Baseball Musings: No Johnson for George

December 21, 2004

No Johnson for George

The Dodgers have withdrawn from the three-way deal that would have brought Randy Johnson to the NY Yankees. It looks like Javier Vazquez was the monkey wrench in the works.

Newsday reported on its Web site Tuesday night that Javier Vazquez did not want to play for the Dodgers and refused to travel to Los Angeles for a physical. The paper, citing a source involved in the discussions, cited that as the "primary reason" for the deal's collapse.

I don't understand why Javier wouldn't want to pitch in LA. It's a great park for someone like him. I can't believe he really wants to pitch in the Bronx again.

Maybe it's time the Yankees and Diamondbacks stepped back and tried to simplify the deal. If it's true that the Johnson will only allow a trade to New York, the Yankees are in the drivers seat. Why not simply say, "Here's what we're willing to offer for Randy. If you don't like it, let's forget about the deal." It's awfully difficult for the Diamondbacks to get much from the Yankees when there's no one bidding against them.

Posted by David Pinto at 09:41 PM | Trades | TrackBack (0)

Comments

I like Vaz. I wonder what his strategy is here. Maybe he just wants to stay in NY and will do what he can to make that happen. Or maybe it just depends on the team. Or maybe this is all bs and is simply mutually agreed upon cover for the Dodgers to back out. Something tells me that its cover...

Posted by: seamus at December 21, 2004 10:20 PM

Apparently his wife doesn't want to leave NYC.

Posted by: Larry Mahnken at December 21, 2004 10:51 PM

Maby George can punish Javier by sending him to Coorsfield, destroyer of pitchers, land of no curveball.

Posted by: BigFire at December 21, 2004 11:00 PM

If NYC is so important to Mrs. Vazquez, then leave her there. Javier can visit her during the offseason and for several 3 day visits during the season.

Posted by: shawn at December 21, 2004 11:29 PM

Now the Yanks HAVE to trade Vazquez. They don't like being screwed over by a crappy player. They can make his life a living hell if they want to. He's not going to want to play there, and fans won't want him pitching there. He'll get booed mercilessly. You thought Andy Hawkins and Kenny Rogers had it bad, those will pale in comparison.

Posted by: shawn at December 21, 2004 11:32 PM

Vaz makes $6m, is there any chance that Beane jump in and make a deal for Vaz? I still like him, and he's still young.

Posted by: wilson at December 22, 2004 12:51 AM

"Vaz makes $6m, is there any chance that Beane jump in and make a deal for Vaz? I still like him, and he's still young."

Vazquez makes $10.5 million.

Posted by: Larry Mahnken at December 22, 2004 12:54 AM

Randy Johnson is 41 and needs constant shots to his knee. Javy Vazquez is 29 and had one bad half. I say the Yanks should give Vazquez a shot and use Duncan for trade bait for a younger player. Dionner Navarro should be groomed to replace by Posada. As a die-hard Yankee fan, I always want to see them win, but I'm sick of seeing them waste their young talent on old pitchers. They need to save these tradable prospects for the big league club or for the trade deadline when they can go out and land Ben Sheets and not the geriatric Johnson.

Posted by: Ben at December 22, 2004 01:38 AM

Randy Johnson is 41 and needs constant shots to his knee, but he was also the best pitcher in baseball last season, and could be the most important player the Yankees have against the Red Sox.

Posted by: Larry Mahnken at December 22, 2004 01:56 AM

was also the best pitcher in baseball last season

Last season is right. He's at the age where he's heading away from his prime not toward it. They still need a lefty, though.

Posted by: ChrisS at December 22, 2004 07:33 AM

I'm with Ben. With Vaz we have something for 2005 and 2007 and beyond if he performs. I don't feel comfortable we have that with Randy. We can shop around for Randy's replacement in a year, but I'd rather not have to do that. We just don't know how long RJ can perform at this level.

Posted by: seamus at December 22, 2004 08:44 AM

Unless the reason Vaz refused the physical is that there really is something wrong with him, well, physically. Which would explain his dreary second half. Then he won't get traded anywhere.

Posted by: rob at December 22, 2004 09:03 AM

I can't imagine the fans reaction to Vazquez if he stays with the team next season. He's going to crumple under the pressure and hatred from the fans. And since when does a guy who had an off year like Vazquez get to boss a team like the Yankees around? Who does he think he is? I like the idea of sending him to Colorado as punishment.

Posted by: sabernar at December 22, 2004 09:47 AM

folks, vazquez didn't kill this deal. He doesn't want to play on the west coast but the Newsday report that he wouldn't show for a physical has already conflicts with reports from the LA Times. Here is what it says on ESPN Insider, "According to The Los Angeles Times, Vazquez was willing to be examined but had expressed to the Dodgers that he wanted to remain on the East Coast." For what its worth, the Yankees aren't acting like they are pissed at Vaz so I take the LA Times article on its word (more credible anyhow).

Posted by: seamus at December 22, 2004 10:09 AM

according to espn this morning, the dodgers killed the deal, not vaz. the dodgers didn't think the trade would help them in 2005. they probably had to show drew that they were trying to win in 2005, not retool for a couple years down the line.

Posted by: yatt at December 22, 2004 10:25 AM

I heard - I thought on ESPN - that the physicals would have had to have been completed by 3 PM today, and with many of the players involved out of the country currently, it just wasn't possible.

If that's true, it sounds like the Dodgers threw that in at the last minute to effectively kill the deal without pulling out of it. To make such a requirement on such a short timeline right before Christmas and with many of the foreign players likely out of the States is pretty ridiculous.

Posted by: Mike H at December 22, 2004 11:31 AM

I dont like RJ at a real heavy price, get me Milton, Brunett, cheaper and keep Navarro he could be Posadas replacement. Yankee fan for 55 years. I also think Vasquez will come around. I just hope he hasnt fallen into Georges Dod house.

Posted by: Jerry at December 22, 2004 01:11 PM

Per Brian Cashman & Vasquez' agent, he was avail-
able for a physical after the Christmas holidays. He
was in St. John's, V Isl w/ family, infant daughter.
Dodgers made immediate physical the condition.
Cashman said he'd have done the same thing were
he Javy--no flying half way around the world , los-
ing Christmas w/ family. The only goal for the Yan-
kees is to win the Series--not to retain young play-
ers. Curt Schilling seemed to have a lot of fluid in his legs, but won anyhow.

Posted by: susan at December 26, 2004 02:40 AM

One other thing--Mr. Pinto said he didn't understand why Vasquez wouldn't want to pitch in LA, and that he couldn't believe that he really wants to pitch in the Bronx again. There are many reasons anyone would or would not want to pitch in a particular place (apart from the park's dimensions), including one's supervisors and one's team mates, perceived commit-
ment and stability of ownership, degree of national recognition, contacts in local community, clubhouse and training facilities, just to name a few. Vasquez'
statements in the press warning the Yankees that they
should keep him should convince Mr. Pinto.

Posted by: susan at December 27, 2004 08:04 AM

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