Trade: Vazquez for Nick Johnson, Juan Rivera, & Randy Choate

[Wolf Hopper]

http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/yankees/ny-yanks043570059dec04,0,7603398.story

Would you do this deal? If you were the Expos? The Yankees? Why?

[KCBOOMER]

If I'm the Yankees I can't make this trade fast enough.

But, I find it hard to believe the MLB Expos could pull the trigger on their side. Also Johnson is not enough. With his health issues MLB needs to get more for Vasquez.

[KCBOOMER]

Jayson Stark is reporting it is a done deal. Unusual in that the players the Yankees are to give up wasn't made clear.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1678044

[Wolf Hopper]

If I'm the Yankees I can't make this trade fast enough.

But, I find it hard to believe the MLB Expos could pull the trigger on their side. Also Johnson is not enough. With his health issues MLB needs to get more for Vasquez.

Don't forget, Vazquez is a free agent after this season.

[nyy26wc]

AP is reporting it's Johnson, Rivera and a 3rd player.

The Expos have called a press conference for this afternoon.

And, while this is :topic:, I have to ask since an ESPN.com link is included in this thread. Is anyone else having problems getting to ESPN.com today? I haven't been able to access anything from their site.

[Domeboys]

AP is reporting it's Johnson, Rivera and a 3rd player.

The Expos have called a press conference for this afternoon.

And, while this is :topic:, I have to ask since an ESPN.com link is included in this thread. Is anyone else having problems getting to ESPN.com today? I haven't been able to access anything from their site.

ESPN.com working fine here.

I wouldn't worry about impending free agency for Vazquez. All that means is that George will have to shell out a few more coins in 12 months. I agree, this looks like a good deal for the Yanks.

[Wolf Hopper]

I have revised the title of this thread - removing rumor

Lee - no problems here with ESPN.com, FWIW

[rcartman28]

AP is reporting it's Johnson, Rivera and a 3rd player.

The Expos have called a press conference for this afternoon.

And, while this is :topic:, I have to ask since an ESPN.com link is included in this thread. Is anyone else having problems getting to ESPN.com today? I haven't been able to access anything from their site.

I got into that link okay, but it took a long time to get into their general MLB page, which never surprises me since I have trouble with their website frequently, even at work.

[nyy26wc]

WFAN's Sweeney Murty says the 3rd player is Randy Choate.

[Wolf Hopper]

:loud: Choate.
I would rather have a bag of batting practice balls.

[nyy26wc]

:loud: Choate.
I would rather have a bag of batting practice balls.

Then you're a bad negotiator.

Anyone else could get both a good chicken sandwich and a pizza to be named later instead of the batting practice balls you would be willing to settle for.

[Wolf Hopper]

Food comes and goes. I need the BP, FWIW.

[poorme]

A steal for the Yankees. I don't understand why they were the only bidders.

[Jim Rice]

A steal for the Yankees. I don't understand why they were the only bidders.

Because if the $10 million arbitration number Gammons floated out there is anywhere close to being correct, few teams would be willing to both give up players and pay that salary for a guy who might be a one-year rental.

[gyb13]

one reason to celebrate today

[NJYANKEE]

While this is a good deal for the Yanks, I hate to give up Johnson, especially with Giambi's health issues. I'm glad he's going to get the chance to go somewhere where he can play because if he can stay healthy for a full year I think he's going to be a very good player.

[Wolf Hopper]

One thing - Vazquez will have to get a new # in NY.

23 is taken.

[KCBOOMER]

I think as part of the deal the Yanks get a couple days to negotiate with Vazquez.

I just don't see any upside to the Expos other than salary relief. I guess if Johnson stays healthy for once it might work out. I guess it gives the Expos some room to offer Guerrero something but I don't know why he would want to stay.

[JamesI]

Johnson will have a chance to become a team offensive leader in Montreal, especially since Vlad is probably gone.

[Wolf Hopper]

Johnson will have a chance to become a team offensive leader in Montreal, especially since Vlad is probably gone.

At first, I wanted to disagree. Then, I looked at the numbers for the 2003 Expos. You might be right.

[nyy26wc]

At first, I wanted to disagree. Then, I looked at the numbers for the 2003 Expos. You might be right.

Worst team RCAA, NL, since 1900--

RCAA YEAR RCAA
1 Braves 1901 -222
T2 Pirates 1953 -212
T2 Mets 1965 -212
4 Braves 1977 -209
5 Braves 1910 -203
6 Expos 2003 -194
7 Rockies 1993 -191
8 Braves 1930 -188
9 Phillies 1935 -180
10 Expos 2001 -178

[gyb13]

is expos 2001-03 the worst three-yr run ever?

[Fuzzy Bear]

I don't think Vazquez is all that good.

However, if he has a "big win" season with the Yanks, his value goes way up in 2005.

Rivera is turning out to be a disappointment, but he's still young enough to fulfill SOME of his promise.

[TimmyB]

The tricky part of this is Giambi. Can he hold up for a full season at first? And then, will Vazquez melt in NY?

We shall see...

[LeGrandOrange]

How appropo that Bud Selig decides to help the Yankees at the expense of Montreal. Yeah, like Budrick's ever cared about the Expos' needs.

I think Nick Johnson is an okay player, but he's not talented enough to make me like this deal.

BTW, you still owe us Expo fans Budrick. You still owe us. Especially after you let Florida win it all...you owe us big time.

[sweaver]

If you look at this deal as one the Expos "had" to make for monetary reasons, then they did pretty well. They got a lefty reliever, who they can use and then hope to trade in July to a desperate contender if he can manage to keep his ERA down.

In the reality section, they got two young (read: cheap) players they can plug right into their lineup. Johnson gives them a solid everyday 1B, and Rivera can take over for Vlad in RF. He's not an equal player, but he can handle the position.

[ForceFive]

I don't think Vazquez is all that good.

However, if he has a "big win" season with the Yanks, his value goes way up in 2005.

Rivera is turning out to be a disappointment, but he's still young enough to fulfill SOME of his promise.

I'm sorry, but Vazquez is damn good. As Lee points out:

________________________________________________
After 3.42 ERA/31 RSAA and 3.91 ERA/6 RSAA seasons, Vazquez had an
excellent 3.24 ERA/48 RSAA in 34 starts. He has a 4.16 career ERA, compared
to his league average of 4.36, and 52 RSAA in 192 games.

Vazquez's career ERA/RSAA figures are brought down by a disastrous start to
his career. Over the past 4 years, he's had 3.65 ERA/99 RSAA and ranks 7th
in the majors in RSAA during that time--

RSAA
1 Pedro Martinez 205
2 Randy Johnson 184
3 Curt Schilling 139
4 Tim Hudson 123
5 Greg Maddux 119
6 Barry Zito 112
7 Javier Vazquez 99
8 Kevin Brown 89
T9 Mike Mussina 87
T9 Bartolo Colon 87
_______________________________________

I'd say that pretty good. Also, his 4-1 K-BB ratio and 9.4 K/9 ratio was very impressive last year. If for the last 4 years Vazquez pitched for a NY, Boston, Chicago, LA, etc., he'd be a reknown ace. He's 27 and he's a workhorse; the Yankees just got themselves a young ace, IMO.

[Wolf Hopper]

The tricky part of this is Giambi. Can he hold up for a full season at first? ...

Rumors already flying about NY picking up a Travis Lee or JT Snow for a back-up.

[sweaver]

That would be a good idea. Giambi will need a caddy.

[Cooper]

Rumors already flying about NY picking up a Travis Lee or JT Snow for a back-up.

I have heard the same thing, but would either guy be willing to be a part-time player? For the Yankees sake, I would hope so.

But as for the trade for Vasquez, I like it--Johnson's health may be as big an issue as Giambi's. Johnson is one more broken hand away from being on a list like the "Can't miss...and did" list in "Hardball Study Hall."

The Vasquez trade comes as a relief to me, in a way. Before the Sox got Schilling, New York was also a reported destination for him--I would rather give up Johnson/Rivera for a 27-year-old good pitcher who still may have an upside, than any trade involving Soriano for anyone not named A-rod (i.e. 37-year-old Schilling, no matter how good he may be).

[satchel]

I think Vasquez is a great pickup for the Yankees and I don't even think they overpaid for him. However, as a Yankees fan I am always sad to see two pretty good homegrown players go. Especially Johnson; I liked his defense at first and I don't think that ailing knee of Giambi's is good news if he has to play the field every day.

[ForceFive]

Just some cool tidbits on Vazquez......
__________________________________________
Omar Minaya figured he had to get some offense, and Nick Johnson was the best hitter he could get for Javier Vazquez. Most other teams consider Juan Rivera a 4-A player, not quite Shane Spencer, but Minaya went on the recommendations of Phil Regan, who has watched Rivera in Venezuela and is convinced he is an everyday big leaguer.

The Yankees, while waiting to see whether they get Andy Pettitte, got an extraordinary starter in Vazquez, as well as one of the finest human beings in the game.

Vazquez is the only pitcher in the game to pitch 200 innings, strike out at least 170 batters and have an ERA under 4.00 each of the last three seasons. He has been the victim of terrible support: Over the last four seasons, he has 83 quality starts and 50 wins, and those 33 quality starts that did not result in a win are the most of any pitcher in either league.

The 2003 breakdown, Pettitte vs. Vazquez:

Pettitte: 21-8, 4.02 ERA, 208.1 IP, .272 opponents BA, 7 run support.

Vazquez: 13-12, 3.24 ERA, 230.2 IP, .229 opponents BA, 4 run support

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/gammons/story?id=1679689
__________________________________________

Yeah, Gammons is basically a skewed homer most of the time, but this is some good stuff.

This guy is the real deal and will be a BIG winner with the Yankees.

[RedSeat]

I don't speak French, but I think this says that Johnson failed his physical.

http://www.cyberpresse.ca/sports/article/1,154,1882,122003,529523.shtml

La Presse a appris aujourd'hui que le joueur de premier but Nick Johnson, nouvellement acquis par les Expos dans la transaction impliquant le lanceur Javier Vazquez, a échoué un test médical.

What happens now?

[nyy26wc]

I don't speak French, but I think this says that Johnson failed his physical.



We don't have to translate from French to English. According to the Yankees press release, he passed the physical--

The New York Yankees today announced that they have finalized their December 4 trade with the Montreal Expos to acquire right-handed pitcher Javier Vazquez for first baseman Nick Johnson, outfielder Juan Rivera and left-handed pitcher Randy Choate after the respective players passed a physical examination.

[gyb13]

well, echouer does mean to fail an exam...

[RedSeat]

well, echouer does mean to fail an exam...

I did have it all translated. The article said he failed, which would have voided the deal. The article has now been changed to indicate that he passed, completing the deal. Those sneaky French Canadiens...