Big Unit to Big Apple; now a Yankee



Yes, it has indeed finally happened. After months and months of speculation, including a rumour deal at the trade deadline, Randy Johnson is finally getting his wish, he is headed to the New York Yankees. It has taken a while but he is finally there.

On Monday, Commissoner Bud Selig finally gave the OK for the deal after an original deal slated with the Los Angeles Dodgers also involved was backed out of. The Arizona Diamondbacks would receive starters Javier Vazquez and Brad Halsey from the Bronx, as well as top catching prospect Dioner Navarro and $9 million dollars in cash, which is to be paid over three years. The Big Unit elected to waive his no-trade clause, and is currently trying to work out a contract extension with the Evil Empire, which is reportedly $32 million dollars over two years. His contract will expire at the tender age of 43. This trade has been rumoured to be happening since July, when a deadline deal with Arizona looked good, until Arizona upped its wants from the Yankees. Last season, a season in which Randy was robbed of the NL Cy Young award, the Big Unit posted a very solid 2.40 ERA with 290 Ks. However, he did have a 16-14 record with a D-Backs team that did not provide him very good run support. He has set several records, including winning well over 200 games, and posting over 4000 strikeouts. Johnson has posted outstanding career numbers, a 3.07 ERA with a 246-128 record and 4161 strikeouts, in 16 seasons, spent with the Expos, Mariners, Astros, and Diamondbacks. In return, the Diamondbacks get younger in the rotation, but they take on a large contract in Javier Vazquez, who was 14-10 with a 4.91 ERA, last season with the Yankees, his first out of the NL. After his first two tumultious seasons in Montreal with the Expos, Vazquez broke out in 2000, going 11-9 with a 4.05 ERA. He followed that up by going 16-11 with a 3.42 ERA in 2001 after somewhat of an off year in 2002, but he regained his All-Star form in 2003, going 13-12 with a career-best 3.24 ERA, prompting the Yankees to trade for him, only to see him unravel in half a season with New York. The Yankees haven't had a dominant lefty since Andy Pettitte left for Houston last season, but now there are no excuses. They got their lefty, and this lefty has a resume including over winning 245 games, striking out over 4100 batters, and 5, count them, 5 Cy Young awards.

While the Diamondbacks refuse to admit their rebuilding, they might as well be. After the questionable signings of Troy Glaus and Russ Ortiz, Arizona hasn't helped themselves for the future, and are wanting to get back to their former glory right now. As for the Yankees, well, it's the Yankees. George got who he's wanted for so long, he now has a dominant ace in his rotation, who is a lefty, and he just might have given the Red Sox some stiff competetion for the World Series in 2005. However, will George get what he's wanted for the past 4 seasons? We'll have to wait and see.