kfitz73 Posted July 9 Report Share Posted July 9 By BILL MADDENDAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Randy Johnson tells D-Backs he's open to trade to contender. Very quietly, Randy Johnson has told the Arizona Diamondbacks that he would waive his no-trade clause in order to pitch out his final years for a contender, most preferably the Yankees, the Daily News has learned.And apparently, it is becoming a similar case with another 40-year-old future Hall of Famer - Roger Clemens - in Houston."When Randy got his 4,000th strikeout the other night and still came up a 3-2 loser, it was a very frustrating experience for him, and that's what convinced him that maybe he should look toward going to a contender," a source familiar with Johnson's thinking told the Daily News last night. "It's the same thing with Clemens, who's pitching for a team that's going nowhere. Why do you think these two guys are pitching? Neither of them has anything to prove. They're going to the Hall of Fame. They don't need the money. At this point in their careers, all they want to do is to win, and in the case of both of them, the Yankees are their team of preference because they represent the best chance of going to the World Series for them."This is the good news for the Yankees. The bad news is neither Arizona general partner Jerry Colangelo nor Astros owner Drayton McLane has revealed a willingness to trade his marquee pitcher, and neither of them has any great affection for George Steinbrenner.Perhaps further thwarting the Yankees' efforts to land either Johnson or Clemens is the fact that other potential big-market suitors - the Angels, Cubs and Dodgers - have considerably more quality prospects for trade purposes than the Yankees do.Johnson, who is 10-6 with a 2.90 ERA, is owed another $24million for the remainder of this year and next, which is one advantage for the Yankees, who have unlimited financial resources when it comes to these sorts of trading-deadline deals.According to a report in the Providence Journal quoting unnamed sources, Johnson has said that he would be willing to go to an East Coast team, but that the Yankees would be far more preferable to him than the Red Sox. The quiet, introverted Johnson and outspoken Red Sox righthander Curt Schilling were never especially close during their time together as the twin aces of the Diamondbacks rotation that was largely responsible for beating the Yankees in the 2001 World Series."There's been a lot of speculation that Randy wouldn't want to leave his home and pitch for an East Coast team that trains in Florida (in the spring)," another source told The News last night. "That's not true. At this point, his sole purpose for pitching is to be with a team with a chance to win. And even though the Diamondbacks are his home, they can't provide that."The Yankees, who are already under scrutiny from commissioner Bud Selig over potential tampering charges regarding Johnson after Steinbrenner talked openly about him last week, were seemingly caught off-guard by this latest development."This is the first we've heard of anything like this," a high-ranking Yankee official said. "We don't know anything about it."Both Johnson and Clemens thought they were going to happily end their careers pitching at home. But both the Diamondbacks and Astros have become non-contenders, even before the All-Star break. Johnson's Diamondbacks are in last place in the NL West, while Clemens' Astros are fifth in the Central, even after their much-ballyhooed acquisition of superstar center fielder Carlos Beltran last month.The Yankees have made no secret of their interest in Johnson. Their recent rotation woes would indicate their need to acquire a quality frontline starter, and Clemens - who is likely to start the All-Star Game - would certainly fit that bill as well. Furthermore, his decision to unretire and pitch for his hometown Astros, along with fellow ex-Yankee Andy Pettitte, did not cause any ill will with Steinbrenner.One potential factor in the Yankees' favor is the fact that the Diamondbacks, who are strapped with considerable financial problems from long-term contracts, need to trade Johnson despite Colangelo's statements to the contrary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveespa Posted July 9 Report Share Posted July 9 clemens also a possibility??? ......it would be nice to see him pinstripes again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codica3 Posted July 9 Report Share Posted July 9 clemens also a possibility??? ......it would be nice to see him pinstripes again No it wouldn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveespa Posted July 9 Report Share Posted July 9 No it wouldn't.y cause he retired....and then saw an opportunity to be close to his family and play baseball at the same time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elementx Posted July 9 Report Share Posted July 9 I would accept him back... Why not. At this point we need the pitching. He is an incredible competitor. And yeah he retired and went to play for Houston... We all make decisions in life. He made his. He wants to come back. For all he has done for the team in the past. I would accept him back without a problem... Besides we need a pitcher that is going to peg Boston batters just like Pedro will peg our batters... daveespa 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveespa Posted July 9 Report Share Posted July 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elementx Posted July 9 Report Share Posted July 9 y cause he retired....and then saw an opportunity to be close to his family and play baseball at the same time? I think Cody just does not like Clemens... Before he retired/unretired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveespa Posted July 9 Report Share Posted July 9 I think Cody just does not like Clemens... Before he retired/unretired.oicc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codica3 Posted July 10 Report Share Posted July 10 I think Cody just does not like Clemens... Before he retired/unretired.No. I did like Rocket. But (1) his fake retirement annoys me and (2) if he comes back to the Yanks JUST because he wants to win, then that completely blows his whole "I wanna be with my family but still play baseball" excuse out of the water. So for his sake, and the sake of his already slightly tarnished reputation, I would hope that he just stays where he is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elementx Posted July 10 Report Share Posted July 10 No. I did like Rocket. But (1) his fake retirement annoys me and (2) if he comes back to the Yanks JUST because he wants to win, then that completely blows his whole "I wanna be with my family but still play baseball" excuse out of the water. So for his sake, and the sake of his already slightly tarnished reputation, I would hope that he just stays where he is. I do agree that not many will take well to him coming back after leaving the Yanks and then going to Houston... But you know what. Most Yankee fans are the same. They hate you until you produce for them. And then all of a sudden all that is behind is forgotten. And winning is what matters. So my take on it is. I think fans will not take it well if he were to decide to come back to NY. But come Post Season you watch all the bad feelings towards him dwindle... To be totally honest... I dont think he will come back... So all this talk is probably for no reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elementx Posted July 10 Report Share Posted July 10 As far as Georgie bringing to NY all these 40 Year old pitchers. To me that is not the way to build a solid baseball team... He needs to find young pitchers and bring them up and stop trading them right away...I really hope Halsey stays strong. He seems to have the head, and composure to compete in the Bigs. And certainly seems to have the Stuff to contend up here. Lets just hope Georgie does not toss him like he does to all the other prospects... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magellanmax Posted July 10 Report Share Posted July 10 As far as Georgie bringing to NY all these 40 Year old pitchers. To me that is not the way to build a solid baseball team... They are called mercernaries. You should know that by now, the yamkees are loaded with them And as far as Randy being a yamkee, i mean, seriously..where does it all end??? when is it enuff? gunning to have an All-Star at every position? anyone doubt this clown georgieboy isnt trying to buy himself a WS ?? wake up and smell the damn coffee people. Just when you thought baseball was coming back... the D'backs are unravelling faster than a hookers bra during fleetweek. Its a matter of time and Randy will become a yamkee. fukin A ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Codica3 Posted July 11 Report Share Posted July 11 I do agree that not many will take well to him coming back after leaving the Yanks and then going to Houston... But you know what. Most Yankee fans are the same. They hate you until you produce for them. And then all of a sudden all that is behind is forgotten. And winning is what matters. So my take on it is. I think fans will not take it well if he were to decide to come back to NY. But come Post Season you watch all the bad feelings towards him dwindle... To be totally honest... I dont think he will come back... So all this talk is probably for no reason.That's because the majority of Yankee fans are bandwagon jumpers, and I hope the next time they're leaping to catch the wagon (or leaping to get off it if for some reason the Yankees turn into a horrible team) that they break their sorry ass necks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pk1 Posted July 11 Report Share Posted July 11 Yankees, Johnson's agent downplay trade talk By GREG BEACHAM, AP Sports WriterJuly 10, 2004SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Randy Johnson's future remained uncertain Friday night, with his agent and the Yankees downplaying a report that the Arizona ace could soon be traded to New York. And the five-time Cy Young Award winner has no interest in participating in the speculation. ``I'm not going to comment on any of that stuff,'' Johnson said after taking the loss in San Francisco's 8-3 victory over the Diamondbacks. ``Eventually, I will just stop talking to the press. ``I haven't been approached by the Diamondbacks yet. They don't have a trade in place yet. I haven't been asked to waive my no-trade clause. Don't ask again, and that's the nicest way I will ask.'' Yankees general manager Brian Cashman spoke to the Diamondbacks earlier this week and was told Johnson was not available, one New York official said on the condition of anonymity. In addition, Johnson's agent discounted the rumor. The Big Unit's contract runs through 2005. ``No one has asked us to waive the no-trade,'' Barry Meister said. ``There are no trade discussions going on. I think it's just pathetic by the media.'' The New York Daily News quoted an anonymous source close to Johnson who said the 40-year-old left-hander would waive his no-trade clause to move from the last-place Diamondbacks to a contender -- possibly the Yankees, who have openly coveted baseball's best strikeout pitcher. Arizona general manager Joe Garagiola Jr. previously has said he wants to keep Johnson, a Bay Area native who lives in the Phoenix area year-round. ''(The media) had me going to San Francisco, because I grew up there,'' Johnson said. ``Then it was Anaheim, because I have a home there. Write something that's true. If it happens, it happens.'' Johnson is 10-7 with a 2.99 ERA after losing to the Giants. He earned his 10th trip to the All-Star game last week, but the Diamondbacks have been one of baseball's worst teams this season. He threw a perfect game earlier this year against the Atlanta Braves. Johnson also got his 4,000th strikeout last month against San Diego, becoming just the fourth pitcher to reach the milestone. Johnson pitched only five innings against the Giants on Friday night and left trailing 6-3. He allowed six hits and three walks, striking out six -- but San Francisco jumped ahead when Luis Gonzalez dropped Edgardo Alfonzo's bases-loaded liner to left in the fifth. Three runs eventually scored. AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum in New York contributed to this story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kfitz73 Posted July 11 Author Report Share Posted July 11 The thing with Clemens is that this has been his MO throughout his career. Ever since he left the Red Sox he's gone to the team that he thought would either pay him the most or was the closest to winning the world series. He really doesn't have allegiance to anyone. Very similar to David Cone in that respect. Kind of like a hired gun.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bxbomb Posted July 12 Report Share Posted July 12 That's because the majority of Yankee fans are bandwagon jumpers, and I hope the next time they're leaping to catch the wagon (or leaping to get off it if for some reason the Yankees turn into a horrible team) that they break their sorry ass necks.i dont think the majority of fans are bandwagon fans ...albeit alot of fans just tune in come Sept/october and only go to a game if their thrown some corporate tickets their way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bxbomb Posted July 12 Report Share Posted July 12 They are called mercernaries. You should know that by now, the yamkees are loaded with them And as far as Randy being a yamkee, i mean, seriously..where does it all end??? when is it enuff? gunning to have an All-Star at every position? anyone doubt this clown georgieboy isnt trying to buy himself a WS ?? wake up and smell the damn coffee people. Just when you thought baseball was coming back... the D'backs are unravelling faster than a hookers bra during fleetweek. Its a matter of time and Randy will become a yamkee. fukin A !but mostly and quite as usualgood job maggie .....you really bring it you should get a job on sportscenter, your wealth of knowledge is astounding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pk1 Posted July 13 Report Share Posted July 13 Okay, its official. During an interview yesterday at the allstar festivities Randy Johnson said he would wave his no trade clause to a contending team. To which one he did not say. With that said, let the games begin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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