Randy Johnson could be in pinstripes by this time next week.
Despite a stumbling block yesterday and a few hurdles that still need to be cleared, an industry source said last night the complicated multi-team trade that would put The Big Unit in The Bronx has been agreed to in principle. Soon enough, Johnson, the best left-handed pitcher in baseball, should be headlining the Yankees’ rotation.
The deal is a bit tricky but essentially works like this: Los Angeles will send right-hander Brad Penny, outfielder Shawn Green, reliever Yhency Brazoban and a minor league pitcher to Arizona. Arizona will then send Johnson and another minor league pitcher to the Dodgers. The Yankees will then send righty Javier Vazquez and two minor league prospects (catcher Dioner Navarro and third baseman Eric Duncan) to the Dodgers.
Finally, the Dodgers will ship Johnson and probably left-hander Kaz Ishii to the Yankees to complete the deal. Got all that?
So, if you’re keeping score of who goes where, the Yankees add Johnson and likely Ishii; the Diamondbacks get Penny, Green, Brazoban and a minor league pitcher; and the Dodgers acquire Vazquez, Navarro, Duncan and another minor league pitcher. Additionally, if the Yankees get Ishii, they will pay $2 million of the $5 million remaining on his contract.
There are still a few issues that need resolution. One, there is a lot of deferred money with several players that needs to be ironed out. Two, several of the key players – Johnson and Penny, in particular – have to undergo and pass physicals. And three, multiple no-trade clauses – with Johnson and Green – have to be figured out.
Finally, the deal has to go to commissioner Bud Selig to be approved. Once Selig approves it, likely on Monday, then a 72-hour window will open for the Yankees to talk to Johnson and the Diamondbacks to talk to Green about extensions. Both players have no-trade clauses and have only one year remaining on their contracts.
It will take at least a week to get everything all cleared up. Still, even Penny himself told ESPN Radio yesterday the deal is nearing completion, and he’s on track to have a physical with the Diamondbacks next week.
At one point yesterday, the Yankees believed there could be a fourth team involved in the trade, possibly either Baltimore, St. Louis or the White Sox. But now it’s believed there is no fourth team needed, unless the Dodgers want to move Vazquez in another deal.
Barring something unforeseen, the trade should eventually be completed. Once it is, it will allow the Yankees to go from having a shaky rotation to sporting arguably the best five-man unit in the game – Johnson, Mike Mussina, Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright and Kevin Brown (if he is not traded). They would also likely have Ishii as insurance, a lefty who went 13-8 with a 4.71 ERA this past year.