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Associated Press
NEW YORK — Randy Johnson agreed Sunday to a $26 million, two-year contract with Arizona, leaving physicals and final approvals to complete his trade from the New York Yankees back to the Diamondbacks.
What’s next for Yankees?
Johnson most likely will take his physical Monday, and the trade probably will be finalized Tuesday. Arizona general manager Josh Byrnes confirmed the agreement but otherwise declined comment until after the medical information is reviewed.
New York, which acquired the Big Unit from Arizona two years ago, would receive reliever Luis Vizcaino, minor league right-handers Ross Ohlendorf and Steven Jackson, and minor league shortstop Alberto Gonzalez.
“We’re very excited and very happy for Randy, We think it’s a win-win for everybody,” said Alan Nero, who represents Johnson along with Barry Meister. “It was very complex because there was a lot of legal work — it was the third time the contract has been redone. Other than that, I think it went very smoothly.”
Johnson, a 43-year-old left-hander who lives in the Phoenix area, was owed $16 million this year in the final season of his January 2005 contract with the Yankees, a deal that called for $1.5 million to be deferred without interest until 2010.
Because of the cash involved, commissioner Bud Selig must approve the trade. The players’ association also might want to review the restructuring of his contract.
If the trade goes through, Johnson would join an Arizona starting rotation that includes reigning Cy Young winner Brandon Webb, Livan Hernandez and Doug Davis. In their only other major move in the offseason, the Diamondbacks acquired the left-handed Davis from Milwaukee in a six-player deal that sent catcher Johnny Estrada to the Brewers.
His new deal calls for a $12 million signing bonus, of which $3.5 million is payable this year, $500,000 in 2008 and $4 million each in 2009 and 2010, a baseball official with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because the terms weren’t disclosed in Sunday’s announcement. Johnson gets salaries of $4 million this year and $10 million in 2008.
As part of the trade, New York would pay $2 million of Johnson’s salary this year. That means Arizona would be responsible for $24 million: $5.5 million this year, $10.5 million in 2008 and $4 million each in 2009 and 2010.
In addition, the Diamondbacks owe the five-time Cy Young Award winner just over $44 million, including accrued interest, from 2007-12. That money was earned by Johnson when he pitched for Arizona from 1999-2004, winning four Cy Youngs.
Johnson had until 5 p.m. EST Sunday to reach an extension under a 72-hour window granted Thursday by the commissioner’s office. His agents held several telephone discussions with the Diamondbacks to reach the agreement.
Johnson’s new agreement came two years and one day after he agreed to his extension with the Yankees. He went 103-49 with the Diamondbacks and helped them beat the Yankees in the 2001 World Series, going 3-0 against New York. He went 17-11 with a 5.00 ERA last season, and had back surgery Oct. 26.
He failed to win both of his postseason starts with the Yankees, and on Friday the Daily News ran a back-page headline that read: “GOOD RIDDANCE.”
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
Pending a physical, the Randy Johnson trade is done. Great news for both Yankee fans and Diamondback fans alike, not to mention this is great news for Randy Johnson who is going to get a boat-load of money in his mid-40s.
Associated Press
SEATTLE — Former Atlanta Braves closer Chris Reitsma agreed Friday to a $2.05 million, one-year contract with Seattle to become the Mariners’ setup reliever.
Reitsma gets $1.35 million this year and can earn additional bonuses based on appearances and games finished. Seattle has a $2.7 million option for 2008 with a $700,000 buyout.
He became a free agent last month when the Braves failed to offer a 2007 contract. He made $2.75 million in 2006. The right-hander began last season as the Braves’ closer but lost his job after blowing four of 12 chances. He was 1-2 with an 8.68 ERA in 27 starts before season-ending surgery on his pitching elbow on July 18.
Reitsma, who made $2.75 million last year, will assume the Mariners’ setup role for closer J.J. Putz. Seattle traded 2006 setup man Rafael Soriano to the Braves for starting pitcher Horacio Ramirez earlier this offseason.
Mark Lowe, a rookie surprise in 2006 who was on track to be Putz’s setup man in ’07, had arm surgery in the fall. The Mariners don’t know when Lowe will return.
“Chris is a proven, quality major league pitcher and his ability and track record show that he can pitch at the end of games,” Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi said. “When we made our trades earlier this winter, we were confident that setup-quality relief would be available to restock our bullpen.”
Reitsma, who turned 29 last week, has a career record of 32-44 with 37 saves and a 4.58 ERA in 312 appearances, including 53 starts. He pitched for Cincinnati in 2001-03 before joining Atlanta in ’04.
“Chris is a kid who wants to pitch every day,” Seattle manager Mike Hargrove said. “In the bullpen, one of the most valuable qualities a pitcher can have is consistency, both in terms of being available and in the results he provides. Chris gives us the consistency we need as we bridge the gap from our starters to J.J.”
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
Nothing Earth-shattering about this deal. Nothing to get excited about.
Reitsma has good upside, especially now that he won’t have the pressure of closing, or the pressure of closing on a winning team at that.
Cheap, almost risk-free signing by Seattle.
Associated Press
MOBILE, Ala. — San Diego Padres pitcher Jake Peavy was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct Thursday at Mobile Regional Airport.
The 25-year-old Mobile native was taken to the Mobile County Metro Jail shortly before 7 a.m. and was released on a $350 bond, according to the jail log.
Airport Police Chief James Kincaid would not say what led to Peavy’s arrest, but he told the Press-Register newspaper that “a situation presented itself and the officers involved felt like they had a situation to deal with.”
Padres general manager Kevin Towers told The Associated Press he was told that Peavy was headed for a goodwill tour of the Dominican Republic with other major league players when he double-parked to drop off his bags and was told by airport police to move his car.
“The airport police told him he couldn’t park his car there and he said, ‘Write me up a ticket and I’ll pay for it,’” Towers said. “He was arrested.”
A message left on Peavy’s cell phone wasn’t immediately returned. Peavy’s agent, Barry Axelrod, didn’t respond to an e-mail and a call to his cell phone.
Kincaid said the incident occurred around 5:20 a.m. just outside the terminal building.
Peavy has a career record of 57-45, all with the Padres. He was 11-14 with a 4.09 ERA last season.
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press
Looks like the Randy Johnson-Arizona deal is a go. Here’s the article from ESPN.com and the Associated Press.
ESPN.com news services
NEW YORK — The New York Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks reached a tentative agreement Thursday on a trade that would send Randy Johnson to Arizona, a move that allows the Big Unit’s agents to get him a contract extension.
The teams informed the commissioner’s office of the specifics of the trade, a baseball official told the Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Arizona would send pitcher Luis Vizcaino to the Yankees along with minor league pitcher Ross Ohlendorf and shortstop Alberto Gonzalez, another baseball official said, also on condition of anonymity. The Yankees also might receive another minor league pitcher, the official said, and would pay between $1.5 million and $2 million of Johnson’s $16 million salary this year.
A source told ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark the unidentified minor league pitcher was Steven Jackson.
The Yankees also had discussed trading Johnson to San Diego.
Barry Meister, one of Johnson’s agents, told ESPN’s Steve Phillips that a 72-hour window has been granted by the commissioner’s office, and it began at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday. Teams are granted the window to close tentative deals.
“When we have been granted that window, we would be willing to discuss everything with the Diamondbacks,” said Alan Nero, who represents Johnson along with Meister, before the window was granted. “Once that window is open, we will do our best to work out a deal.”
Newsday reported Thursday that Johnson had agreed in principle through “back-channel conversations” to a $10 million contract extension for 2008.
Arizona also might want to rework the slightly more than $44 million it must pay Johnson for 2007-12. Johnson pitched for the Diamondbacks from 1999-2004 and deferred parts of his salaries during those years.
In another move, first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz and the Yankees reached a preliminary agreement on a one-year contract worth about $1.5 million. Mientkiewicz, who spent 2005 with the crosstown Mets, must take a physical for the deal to be finalized.
Vizcaino, a 32-year-old right-hander, was 4-6 last season with 3.58 ERA in 70 games. He has a 25-23 career record with a 4.24 ERA in eight seasons, playing for Oakland, Milwaukee, the Chicago White Sox and Arizona.
Ohlendorf, a 25-year-old who went to Princeton, was 10-8 with a 3.29 ERA at Double-A Tennessee last season and 0-0 with a 1.28 ERA at Tucson.
Gonzalez, a 24-year-old right-handed hitter, batted .290 in 129 games with Tennessee with six homers, 50 RBI and 20 doubles. He also hit .200 (3-for-15) in four games with Tucson.
Jackson, 24, was 8-11 with a 2.65 ERA in 24 starts at Tennessee.
Johnson was 17-11 with a 5.00 ERA last season, and the 43-year-old left-hander is coming off back surgery on Oct. 26. Although he has gone 34-19 during the regular season in two years with the Yankees, he is 0-1 with a 6.92 ERA in three postseason appearances.
New York’s projected rotation includes Chien-Ming Wang, Mike Mussina, Andy Pettitte and Kei Igawa. The Yankees also have oft-injured right-hander Carl Pavano and hope Roger Clemens can be persuaded to follow Pettitte back to New York. Clemens hasn’t decided whether to pitch this year. If he does, the 44-year-old right-hander might follow his 2006 schedule and not start his major league season until mid-June.
Johnson, who lives in the Phoenix area, went 103-49 with the Diamondbacks and helped them beat the Yankees in the 2001 World Series, going 3-0 against New York.
Information from The Associated Press is included in this report
ESPN.com news services
NEW YORK — The New York Yankees have reached a tentative deal with first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz, according to reports in the New York Daily News and the New York Post.
The addition of Mientkiewicz, a left-handed hitter better known for his defense at first, would allow Jason Giambi to be the Yankees’ full-time designated hitter.
Mientkiewicz hit .283 with four home runs and 43 RBI bats for the Kansas City Royals last season before season-ending back surgery sidelined him on Aug. 29. He is a career .270 hitter in nine seasons with the Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets and the Royals and won the 2001 AL Gold Glove at first base.
The signing of Mientkiewicz would give the Yanks one of the best defensive 1B in the league. This would help young Robinson Cano and Alex Rodriguez with dome throwing errors.
Mientkiewicz also has great plate discipline. He sees about 4 pitches per plate appearance and puts the ball in play with a good average. He won’t hit many homers, although the short porch in New York could help.
All-in-all this is a good signing for the Yanks.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Mark Mulder’s agent, Gregg Clifton, could speak with the Cardinals as soon as Thursday, giving them a chance to re-sign the left-hander, who is considering offers from Texas and Cleveland.
The Rangers and the Indians have reportedly offered Mulder two-year deals. The Cardinals made a one-year offer with an option before Christmas.
“We’ve kept the Cardinals in the mix every step of the way and this is kind of stepping up, heating up in the last week,” Clifton told the Post-Dispatch. “Mark would like to make a decision, but we wanted to wait for the Cardinals.”
The deals from Texas and Cleveland are believed to guarantee Mulder, who’s coming off rotator-cuff surgery, about what he made in 2006, about $7.75 million, and they are laced with incentives, reports the Post-Dispatch.
If the salary numbers are true then this could end up as a horrible deal or a stroke of genius. If Mulder returns to form and posts a 12-7, 11-7, heck even a 10-8 record this could be a bargain. But if he goes 4-5 or gets injured again then this is a big bust.
Any deal for Mulder will most likely be for 2 years, allowing the signing team the possibility of a healthy Mulder for an entire season. Whoever lands Mulder will land a good pitcher in my opinion. I think he can return to form and hit the free agent market in 2 years and command big bucks!
By Amy K. Nelson
ESPN The Magazine
Mark Loretta will sign with the Houston Astros on Thursday, his agent said. Financial terms were not immediately available.
The free-agent second baseman had multiple offers, including ones from the Texas Rangers and Cincinnati Reds. But he will sign with the Astros, his agent Bob Garber said.
Loretta, a 12-year veteran, played for the Boston Red Sox last season, hitting .285 in 155 games. He has previously played for the Brewers, Astros and Padres and has a career .299 average and .987 career fielding percentage.
I personally don’t understand this. The Astros already have future Hall of Famer Craig Biggio and Chris Burke, who should be playing 2B but Biggio has blocked him for what seems like 10 years. Burke is going to play CF.
The only way this move makes sense is if Loretta splits time at 2B, 3B, and 1B, and if Biggio is given 2 days off a week. The team still has Morgan Ensberg, although he is being used as trade bait, at 3B and the OF is full and that rules out Biggio or Berkman moving back there.
Loretta is a fantastic player, a clubhouse leader and a player who plays like every play could be the last one in the 7th game of the World Series. I still don’t understand Houston’s plan with this signing but all-in-all Loretta is a good fit for just about any club, even if he doesn’t have a position to call his own.
The American League Central is overflowing with teams that all have playoff hopes for the 2007 season.
There is obviously the Detroit Tigers, who made it to the World Series. Then we have the Chicago White Sox, who won the World Series the year before. Let us not forget about the Minnesota Twins, they always seem to make it work. The Kansas City Royals aren’t that far behind with all their young players (Billy Butler, Alex Gordon, Luke Hochovar, Jeff Bianchi, Chris Lubanski…). Enter the Cleveland Indians.
Considered by most to be a bust last year after giving the White Sox a run for the Central title in 2005 all the way up to final series of the season, the Cleveland Indians are ready to take back the division the way they did in the mid-to-late 90′s when they had Belle-Alomar-Baerga-Thome-Ramirez and they were an offensive powerhouse.
With a rotation matched by few in the entire the Majors, the Indians know what it takes to win championships. Remember, the last two AL Champs (White Sox, Tigers) both lead the league in ERA.
Here is what the Indians rotation will look like:
1. C.C. Sabathia
2. Jake Westbrook
3. Cliff Lee
4. Jeremy Sowers (Watch out for this kid!)
5. Paul Byrd
The Indians know that good pitching will beat good hitting most of the time, just look back to 1995 and 1997 when they were beat by the Braves and Marlins. But the 2007 Indians could look like the 1995 Indians, who lead the majors in Batting Average, won 100 games, and lead the AL in team ERA. I don’t think they will lead the majors in AVG, or even get 100 wins, but they have a legitimate shot at leading the AL, if not the Majors in ERA. But let’s not fool anyone, they can mash with the best of teams.
Their lineup could look a little like this:
1. Grady Sizemore CF
2. Casey Blake RF
3. Travis Hafner DH
4. Victor Martinez C
5. Ryan Garko 1B
6. Jhonny Peralta SS
7. David Delluci LF
8. Andy Marte 3B
9. Josh Barfield 2B
The Indians have also revamped a horrible bullpen. They added veteran Roberto Hernandez, closer Joe Borowski, lefty Aaron Fultz, and are giving former closer Keith Foulke his physical as I write this. Add those guys to some of the flame throwing young arms like Jason Davis, Fausto Carmona, Fernando Cabrera, and a personal favorite of mine Tom Mastny.
The Cleveland Indians are tired of losing, tired of not reaching the playoffs, and more importantly tired of not winning a World Series since 1948. And don’t bring up the curse of Rocky Colavito.
Travis Hafner will mash to the tune of .300-40-125, Grady Sizemore is my pick to win the AL MVP, and Josh Barfield adds a good bat at the bottom, speed, and good defense up the middle. Let’s not forget that Victor Martinez is a lock for .300-20-100 and the emergences of young players like Ryan Garko, Shin-Soo Choo, Franklin Gutierrez, and Andy Marte. Jeremy Sowers will finish 2nd behind Delmon Young in AL Rookie of the Year voting, and establish himself as one of the best young arms in the game. Jake Westbrook and Paul Byrd are both pitching for huge contracts; they will both be free agents at the end of the season.
This may be a little pre-mature but I am predicting the Cleveland Indians to win the AL Central this season. Who knows, maybe they can be the third team in four years to end a ridiculous streak of championship less seasons.
Tribe fans have a real reason to believe this year is their year!
Randy Johnson is headed home. USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale:
The Arizona Diamondbacks expect to complete a deal with the New York Yankees by the end of the week to bring back pitcher Randy Johnson, a high-ranking Diamondbacks official familiar with the negotiations told USA TODAY.
The clubs have agreed on the package of players the Diamondbacks will send to the Yankees, according to a club official from each team — two minor league pitchers and a major league reliever. The deal has not been completed because of money issues, including how much the Yankees will pay toward Johnson’s $16 million contract in 2007.
The Diamondbacks official also said they would like to sign Johnson to a one-year extension that would be a pay cut from his ’07 salary, as well as restructure the $40 million deferred payments the left-hander is owed from his 1999-2004 stint with the team.
A lot of things could still go wrong with this deal, although it seems that both sides really want to make this happen.
This is a good move by both teams in my opinion. The Yanks now have the money (as if they didn’t anyway!), roster spot, and the team gets younger. The players I believe the Yanks are getting are reliever Luis Vizcaino, minor league SP Dustin Nippert, and possibly minor league SP Russ Ohlendorf.
The Diamondbacks now get someone who can bring in ticket sales, could get his 300th win in a D-Back jersey, and a pitcher who still has flashes of dominance and gets to face pitchers not DHs anymore.
The biggest obstacle is obviously the money. The Yanks will have to pay some his ’07 salary, especially since they are getting a major league reliever and two of Arizona’s top pitching prospects.
I think the deal will get worked out and both clubs, especially the Yanks, will come out winners in this deal.
Ennuipundit adds:
The clubs have agreed on the package of players the Diamondbacks will send to the Yankees, according to a club official from each team — two minor league pitchers and a major league reliever.
The major league reliever could be any of the D-Backs bullpen, including Juan Cruz, the much traveled former Cubs farmhand who pitched well in Arizona. Arizona had already improved their rotation dealing Johnny Estrada for Doug Davis in a six-player deal this offseason. Johnson would join Davis, Livan Hernandez and staff ace Brandon Webb leaving one spot left for one of Arizona’s pitching prospects. MLB’s Diamondbacks site describes that young pitching depth.
The D-backs had planned on entering Spring Training with Edgar Gonzalez, Enrique Gonzalez, Dustin Nippert, Ross Ohlendorf, Micah Owings, Dana Eveland, Evan MacLane and Juan Cruz competing for the final two spots in the rotation….
Nippert is the best of the lot and I would expect the D-Backs to hold on to him. Enrique Gonzalez and Micah Owings are the next two on my list of Arizona pitching prospects, and both are very intriguing. They are power pitchers. Both have good minor league K-rates. Gonzalez tamed the batting inflating California League as he progressed through the system. Owings was undefeated as Tucson this season. The Cal league and the PCL are leagues that pitchers typically struggle in.
My guess is that Juan Cruz, Micah Owings and Enrique Gonzalez will be New York Yankees. Owings and Gonzalez would join Philip Hughes and Humberto Sanchez as young power arms being groomed for an extended stay in pinstripes. Arizona will insist on New York picking up some amount of Johnson’s 2007 salary, and in that case New York deserves some good talent in exchange.
The ever shifting balance of power in the NL West would get more murky. In a division without a dominant runaway leader, everyone has a shot. If they acquired Johnson, Arizona would have the best rotation, to go with a young talented lineup and a solid bullpen. They become the prohibitive favorites with San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco not far off pace.
For the Yankees this deal pares salary which could easily be used to acquire another aging right handed pitcher, one who has proven that he can handle the pressure of pitching in New York – Roger Clemens. As the Red Sox rotation looks set and the Astros have all but walked away from Clemens, the Yankees are the last best option for the future Hall of Famer. Clemens, Mussina, Wang, Igawa and Pettitte would be a fearsome rotation. And with Hughes and the young pitching talent acquired by dealing Sheffield and to be acquired in a Johnson deal developing to step in when Pettitte, Clemens and Mussina decide to stop pitching, the Yankees are poised to remain King of the Hill, top of the heap for the foreseeable future.
Depending on how much money the Diamondbacks want from the Yankees and how much money Randy Johnson is willing to sacrifice to get out of his New York nightmare, this deal makes sense for everyone involved. Most of the time those deals get done. Expect Johnson to be reintroduced to D-back fans soon.
The Devil Rays acquired infielder Brendan Harris from the Reds for a player to be named or cash.
Harris will probably make the team as their utility infielder, taking over the role that Tomas Perez held last year and Nick Green held the year before. Nothing is certain though. If B.J. Upton isn’t traded and has a good spring Upton could be the everyday 3B which would make Akinori Iwamura the teams utility infiedler. Harris has a legitimate shot at sticking with the club though.
Harris is best known as one of the players involved in the 2004 trade of Nomar Garciaparra to the Cubs.
Harris, 26, spent time with Nationals and Reds last season where he sported a .238 average in 25 Major League games. He has 110 career at-bats over parts of the last three seasons with the Cubs, Expos/Nationals, and Reds.
Harris was added to the Rays 40 man active roster as the 40th player.
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