MLB Offeason Thread

[jonnycomelately]

The past couple of days has seen a couple of big names taken off the table...Moises Alou and Eric Milton.

With Alou, he basically used the Mets to jack up his price for the team he was targetting the entire time, his dad's team the San Francisco Giants. Good for Moises, bad for the Mets as they are now scrambling to get into talks with Magglio Ordonez and **UGHH** trade talks with the Cubs for Sammy Sosa and will probably overpay/give too much away for either because of how much time they spent pursuing Alou and other free agents early in the signing period.

The Reds came seemingly out of nowhere to sign Eric Milton. It was down to a two horse race between the Marlins and the Yankees and at one time it was reported that the Yankees had even signed Milton. Similar to the David Wells scenario with Arizona a couple of years back, it was just someone in the organization jumping the gun and leaking a story to get some press. With Milton though, the rotation now has a solid top 3, nothing too special but solid, in Milton, Paul Wilson, and Ramon Ortiz (acquired from the Angels for pitching prospect Dustin Mosely).

MLB.com lists these as the Top 5 free agents left with their potential suitors:

1. Carlos Beltran: Yankees, Houston, Mets

2. Carlos Delgado: Mets, Seattle

3. Magglio Ordonez: Mets, Baltimore

4. Derek Lowe: Los Angeles, Detroit

5. Odalis Perez: Washington, Seattle

[Miami Vice]

$25.5M over 3 years? The Reds over-paid but I guess they had to in order to attract an average starting pitcher to their team.

I really liked Milton a few years ago but after his last year in Minnesota and his year in Phillie I really don't like him anymore.

[sahyder1]

Thursday, December 30, 2004

ESPN.com news services

NEW YORK -- The Diamondbacks and Yankees have agreed on a deal that would send Randy Johnson to New York for Javier Vazquez, prospects and cash, major league sources told ESPN.

Randy Johnson

Starting pitcher

Arizona Diamondbacks 

Profile

2004 SEASON STATISTICS

G  IP  W-L  BB  SO  ERA

35  245.2  16-14  44  290  2.60

The paperwork has not yet been submitted to the baseball commissioner's office, but that is the next step for the deal to be finalized.

The Diamondbacks also will get left-handed pitcher Brad Halsey, catching prospect Dioner Navarro and $8.5 million to $9 million in exchange for the 41-year-old lefty, ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney reports.

According to Peter Gammons' sources, Arizona will not immediately deal Vazquez to another team, but will continue to talk to interested teams, including Baltimore, Philadelphia, Detroit and Texas.

Once a deal is official, the Yankees would then have to work out a contract extension for Johnson. According to the New York Daily News' sources, the discussion has been to add two years to Johnson's deal at $16 million each year.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

[reyrey619]

I hope this is final. I've had enough of this crap.

[RawisJericho]

That better be the final deal, lets now get Beltran!

[Guest JoeyMadDogg]

You can basically say it is final.

I heard on ESPN Radio that the deal is done, just waiting Bud Selig's approval and I'm not doubting he will approve considering this is what Johnson has been wanting for awhile. I don't think Selig would piss Johnson off.

[Guest The Electric Head]

All the guys the yanks added had awesome career years after doing almost nothing throughout earlier in their careers (Pavano, Wright). Johnson will be good. But he won't be as good as he was last year.

[Guest Muthafawkkinmatt]

NEW YORK -- The drawn-out deal to send Randy Johnson to the Yankees was approved by commissioner Bud Selig, making a contract extension the last obstacle to the Arizona-New York swap, The Associated Press learned Monday.

New York was given until Thursday to come to terms with the five-time Cy Young Award winner, two baseball officials said on condition of anonymity. Johnson's current deal pays him $16 million in 2005 and expires after this season.

In the deal, the Diamondbacks would receive pitchers Javier Vazquez and Brad Halsey, young catcher Dioner Navarro and $9 million to be paid over three years.

Arizona also agreed Monday to a proposed trade that would send Navarro to the Dodgers as part of a package for Shawn Green. The outfielder was part of a three-team, 10-player swap involving Johnson and the Yankees that collapsed last month when Los Angeles backed out.

Selig granted the Diamondbacks until Thursday to work out an extension for Green, who will make $16 million this year and then can become a free agent.

"There are obviously two separate transactions, and each has a variety of conditions that need to be met," Diamondbacks managing partner Ken Kendrick said. "It starts a window of time wherein contractual matters need to be resolved, between the Yankees and Randy, and us and Randy, and us and Shawn Green.

"And then, finally, a whole array of physical exams need to take place, because of the number of players involved."

Barry Meister, one of Johnson's agents, said he was awaiting official notification from the commissioner's office before commenting.

Johnson, a 41-year-old left-hander, was 16-14 last season on a Diamondbacks team that went 51-111, tied for the 10th-most losses in major league history. He led the majors with 290 strikeouts, was second with a 2.60 ERA and pitched a perfect game against Atlanta, but the Diamondbacks scored two runs or fewer in 17 of his 35 starts.

Vazquez, a 28-year-old right-hander, was 14-10 with a 4.91 ERA. While he was picked for his first All-Star team, he won just once in his last nine regular-season starts and had a 9.53 ERA in three postseason games.

New York is giving Arizona $3 million in each of the next three seasons to cover part of Vazquez's salary. He gets $10.5 million in 2005, $11.5 million in 2006 and $12.5 million in 2007.

While completing the trade for Johnson, a 10-time All-Star, New York also is turning its attention this week to Carlos Beltran. The free-agent center fielder is to meet Tuesday with Mets general manager Omar Minaya, and faces a Saturday deadline to re-sign with the Houston Astros.

Credit - ESPN

[sahyder1]

Someone merge this with the MLB Offseason thread as this has basically been discussed for a long time in there.

A continuation of this deal will see Green land in Arizona basically completing the 3 way deal that fell apart a couple of weeks ago.

[jonnycomelately]

Shawn Green will go to Arizona for prospect catchers Koyie Hill, Chris Snyder or Dioner Navarro along with minor league pitcher William Juarez. Arizona would also get $8 million.

In other Dodgers news, LA has resigned troubled yet productive outfielder Milton Bradley. It was a one-year $2.5 million deal.

Odalis Perez also reportedly re-upped with the Dodgers with a tentative deal of 3 years, $24 million. Though only 7-6, Perez was considered LA's ace last year.

[Miami Vice]

Though only 7-6, Perez was considered LA's ace last year.

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[sahyder1]

Mets work on meeting with Delgado

TSN.ca Staff with ESPN, AP files

1/10/2005

ESPN reports that the New York Mets are working to put together a meeting late this week with free agent slugger Carlos Delgado and his agent David Sloane.

The Baltimore Orioles, Florida Marlins and Texas Rangers are also interested in signing Delgado, who is believed to be seeking a four-or five-year deal worth upward of $15 million a season.

The Orioles reportedly persuaded Sloane to submit a contract proposal as a starting point for negotiations last Friday. Last month, the Orioles made Delgado a three-year offer for less than $30 million.

Delgado, 32, made $19.7 million last year while batting .269 with 32 home runs and 99 RBI.

The news comes just one day after the Mets agreed to structure a $119 million US, seven-year contract with outfielder Carlos Beltran that will include an $11 million signing bonus.

The Mets, who haven't made the playoffs since 2000, just last month lured Martinez from the Boston Red Sox with a $53 million, four-year deal.

[DMN in the House]

Though only 7-6, Perez was considered LA's ace last year.

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How will LA win without any power (Drew will get hurt, Kent is on the down swing of his career) and no solid starting pitching. They haven’t done anything to replace Lima. If your looking at Perez, Weaver, Ishie, Nomo(is he a free agent?) and Jackson the dodgers are screwed. No Green and no Beltre, forget it guys.

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We didn't have solid starting pitching last year.

Plus we play in a shitty fucking division.

We'll still be better then the Blue Jays.

[sahyder1]

We'll still be better then the Blue Jays.

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Edited January 10, 2005 by sahyder1

[sahyder1]

Big Unit gets physical with cameraman

Canadian Press

1/10/2005

NEW YORK (AP) - Randy Johnson got a little physical on the way to his New York Yankees physical.

The Big Unit got into a confrontation on a Manhattan sidewalk with a television cameraman Monday, then apologized in a statement released later in the day.

Johnson passed all exams Monday, but the Yankees awaited results of blood and other tests that needed more time. Still, New York went ahead and scheduled a news conference for Tuesday afternoon to announce the completion of its drawn-out trade with Arizona. In a deal agreed to Dec. 30, the Yankees are sending the Diamondbacks pitcher Javier Vazquez and Brad Halsey, catcher Dioner Navarro and $9 million US.

Johnson, a five-time Cy Young award winner, gets a $32-million, two-year contract extension that runs through 2007.

Vazquez was to have his physical with the Diamondbacks on Monday night. Navarro had to take two physicals Monday - one for Arizona and one for Los Angeles, which is acquiring him as part of a separate deal. The Dodgers are receiving four prospects from the Diamondbacks for outfielder Shawn Green and $10 million. Green and Arizona reached an agreement in principle Sunday on a $32-million, three-year contract, which would allow that trade to be finalized.

Johnson got a taste Monday of how much attention star ballplayers can attract in New York. Walking along a Manhattan avenue, he put his long right arm up to block a camera from WCBS-TV after he left his Manhattan hotel.

Johnson, who was accompanied by Yankees director of team security Jerry Laveroni, made contact with the camera, station spokeswoman Audrey Pass said.

"Get out of my face, that's all I ask," Johnson said, according to a video of what occurred, which was posted on the station's website.

"No cameras," Laveroni said.

"Don't get in my face," Johnson then said. "I don't care who you are.

"Don't get in my face."

"I'm just taking a picture," said the cameraman, identified by the station as Vinny Everett.

Responded Johnson: "Don't get in my face, and don't talk back to me, all right."

Johnson issued a statement through agent Alan Nero that was distributed by the Yankees.

"Regarding the unfortunate incident that happened this morning as I was on my way to take a physical, I hope that everyone will understand that the past few days have been a bit overwhelming and I wish I had handled the situation differently," Johnson said. "I am very sorry it happened."

Pass later issued a statement for the station that said "in the regular course of CBS2's newsgathering on a midtown street, Randy Johnson took exception to our cameraman's effort to photograph him, attempted to block his lens and insisted that the camera be removed. Johnson has since apologized."

Johnson is scheduled to appear Tuesday on CBS's Late Show with David Letterman.

New York's projected rotation currently includes Johnson, Mike Mussina, Kevin Brown, Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright.

"I'm definitely excited," right-fielder Gary Sheffield said. "With our offence, we feel like we can accomplish anything.

"We tried to jump a big hurdle last year, we had a lot of pitchers injured. Unfortunately, our offence wasn't able to take us all the way through."

Notes: Johnson planned to wear No. 41 with the Yankees. His No. 51 already is being used by veteran centre-fielder Bernie Williams . . . Sheffield is making progress in his rehabilitation program following shoulder surgery and expects to be ready for spring training next month. Sheffield had surgery on his left shoulder Nov. 30 and is taking part in an indoor workout program at the Yankees' spring training complex. "I'll be ready," he said. "I feel like I'm ahead of schedule. It's coming along good."

[thatshortguy]

That's dandy. Even at 40-something years old, he's still an immature prick.

I didn't really have a problem with him until, after apologizing numerous times at the beginning of the press conference, he began the whole "did I not say" b.s. to apparently the same cameraman/journalist he shoved the day before. It was almost like watching Marv Levy all over again.

[sahyder1]

That's dandy.  Even at 40-something years old, he's still an immature prick.

I didn't really have a problem with him until, after apologizing numerous times at the beginning of the press conference, he began the whole "did I not say" b.s. to apparently the same cameraman/journalist he shoved the day before.  It was almost like watching Marv Levy all over again.

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[Mike67]

That's dandy.  Even at 40-something years old, he's still an immature prick.

I didn't really have a problem with him until, after apologizing numerous times at the beginning of the press conference, he began the whole "did I not say" b.s. to apparently the same cameraman/journalist he shoved the day before.  It was almost like watching Marv Levy all over again.

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yup....he had that whole apology going and the "did I not say" just made seem like he was being pissed off by the media yet again. Mark it down....he will explode again. He followed in Schilling's footsteps of landing on a good offensive team in order to pile up victories in a HUGE market.......it's just too bad that RJ is no Schilling when it comes to charisma or handling people.

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[Mike67]

Well, just heard about a trade made..

Shea Hillenbrand sent to Toronto for P Adam Peterson

The TORONTO BLUE JAYS have acquired IF SHEA HILLENBRAND from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for RHP ADAM PETERSON.

HILLENBRAND, 29, hit .310 last season for the Arizona Diamondbacks with 36 doubles, 15 home runs and 80 RBI in 148 games. The 6-1, 211 lb. right-handed hitter posted a .348 on-base percentage while collecting 24 walks and 49 strikeouts.

In his four Major League seasons, with the Boston Red Sox (2001-2003) and Diamondbacks (2003-2004), he is a career .288 hitter with 65 home runs and 309 RBI. The Mesa, Arizona native was the Red Sox 10th round selection in the 1996 First Year Player Draft.

PETERSON, 25, split the 2004 season between New Hampshire of the Eastern League (AA), Syracuse of the International League (AAA) and Toronto where he appeared in three games. He posted a 16.88 ERA in 2 2/3 innings pitched. In 19 games with the Syracuse SkyChiefs he posted a 2-2 record with a 12.86 ERA and in 27 games with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats he went 2-2 with 15 saves and a 2.54 ERA.

[thuganomic]

That's dandy.  Even at 40-something years old, he's still an immature prick.

I didn't really have a problem with him until, after apologizing numerous times at the beginning of the press conference, he began the whole "did I not say" b.s. to apparently the same cameraman/journalist he shoved the day before.  It was almost like watching Marv Levy all over again.

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yup....he had that whole apology going and the "did I not say" just made seem like he was being pissed off by the media yet again. Mark it down....he will explode again. He followed in Schilling's footsteps of landing on a good offensive team in order to pile up victories in a HUGE market.......it's just too bad that RJ is no Schilling when it comes to charisma or handling people.

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