January 5th, 2007 → 4:33 pm @ Seth Mnookin // No Comments
More activity from New York: as everyone now knows, the only man ever to slaughter an innocent dove in the middle of a major league baseball game is counting down the days, waiting for the time when he can get to Arizona. The details of the deal worried me at first: since I’m almost willfully ignorant about minor league prospects (especially in the NL), for all I knew Ross Ohlendorf was gonna win Princeton its first MVP award and Steven Jackson was on his way to being the second coming of Mariano Rivera. (Luis Vizcaino, while occasionally nasty, is also more than occasionally wild, so he wasn’t a huge concern. To me, anyway.)
Thankfully, Keith Law calmed me down a bit: he does know minor league talent and doesn’t think any of these guys are difference makers. Law, along with Bob Klapisch, also points out that RJ’s departure leaves a definite hole in the Yankees rotation…although I can’t imagine Cashman is anywhere near done for the offseason.
Still, as I said way back in December, a Johnson trade is nervewracking regardless of whom they get in return, both because it means New York is getting rid of another onerous contract and because it offers one more illustration that the charmingly insane George Steinbrenner is no longer running the show. (Said I: “Suddenly, the Yankees are shedding payroll like they’re the Marlins, and Brian Cashman looks determined to pick up young prospects and jettison the senior citizens collecting outrageous paychecks…”) Sure, it’s challenging when your competition raises its level of play, but I was just fine when Boston’s front office was executing a plan and the Yankees were indulging Cuddly George’s every whim.
Postscript: I’ve never been a Randy fan, but I do hope he does well in Phoenix, if only because that gives the Diamondbacks — currently run by former Red Sox asst GM Josh Byrnes, one of my favorite people in all of baseball — a chance to win a pretty weak division.
Post Categories: 2006 Hot Stove Season & Keith Law & Oblique references to Public Enemy lyrics & Randy Johnson & Yankees
dbvader
17 years ago
FYI, bad link to the Law article. It goes to the RJ hitting the bird.
Should be fixed…
Ogie Oglethorpe
17 years ago
I seriously can’t see how a 43-44 year old with no knee cartilage that is coming off of back surgery can do well. It is the NL though.
carnett
17 years ago
Seth come on man…I knew that Old Josh would give the Yankees shit in return. He’s not Steve Phillips and give Cashman the next Kazmir.
jthewes
17 years ago
I’m sure RJ will do well in Arizona. His demeanor as a Yankee can be summed up best by saying he looked like someone literally forced him to stand on the mound and throw the ball. Just plain miserable — not the intimidating look we were all used to in his pre-Yankee days. He never really wanted to be there.
HFXBOB
17 years ago
The Yankees have been making some smart, though somewhat conservative moves. Regardless they will have some issues next year. There’s got to be tension with 6 straight years with the most payroll and no rings, plus the A-Rod ‘loneliest Yankee’ thing. This just makes me realize how necessary it was for the Sox to be bold in the Dice-K deal. Whether they can beat the Yankees next year will depend a lot on whether Dice, Papelpon and Beckett can stay healthy and pitch up to their potential.
PatsFanDK
17 years ago
I understand why NY traded him, but this could come back to haunt them during the season, assuming the Unit is healthy. Rotation depth is of the utmost importance, just ask the Sox. And you’ll never see a guy like Jason Johnson take the mound for us in ’07, with Schil, Beckett, Dice-K, Paps, Wake…with Lester on the mend and Tavarez available for spot starts. Wouldn’t be surprised if Cashman has another deal in the works…
Kenyonthug
17 years ago
FYI carnett – It was Jim Duquette, not Phillips, that traded Kazmir. Not that it really matters all that much, I see your point, but as a Mets fan, I thought I’d point that out.
And did I mention how thrilled I am that Omar Minaya steadfastly refuses to trade Humber and Pelfrey, so that we don’t repeat the nightmare of Zambrano for Kazmir?
branatical
17 years ago
For what it’s worth, today’s NY Post had this to say about Ross Ohlendorf:
‘Scouts love Ohlendorf, who starred at Princeton. There were some in the Arizona organization who felt the 6-foot-4, 230-pound righty was the Diamondbacks’ top-pitching prospect.
“He’s tough, strong and smart. He’s special,” said one National League scout who has kept a close watch on Ohlendorf’s development.’
This isn’t the first article the Post has ran claiming Ohlendorf is a highly touted top prospect. Not sure who these anonymous scouts are or why they need to remain anonymous.
Nordberg
17 years ago
I don’t care what the scouts say about the prospects. I’m pissed as hell at Byrnes for letting Cashman off the hook and giving up anything more than a bag of balls for Johnson.
i dio not understand why teams are so willing to help the Yankees clean up their messes. How do the Yankees get actual baseball players for a jack*** like Sheffield when the Red Sox couldn’t get a can of eye black for Manny. I mean, who would you rather have right now, Sheff or Manny?
jthewes
17 years ago
I don’t know, but the fact your posting name is ‘Nordberg’ just made my day.
Nordberg
17 years ago
Thank you. Thank you very much.
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