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TAP
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 1:44 am Post subject: Yankees & D-Backs discussing RJ to AZ |
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Ed Price / Star-Ledger wrote: |
The Yankees are in discussions with the Arizona Diamondbacks about sending Randy Johnson back to the team for which he starred in 1999-2004, according to a baseball official.
The official, who works for a third team but has spoken to people involved in negotiations, asked not to be identified because of the confidential nature of his discussions.
"They're talking," the official said.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman did not return a call seeking comment.
"I wouldn't know anything about it," Diamondbacks general partner Ken Kendrick said.
"If in fact that's the case," said Alan Nero, one of Johnson's agents, "we're not aware of it."
Johnson, who won four Cy Young Awards in Arizona, has a full no-trade clause, which he waived to come to the Yankees in January 2005. But he still makes his primary home in the Phoenix area and has never seemed fully comfortable in the glare of New York.
In two seasons with the Yankees, Johnson has gone 34-19 but with a 4.37 ERA; he was 17-11 with a 5.00 ERA this year. He has one year left on his contract ($16 million, $1.5 million of which is deferred without interest) and has 280 career victories.
The 43-year-old Johnson underwent surgery soon after last season to repair a herniated disk in his lower back, and the Yankees have said they are not counting on him to be ready for the opening of the regular season.
But the Diamondbacks, all but out of the competition to sign free-agent left-hander Mark Mulder, are in need of another starter -- and some goodwill after a messy divorce with popular left fielder Luis Gonzalez.
While the baseball official said Johnson had made overtures to the Yankees about a return to the Diamondbacks, a person close to Johnson -- who asked not to be identified because he could not confirm the trade talks -- said Johnson did not request a trade.
The baseball official said the Yankees do not want to pay any of Johnson's salary as part of a deal. The Diamondbacks are considered to have one of the deeper farm systems, so the Yankees could continue their trend that started when they moved Gary Sheffield and Jaret Wright for players to restock their system.
Ed Price may be reached at |
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tmar
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 7:11 am Post subject: |
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I know it wouldn't make good baseball sense, but I'd love to see RJ here next year. The one thing that just couldn't happen is the DBacks picking up his entire salary <whoever mentioned that had to be posturing>, I mean 16MM for guy who won't be ready on opening day? |
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levski
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 8:00 am Post subject: |
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So that's the "unexpected trade scenario that JByrnes was optimistic about", also knows as "the apple in JB's eye"?
http://forum.diamondbacksbullpen.org/viewtopic.php?t=1090
Also, I posted this on primer:
Quote: |
From the article:
The baseball official said the Yankees do not want to pay any of Johnson's salary as part of a deal. The Diamondbacks are considered to have one of the deeper farm systems, so the Yankees could continue their trend that started when they moved Gary Sheffield and Jaret Wright for players to restock their system.
The Yankees aren't going to get major league talent if they won't pay any of RJ's salary. I don't think Tracy is going to NY, and Tracy AND Nippert for RJ, especially if the Yankees won't take on any salary, is preposterous. I wouldn't give up that much for Big Ugly, and I'm arguably one of his biggest (and onliest? LOL) fans.
The Dbacks have a deep enough farm system so they could offer a couple of guys of the Ross Ohlendorf, Steven Jackson, Greg Smith, Matt Green group. But that's probably about it.
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shoewizard
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 8:11 am Post subject: |
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Funny how a detail like the the Yankees don't want to absorb any of RJ's salary would come out when everyone involved is denying anything is being discussed at all.
This won't happen because the Yankees will want too much as a condition to absorb any money, and I don't see JB giving up any of the top prospects for one year of RJ. And the D backs can't up their payroll enough this year to take on all his salary and give b grade prospects. |
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Tucson DBacks Fan
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 8:16 am Post subject: |
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If Kendrick says he has never heard about this, I believe him. He looks to be a stra ight shooter to me. Unless the Yankees absorb a large part of Randy's salary ( at least half of it ) I could never see this happenning. |
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Bob A
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 8:42 am Post subject: |
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We all have great memories of Randy but this is not the same Randy Johnson that was here three years ago. Unfortunately, at his age, his best years (baseball-wise) are in the rear view mirror. Especially if the Yankees don't want to pay any of his salary I can't see this happening. $16 million is a lot to pay for a number 3 starter.
Merry Christmas all... |
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tmar
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 9:29 am Post subject: |
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Hey at least Josh provided some interesting conversation for all of us as a Christmas present. |
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Tucson DBacks Fan
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 9:44 am Post subject: |
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Steinbrenner opened his wallet for Randy, and he's stuck with him. If he thinks the Diamondbacks are going to bail him out with $16 million, he's nuts. Randy is the Yankees' problem. Even Randy during his prime couldn't get the Diamondbacks to pay that much. |
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tmar
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 9:47 am Post subject: |
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For the legal guru's on the board. If one team trades a player and give part of that player's salary as part of the deal, does that salary count against their salary cap for luxury tax purposes? |
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NJ-DBACKS-FAN
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 10:07 am Post subject: |
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i like ONLY IF.........
we give up nothing of any value.....and i mean NOTHING......
and yanks pay minimum of 1/2 his salary.......
so with that said..........
lets move on and wait till the winter of 2007 when he signs a 1 year 6.5 million contract to be the 3rd so he can get his 300 in a d-back uni and we give up the NOTHING i was talking about before.....
_________________
Not many D-Back fans in NJ.....
Like to think im a trend setter |
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Projekt
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 10:17 am Post subject: |
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You know that having RJ here would increase ticket sales for every 5th game... Between Webb and RJ we could have some games with great ticket sales. |
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Tucson DBacks Fan
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 10:29 am Post subject: |
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Just a guess... I think the Yankees would pay half his salary, but they would want one or two good prospects in return. I think there is a chance such a deal could take place, perhaps not exactly as I think it would go down but close. I do not predict it will take place, but it is not so outrageous that I would dismiss the chances altogether. |
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shoewizard
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 10:46 am Post subject: |
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Projekt wrote: |
You know that having RJ here would increase ticket sales for every 5th game... Between Webb and RJ we could have some games with great ticket sales. |
There is no evidence of that from the past.
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shoewizard
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 10:54 am Post subject: |
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Well....IF there is a trade here, I think it would be absolutely a requirement that the Yankees take Eric Byrnes, who is due to make about 5 million next year. They traded Melky, and need a 4th outfielder, unless they want to give that job to Bernie.
If you take out Byrnes from the payroll lists I made, and stick in all of RJ's salary, that still puts the D backs up to about 67 million for 2007, which is over the 60-65 million budget.
Basically, if the Yankees are not interested in Byrnes, they need to just walk away from these negotiations too, (assuming they are even talking and Ed Price isn't running amok with some bullshit info from this "3rd team official") |
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Projekt
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 11:21 am Post subject: |
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shoewizard wrote: |
Projekt wrote: |
You know that having RJ here would increase ticket sales for every 5th game... Between Webb and RJ we could have some games with great ticket sales. |
There is no evidence of that from the past.
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I was just going off personal experience. Every time I went to a game in 2004, it was horrible attendance unless it was a Randy Johnson game. Maybe thats just a coincidence.
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qudjy1
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 11:30 am Post subject: |
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shoewizard wrote: |
Well....IF there is a trade here, I think it would be absolutely a requirement that the Yankees take Eric Byrnes, who is due to make about 5 million next year. They traded Melky, and need a 4th outfielder, unless they want to give that job to Bernie.
If you take out Byrnes from the payroll lists I made, and stick in all of RJ's salary, that still puts the D backs up to about 67 million for 2007, which is over the 60-65 million budget.
Basically, if the Yankees are not interested in Byrnes, they need to just walk away from these negotiations too, (assuming they are even talking and Ed Price isn't running amok with some bullshit info from this "3rd team official") |
I just think this whole thing is BS.... Why would the Yankees trade Randy for a 4th OFer? For them, Randy still could be an asset if he comes back healthy... for them, having 16M isnt that big of a deal..
None of this makes any sense to me..
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tmar
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 12:05 pm Post subject: |
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It would make some sense if (a) RJ expressed an interest in leaving and (b) if the Yankees don't think he'll come back to an operable form.
It would definitely put us over the budget Shoe calculated, however I keep hearing we have 10MM free <which may be in anticipation of a trade or 2>. |
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shoewizard
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 12:09 pm Post subject: |
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They have 10 million free BEFORE they come to terms with Byrnes.
They could decided to go over budget though...thats always a possibility. |
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tmar
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 12:18 pm Post subject: |
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Would that mean 10MM before Byrnes & Hudson then? Salary talk always confuses me. |
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levski
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 1:04 pm Post subject: |
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another post of mine on primer
Quote: |
A few quick thoughts:
1. The remaining 29 GMs don't have the same shot at RJ. Because of his no trade clause, you can pretty much bank on the fact that he won't go anywhere else but AZ... or to spring training with the Yankees. What the GM of the Royals (hypothetical scenario) would offer for RJ that would be so much better than what AZ could offer is totally irrelevant.
2. The Mets-Yankees trade talk and posturing over Milledge vs. Melky is pretty pointless. RJ won't go to the Mets. That's pretty much a given. He's already in NY with the #1 baseball team in NY. Why would he go to the #2 team in NY, especially if his purported desire is to leave NY altogether?
3. I actually would give up a couple of C prospects for RJ's 16m salary. Maybe that's because I'm an idiot. But I'd do with it really one condition: I'd offer RJ a two year deal (for 07 and 08, maybe with a club option for 09) worth around 22m or so, and ask him to give up the $16m salary for next year. At around $11m/year, he's certainly worth giving up a couple of C level pitching prospects. The Dbacks have a gaggle of those anyhow. They gave up a couple of them for a guy like Livan Hernandez, I'd give up a couple of others for RJ.
4. RJ needs about 20 wins to get to 300. He won't get there in 2007; he will get there in 2008. To get that extra year, and return home to AZ, he'd have to give the DBacks a discount for the next two years.
5. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone! |
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levski
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 1:08 pm Post subject: |
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shoewizard wrote: |
Well....IF there is a trade here, I think it would be absolutely a requirement that the Yankees take Eric Byrnes, who is due to make about 5 million next year. They traded Melky, and need a 4th outfielder, unless they want to give that job to Bernie.
If you take out Byrnes from the payroll lists I made, and stick in all of RJ's salary, that still puts the D backs up to about 67 million for 2007, which is over the 60-65 million budget.
Basically, if the Yankees are not interested in Byrnes, they need to just walk away from these negotiations too, (assuming they are even talking and Ed Price isn't running amok with some bullshit info from this "3rd team official") |
Shoewiz, as usual I'd have to disagree. A few things:
1. The Yankees have no interest in EByrnes. They don't need a 5 million dollar backup outfielder.
2. THey have not traded Melky. That trade talk is dead, more or less. If they do trade Melky, they'll probably bring Bernie for a mill or two rather than trade for Byrnes.
3. Eric Byrnes is a lot more valuable to the Dbacks, even at $5m, than to the Yankees. The Dbacks need Byrnes even if they acquire RJ. That, of course, is the topic for another day.
4. As I wrote on primer, you can make the numbers work by giving RJ an extension, making his salary arounf 10-11m next year, and same in 08. Maybe a club option for 09. That gives him the chance to come home, win 300 games in a Dbacks uniform, and gets him out of NY. The Dbacks gamble that he'll be fairly productive over the next couple of years--and given the market of pitchers, I'd rather give $11m/year for 2 years to RJ than any of the Suppans and Meches and Padillas and other assorted junk that's been floating around this offseason.
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shoewizard
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 1:20 pm Post subject: |
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yeah....I messed up on the Melky trade.....too much Baileys in my morning coffee....
If the Melky trade is dead, it's dead.
But I still don't see this happening. It all smells like B.S. to me.
About the other 29 teams not being a candidate.....I can think of two teams that could absorb most of his salary, and would not have a problem giving up a good young player or two...
The Dodgers and the Giants. If RJ really wants out of NY, I don't think he would have an issue waiving his NTC to go to either of those cities.
I wouldn't rule out SD either. |
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clpp01
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 1:31 pm Post subject: |
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Currently I am neither for or against him coming back. Looking at it from a neutral point of view
I believe Randy would benefit from coming back here (or the west in general) for a couple different reasons.
1. He gets out of the ALE where all the teams lit him up like a christmas tree and moves to the NLW where he could pick on the mediocre offense of the Giants/Dodgers/Padres.
2. The climate here is generous to a person's health compared to what it is back east.
Now it depends on how much you would consider bringing in Johnson for. Assuming the terms of contracts for arby. players I believe a trade for Johnson could be had with an increase of payroll by 6-7 million.
RJ 16 million
- Byrnes 5 million
- Julio (I believe they offer him arb. right?) 2-3 million
- Clark 1 million
There would also be a prospect or 2 (nobody worth mentioning).
Reason for Arizona: They bring in Randy for essentially 7 million which with the current market is a bargain even for him. With only 1 year left on his deal there isn't really any long term risk. Wherever he would fit into the rotation a Webb-Johnson-Hernandez-Davis rotation would be pretty good. Plus it also opens a spot for Scott Hairston and possibly Chris Carter
Reason for New York: Trading Johnson would open a spot in the rotation for them to go out and bring back Roger Clemens or opens a spot for mid-late season arrival of Philip Hughes. I would talk about them being wise from a financial p.o.v. but it is the yankees. |
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tmar
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 1:49 pm Post subject: |
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For the Yankees, though, it makes much more sense to wait until Mid-Season. That would give them enough time to evaluate their talent and/or get Clemens signed to a 1/2 year deal <I don't think he's willing to go a whole season>.
If RJ comes back well in the 1st half he'd be like gold in a trade. |
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tmar
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Posted: Mon Dec 25, 2006 2:32 pm Post subject: |
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Well it's made ESPN. Supposedly they're discussing 3 players, one a major leaguer. There's mention of a 72hr window to discuss an extension.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2708203[/quote] |
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