When the Yankees and Diamondbacks get serious about bringing Randy Johnson from Phoenix to The Bronx, they will find a few more stumbling blocks than the money left on Javier Vazquez’ contract.
While Vazquez fits the Diamondbacks’ wish to get young pitching for Johnson – who is the Yankees’ top priority – there are two issues that could kill the deal quicker than the $34.5 million across three years left on the 28-year-old Vazquez’ contract.
One, if Vazquez is dealt to the morbid Diamondbacks he likely would demand a trade after one season, which he can do because he would have been traded in the middle of a multi-year contract.
And if pitching for the worst team in baseball isn’t depressing enough, working for Jeff Moorad would ensure Vazquez’ stay in Phoenix would be a short one since he fired Moorad as his agent two years ago. Moorad is the CEO of the Diamondbacks.
When the cash-strapped Diamondbacks move Johnson, it will be to unload the $16 million he is due this coming season. So it’s not likely they would dump $16 million and take on more than twice that amount.
And based on Arizona GM’s Joe Garagiola’s recent track record in big name deals, he can’t afford another mistake after dealing Curt Schilling to the Red Sox for Casey Fossum, who went 4-15 with a 6.65 ERA, and Brandon Lyon, who missed last season due to elbow surgery, and acquiring Richie Sexson for six players and not being able to sign him after one season. Trading for Vazquez and watching him vanish after one year likely would cost Garagiola his job, which is on shaky ground already.
Still, acquiring the 41-year-old Johnson is a Yankee priority. It ranks ahead of signing Pedro Martinez, Carl Pavano, Eric Milton, Al Leiter and Jon Lieber, although signs indicate Lieber will remain a Yankee.
According to GM Brian Cashman, no offers have been made to free agents, a group that includes center fielder Carlos Beltran.
“We are at the point of having an exchange of concepts and ideas,” Cashman said yesterday.
The industry sense regarding the Yankees is that they are talking to as many free agents as they can to use as leverage against the ones they really want. Others believe George Steinbrenner is so focused on Johnson that everything else is taking a back seat.
Pavano is slated to visit with Cashman in New York next week. The right-hander already has talked to the Red Sox, and agent Scott Shapiro says there are other clubs his client wants to contact. However, many believe Pavano will remain with the Marlins, who haven’t gone past three years in their initial offer. Pavano would like a fourth year.
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Gary Sheffield will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder Tuesday in Birmingham. The procedure to clean the bursa sac will be done by Dr. James Andrews. It was originally slated for this past Tuesday but cancelled when Sheffield couldn’t fly into Birmingham due to bad weather.