The trade sending Randy Johnson to the Yankees through the Dodgers is dead – and the Yankees are livid.
The Diamondbacks and Yankees believed the three-way, 10-player trade was close enough for Johnson to undergo a physical today in Tampa, but the Dodgers killed the deal for several reasons.
According to a person who was briefed on the matter, Javier Vazquez, the only major player in the trade without a no-trade clause, created a no-trade clause himself, threatening the Dodgers by letting them know he wouldn’t take his physical or would not show up in spring training.
L.A. also lost bargaining leverage with free-agent outfielder J.D. Drew when Shawn Green’s involvement in the trade became public last Friday.
If traded, Vazquez could request another trade at the end of the year because he is in the middle of a multi-year deal. That scared the Dodgers, who would have nothing to show for trading Green. Vazquez underwent a physical and had an MRI exam after the season that didn’t show structural damage in his right shoulder. The Yankees tests were made available to the Dodgers.
Vazquez is in St. John with a newborn and not in a position to fly to L.A. to take a physical this week. He was willing to fly to L.A. after the holidays.
“Javy is a man of honor who doesn’t have a choice in the process,” agent Seth Levinson said.
Yankees president Randy Levine said the club was lied to.
“Last Friday a deal was agreed to with the only contingencies being [contract] extensions and physicals,” Levine said. “[L.A.] got cold feet. As early as [yesterday morning] they wanted to go through with it. Their actions said something different. It’s very disappointing. We will take a long, hard look before doing business with them again.”
Asked if health issues played a part in the deal dying, Dodgers GM Paul DePodesta said on a conference call, “I don’t want to get into details of it. It’s not fair to everybody involved.”
According to a source close to the situation, there is still a strong chance the Yankees and Diamondbacks can salvage the trade between themselves that may not include Vazquez. Or they could look into a three-way deal involving the White Sox or another team.
But the Yankees believed the Dodgers were the team, and according to an MLB source had the Dodgers’ word it would get done.
So for now, Johnson and reliever Mike Koplove remain in Arizona; Green, Yhency Brazoban, Brad Penny, Brandon Weedon and Kaz Ishi stay in L.A.; and Vazquez, Eric Duncan and Dioner Navarro are still Yankees.
The paperwork commissioner Bud Selig had to see before approving the blockbuster trade never reached his desk yesterday. Selig needed to approve the deal because there was more than $1 million changing hands. If Selig had given his approval, the Yankees were going to be granted a 72-hour window to negotiate a two-year, $32 million extension with Johnson.
If they can’t land Johnson without the Dodgers’ involvement, the Yankees could turn to free agent Eric Milton. When the Yankees signed Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright, and it appeared Johnson was being acquired, the Yankees dropped out of the Milton market. Earlier they were willing to pay the lefty $21 million across three years, but he wanted $24 million, and talks stalled.
Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez, who declined arbitration from the Yankees, isn’t a strong option because he is close to signing a two-year deal with the White Sox.
DePodesta stopped short of blaming the Yankees for letting out the names in the deal.
“I don’t want to throw barbs at them. I wouldn’t necessarily blame them for that,” DePodesta said. “I don’t know where the leak was. I wouldn’t want to accuse them of that.”