Vizqaino, and a mid tier prospect is ok with me. We have the leverage in this deal, use it

 

[abomb]

I'm really upset about bringing Randy back.... yeah he played well for us but why are we possibly mortgaging the future for him?

I feel this way too. The only way it even remotely makes sense is if they are going to try to give RJ an ownership stake for the reported $40M in deferred comp they owe him.

That being said, a healthy RJ would put some asses in the seats, even if it is for nostalgic effect.

 

[devilfan02]

I feel this way too. The only way it even remotely makes sense is if they are going to try to give RJ an ownership stake for the reported $40M in deferred comp they owe him.

That being said, a healthy RJ would put some asses in the seats, even if it is for nostalgic effect.

It won't be for all $40 million. Even if he were to take a stake at $10 mill or more it would help us dramatically.

 

[hafey]

I think Byrnes recognizes value. I am probably in the minority here, but RJ represents a value pick-up. His stock is low now. The wants out, the Yankees don't want him, he makes too much money for most teams to take a shot, and he's coming off back surgery. I tihnk byrnes see's a chance to pick-up a guy who depending on the surgery, who could very easily out-perform guys making 11+ million a year like Lilly, Meche, Suppan. Even better, he's not signed long-term and the Yankees will likely pay part of the salary. Its a chance to pick-up RJ for maybe 40 cents on the dollar. I think its a good risk if Ownigs isn't included. I mean what are they giving up? A couple of middle of the road pitching prospects? A young middle reliever?

 

[AZZenny]

Josh Byrnes is very conservative and protects money and prospects like they were coming out of his wallet. He is astute.

This is not an astute move. This is a PR move, and a bad one at that.

Now who has been most prone to those kinds of decisions? Who pushed hard to get Russ Ortiz?

And consider this -- Byrnes is not allowed to take on that size contract without approval from Moorad and Kendricks. So either they are behind it, or they are endorsing it. Since it is out of character from everything we know about Byrnes and similar Sabremetricians to pay that kind of money to RJ, it's an easy step to believe he didn't come up with the idea.

 

[devilfan02]

Josh Byrnes is very conservative and protects money and prospects like they were coming out of his wallet. He is astute.

This is not an astute move. This is a PR move, and a bad one at that.

Now who has been most prone to those kinds of decisions? Who pushed hard to get Russ Ortiz?

And consider this -- Byrnes is not allowed to take on that size contract without approval from Moorad and Kendricks. So either they are behind it, or they are endorsing it. Since it is out of character from everything we know about Byrnes and similar Sabremetricians to pay that kind of money to RJ, it's an easy step to believe he didn't come up with the idea.

I agree 100%. I believe that the restructuring of his deferred payments is the main reason for trying to trade for him. If he agrees then they'll pull the trigger. If not then they can simply say they tried but couldn't agree on a "extension." Micah Owings better not be a part of this trade