Maybe, just maybe, the trade that would send Randy Johnson to the New York Yankees is complete. Maybe. After hearing about this on-again, off-again trade for seemingly a month, I'll wait for the news conference before assuming it's a done deal. Yet, it does appear likely that Johnson has gotten the trade he desired.
I have to admit, I am rarely bothered by the Yankees mindless acquisitions. Why? Mostly because they are mindless, but, in large part, because the best team on paper doesn't always win. Remember how the Los Angeles Lakers were going to crush the Detroit Pistons? How about those same bad, old Yankees who were up three games to none over Boston? Yeah, the Red Sox' payroll is huge, but who thought NY would cave in up 3-0?
If, however, the Yankees get Johnson AND sign Carlos Beltran I am going to be a bit annoyed. That's too much talent, even for the Bronx Bombers. I won't go screaming salary cap, but fans from other teams sure will. So will the media.
I also don't like this because Johnson forced this deal. He is tired of losing in Arizona, even though he signed a contract with them, and refused to go anywhere other than New York's American League entry. Basically, Johnson is trying to cherry pick a title. Much like Roger Clemens did. Much like Karl Malone tried to. I don't blame any of them for trying to grab a ring, but I don't have to like the way they do it.
I never wasted much time rooting against the Yankees. Not since the 70's, anyway. However, I'm already primed to join the anti-Yankee forces in 2005 should NY grab both Big Unit and Beltran. The Johnson trade may already be done, but here's hoping Carlos Beltran chooses anyone other than the Yankees.
As a aside, there is a potential Detroit Tigers angle on the Big Unit trade. ESPN.com reports that:
According to (Peter) Gammons' sources, Arizona will not immediately deal (Javier) Vazquez to another team, but will continue to talk to interested teams, including Baltimore, Philadelphia, Detroit and Texas.
I wonder if the Tigers get a discounted Vazquez, as the Yankees should be eating a large portion of his contract, if they could still afford to add another free agent starter? I wonder if Mike Maroth, who seems like the least appreciated Tiger starter, would be part of the deal to acquire Vazquez from Arizona?
I'm not Javier Vazquez crazy. He's a guy with a career .500 mark (78-78). His ERA is a decent 4.26. Hardly spectacular numbers. Conversely, Vazquez does average over 200 innings of work per year and strikes out an average of 186 batters per season. Again, not mind-numbing totals, but better than most starters.
Vazquez is two years younger than Kevin Millwood and three years younger than Derek Lowe, the two free agents pitchers the Tigers are currently rumored to be interested in. However, Millwood's got a myriad of medical concerns including his pitching arm, while Lowe's numbers are on a three year decline.
If the Tigers can obtain Vazquez, with the Yankees paying him the majority of his contract, I would find it hard to object to making the deal. He would seem like a better bargain, depending on the terms of his contract, than the remaining free agents hurlers on the market.
The best case scenario might be sending either Maroth or Jason Johnson to the Diamondbacks to get Vazquez, peddling the one the D-Backs don't want to someone else to get help at another position, then adding Lowe. A rotation of Vazquez, Lowe, Bonderman, Robertson and Ledezma doesn't sound half bad. It also sounds like a group more to Dave Dombrowski's liking.
What do I know? I'm just a blogger. I'm only doing what 90% of the baseball media does this time of the year-thinking out loud. However, maybe, just maybe, something good for the Tigers can come of New York's latest blockbuster deal.
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