Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Randy Johnson Unaware of Blogger Making Up Fake Stories
Paradise Valley, AZ -- Randy Johnson today said he'd never heard of Random Fandom, the Diamondbacks blog which has avoided talking about the 10-person trade involving Johnson and instead posted silly fake news stories. Sources close to Johnson said… ah, never mind.
Look, with this report (thanks to Rob for the heads up), the 10-player deal seems on its way to completion.
So I might as well chime in with a few thoughts. Essentially I view the deal this way:
Penny for Johnson
Green for Bautista (yeah, I know he's not actually in the trade, but bear with me here)
Brazoban for Koplove
plus a minor leaguer (Wheeden)
Why do I include Bautista? Because if you include Bautista, the salaries work out about equal -- around $20 million per year. Do the players?
Penny for Johnson: Based on last year's win shares, we can expect to lose about 9 Win Shares, assuming that both pitchers are healthy for a full season.
Green for Bautista: Gain of 4 Win Shares
Brazoban for Koplove: Gain of 6 Win Shares
So, on net, what does this deal do? If everybody remains healthy, it keeps the team's record the same and we get a minor leaguer. On net the players are slightly younger. But the injury risk seems higher. Oh, yeah, and the Yankees are the odds-on favorite to win the World Series in 2005.
When I put it that way, I guess I don't like the deal. And that's before I look at 2006, in which a contract extension for Shawn Green removes any of the nice side benefit of having a cheap Brad Penny for one more year.
I mean, really, who expected the D-Backs to gain salary in a Randy Johnson trade?
By the way, expect updates to be sparse to non-existent through the weekend. Enjoy the holidays.
Look, with this report (thanks to Rob for the heads up), the 10-player deal seems on its way to completion.
So I might as well chime in with a few thoughts. Essentially I view the deal this way:
Penny for Johnson
Green for Bautista (yeah, I know he's not actually in the trade, but bear with me here)
Brazoban for Koplove
plus a minor leaguer (Wheeden)
Why do I include Bautista? Because if you include Bautista, the salaries work out about equal -- around $20 million per year. Do the players?
Penny for Johnson: Based on last year's win shares, we can expect to lose about 9 Win Shares, assuming that both pitchers are healthy for a full season.
Green for Bautista: Gain of 4 Win Shares
Brazoban for Koplove: Gain of 6 Win Shares
So, on net, what does this deal do? If everybody remains healthy, it keeps the team's record the same and we get a minor leaguer. On net the players are slightly younger. But the injury risk seems higher. Oh, yeah, and the Yankees are the odds-on favorite to win the World Series in 2005.
When I put it that way, I guess I don't like the deal. And that's before I look at 2006, in which a contract extension for Shawn Green removes any of the nice side benefit of having a cheap Brad Penny for one more year.
I mean, really, who expected the D-Backs to gain salary in a Randy Johnson trade?
By the way, expect updates to be sparse to non-existent through the weekend. Enjoy the holidays.
Monday, December 20, 2004
Kobe Bryant Drives Fifth Hall-of-Famer Off Team
Los Angeles, CA -- Amid reports that Randy Johnson will soon be traded from the Arizona Diamondbacks, industry insiders have revealed a surprising source for Johnson's reported discontent with the Diamondbacks and his desire for a trade: Kobe Bryant. After having effectively driven four future Hall-of-Famers off his team -- Shaquille O'Neal, Phil Jackson, Gary Payton, and Karl Malone -- Kobe Bryant has apparently had enough of Randy Johnson's presence on the Diamondbacks and wants to see him moved on.
Previous reports had mentioned Johnson's desire to reach 300 wins, his desire to play for a playoff contender, and dissatisfaction with the manner in which Jerry Colangelo was replaced as Diamondbacks' CEO as reasons why Johnson was interested in being traded. But Bryant's desire to remake the team in his own image is apparently the primary reason.
"Kobe's tired of Randy getting all the press and these so-called 'Cy Young Awards'," says one insider. "Kobe's ready to get one of those Cy Youngs himself and win a World Series with this team."
Information on Lamar Odom's ability to play centerfield was not available as of press time.
There are also rumors floating around the team that Kobe's wife, Vanessa Bryant, was furious with Johnson for glaring at her during a recent charity function in Los Angeles.
"If it's true," says one Johnson compatriot, "that's just ridiculous. Randy always looks like that. Even when he's happy."
In addition, ABC Sports is scheduling a New York Yankees - Los Angeles Lakers matchup for Super Bowl Sunday, with television ads promoting the matchup already lined up for this evening's Monday Night Football game. Exactly what sport the two teams will play is yet to be determined, though the mudslinging inherent in a game of tug-of-war makes it the reported frontrunner.
In other Diamondbacks' trade news, the White Sox, who received Roberto Alomar from the Diamondbacks in an August trade for cash considerations and player to be named later, have now named the player: Roberto Alomar.
Previous reports had mentioned Johnson's desire to reach 300 wins, his desire to play for a playoff contender, and dissatisfaction with the manner in which Jerry Colangelo was replaced as Diamondbacks' CEO as reasons why Johnson was interested in being traded. But Bryant's desire to remake the team in his own image is apparently the primary reason.
"Kobe's tired of Randy getting all the press and these so-called 'Cy Young Awards'," says one insider. "Kobe's ready to get one of those Cy Youngs himself and win a World Series with this team."
Information on Lamar Odom's ability to play centerfield was not available as of press time.
There are also rumors floating around the team that Kobe's wife, Vanessa Bryant, was furious with Johnson for glaring at her during a recent charity function in Los Angeles.
"If it's true," says one Johnson compatriot, "that's just ridiculous. Randy always looks like that. Even when he's happy."
In addition, ABC Sports is scheduling a New York Yankees - Los Angeles Lakers matchup for Super Bowl Sunday, with television ads promoting the matchup already lined up for this evening's Monday Night Football game. Exactly what sport the two teams will play is yet to be determined, though the mudslinging inherent in a game of tug-of-war makes it the reported frontrunner.
In other Diamondbacks' trade news, the White Sox, who received Roberto Alomar from the Diamondbacks in an August trade for cash considerations and player to be named later, have now named the player: Roberto Alomar.
