Trading Randy Johnson

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

There are reports in the papers today saying that the Yankees are considering trading Randy Johnson, and that several teams are interested.

One rumor has the Padres trading Scott Linebrink to the Yankees and taking on Johnson's full salary.

I can't imagine anyone taking on Randy without insisting that the Yankees pay the bulk of the salary. It would be madness to give up a player (unless that player is broken down and hideously overpaid) for a pitcher who's broken down and hideously overpaid.

The story (I think it was in the News this morning) went on to say that if the Yankees can unload Johnson's full salary they can then enter the competition for Barry Zito. So there are many reasons for us to hope that this San Diego rumor is nonsense.

[Guest iramets]

Yancy Street Gang wrote: a pitcher who's broken down and hideously overpaid.

Also just plain hideous.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

You wouldn't say that if you were an emu.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Do you guys think Zito is going to end up as a Yankee if they can foist The Unit on someone else.

It's gotta be Boras' dream to pit the Mets and Yankees in a bidding war.

It would be nice to have Zito, but we might be able to do better through a trade or the farm. It's not like we don't have any chips.

[Frayed Knot]

Just heard the reporter who covers the Yanx for WFAN (all-sports radio in NYC for you out-of-town types) and he's of the opinion that he doesn't think they'll persue Zito no matter what happens w/Johnson. Making long-term commitments to non hard-throwing types apparently isn't their line of thinking at the moment.
Not that that alone makes it a fact or that Boras won't try to create the illusion that they are in hot pursuit.

He also added the both RJ and his agent are out of the country at the moment and - seeing as how he has full veto power on deals - nothing should be considered imminent even if the talk between teams is progressing nicely as some have reported.

Personally, I don't get why someone would want to take him on at this point; not at $16mil, not while coming off back surgery (may not be ready for O.D.), not while he turns 44 y/o late in the season, and not while I'd have to give up players just for the privelege.
Assuming that he's healthy he can still be a useful, better-than-average pitcher (he hasn't been as bad as some NYY perfectionists like to portray), but that's a whole lotta baggage you'd be taking on, not to mention his always sunny disposition.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I always suspect that the Mets and Yankees are shy about going up against one another in high-stakes top-of-the-market free-agent bidding.

I'm probably overlooking somebody, but I count Bobby Bonilla and Dave Winfield as big-time free agents aggressively courted (reportedly) by both teams.

There are probably more (did the Mets make a real play for Mike Mussina?), but the list seems mighty short considering all the factors.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

The Mets rarely played the free agent game, at least for the big guys, until after they lost Darryl Strawberry. Then, after guys like Coleman and Bonilla and Murray didn't work out so well for them, they withdrew from the practice again until Robin Ventura. (Unless I'm missing somebody.)

They've only been really aggressive in their free-agent chases for just a few years, which may explain why there hasn't been that much open competition between them and the Yankees. There will probably be more of it in the years to come.

[Guest silverdsl]

Add me to those who are puzzled by the apparent interest from other teams in RJ. He had off-season back surgery and there was some talk he might not be 100% ready for spring training. What team would want to trade for a player like that, particularly one who's over 40? Unfortunately for the Yankees, the odds are that RJ will decline even more this season, not get better, and I can't imagine how they'll be able to fool another team into thinking otherwise. Brian Cashman is a magician if he can get a team to take RJ.