SOME CALZONE FOR DEREK

DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING

You know it's exciting when a rumour supercedes a (real) Tim Hudson trade and an (real) Adrian Beltre signing as the top baseball story of the day.

David Pinto is saying that the Yankees are finally getting Randy Johnson, with the Dodgers getting in on the action.

Here's the deal as I understand it:

To the Yankees:
Randy Johnson

To the Diamondbacks:
Brad Penny
Shawn Green
Yhency Brazoban

To the Dodgers:
Javier Vazquez
Dioner Navarro
Eric Duncan

Between Luis Gonzalez, Troy Glaus, and now Green, that's a lot of players who are destined for 1B for Arizona. With Penny part of the package, you have to wonder: do the Diamondbacks have a fetish for guys with arm injuries? (How miffed they must be over losing Sexson!)

While I'm sure the Yankee faithful are glad to get RJ (it certainly puts their club above the Pedro-less Bosox), I think it's a saavy deal for the Dodgers. Chavez Ravine can only help Vazquez regain his Cy Young contender form, and as useful as Brazoban was to the Dodgers, the club is loaded with talented young arms. Better to give up a promising young reliever than a promising young starter. And while Shawn Green's decline might be overstated in the popular media, a .280-ish EqA from a corner OF still isn't worth $16M. Kent's bat should replace Green's easily at half the price. The loss of Beltre to the Dodgers, however, means that the Dodgers need to keep shopping this offseason if they intend to start the year as the favourites in the West. Despite Beltran's availability, DePodesta knows a good OBP when he sees it, and my guess is the Dodgers go hard after J.D. Drew.