Unit Ultimatum
By lefty
After the busted Randy Johnson deal, George Steinbrenner was left foaming at the mouth because of the the way he felt he was treated by the Dodgers. Today, King George is drooling. He can almost taste the sweet rewards that a two-way deal between the Yankees and the Diamondbacks would bring.
The New York Daily News says in this story that Randy Johnson is already acting like a Yankee. He’s ignored a gag order and gleefully bragged to a few teammates that he is going to the Yankees. The conversation could have sounded like this. “Later boys, I’m outta here and tired of playing with you sorry asses. I’m going to a contender." Apparently his dislike for former teammate Curt Schilling is stronger than his loyalty to his current team. The pinstripes will suite him fine.
The New York Times is reporting in this story that "someone" told The Yankees that Johnson gave the Diamondbacks this ultimatum: either trade him by Friday, or he stays in Arizona and will not waive his no-trade clause. Hmm... who would have told the Yankees that? I suspect Johnson or his agent, Barry Meister, who just returned from the Bahamas with their families for a shared vacation. Doesn't this give the Yankees an unfair advantage in their negotiations with Arizona?
The rumored deal has the Diamondbacks getting Javier Vazquez and Brad Halsey as well as a couple of prospects plus cash. The better the prospects, the less cash. Vazquez has repeatedly said he wants to stay on the East Coast, and would probably demand a trade when he is eligible after next year.
