Question:
http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/NASA...s_nyy&fext=.jsp
01/11/2005 2:00 PM ET
Big day in the Big Apple for Big Unit
Yankees introduce left-handed ace Johnson
By Mark Feinsand / MLB.com
NEW YORK -- In a city chock full of big press conferences, Tuesday's gathering at Yankee Stadium may have been the biggest of them all.
That's when Randy Johnson was introduced as the newest member of the New York Yankees, putting the final touches on a trade that captured the headlines for much of the winter.
"The bottom line is that I've been brought to the New York Yankees to help this team win a championship, and nothing less will be acceptable," Johnson said.
Johnson began his remarks by apologizing for the incident involving a cameraman on Monday in which he put his hand on the camera and yelled at the cameraman.
The Yankees sent pitchers Javier Vazquez and Brad Halsey, catcher Dioner Navarro and $9 million to the Diamondbacks for the five-time Cy Young winner, who passed his physical on Monday.
The Big Unit gives the Yankees the bona fide No. 1 starter they lacked last season, as he joins a rotation that features Mike Mussina, Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright and Kevin Brown. The 6-foot-10 Johnson also gives the Yankees a left-hander in the rotation, filling the void left last winter when Andy Pettitte departed for Houston and David Wells headed to San Diego as free agents.
The Yankees were close to acquiring Johnson more than three weeks ago as part of a three-team megadeal with the Diamondbacks and Dodgers, but Los Angeles pulled out of the trade, putting New York's plans to obtain Johnson in jeopardy.
But the Yankees and D-Backs went back to the drawing board, as Yankees president Randy Levine and D-Backs CEO-elect Jeffrey Moorad hammered out a deal, finally agreeing on the three players and cash considerations that would go to Arizona. All four players passed physicals, and the Yankees came to terms last week on a two-year contract extension with Johnson, worth $32 million, so that he would waive a no-trade clause.
Johnson, 41, went 16-14 with a 2.60 ERA last season, suffering from a huge lack of run support for much of the season. He finished second to Roger Clemens in the National League Cy Young vote, finishing first among league leaders in strikeouts (290) and opponents' batting average (.197) and second in innings pitched (245).
"I might be 41, but I'm a young 41, and I feel great," Johnson said. "I've never felt better and I'm looking forward to what I have left in me, and I'm looking forwrad to the challenge."
Last season, the Red Sox made a big splash with a trade for Curt Schilling, sending Casey Fossum and Brandon Lyon, along with minor leaguers Michael Goss and Jorge De La Rosa, to Arizona for the right-handed ace. The Yankees countered by dealing for Alex Rodriguez, shocking the baseball world just days before Spring Training.
Now, less than five weeks before pitchers and catchers will report to Legends Field in Tampa, the Yankees pulled off another blockbuster, bringing one of -- if not the -- most dominant left-handers in baseball history to the sport's most storied franchise
The move makes the Yankees the favorite in the American League East, just as the Red Sox became the favorites last winter when they acquired Schilling, who, along with Johnson, was co-MVP of the Diamondbacks' 2001 World Series win over the Yankees.
Johnson is the latest move in a busy winter for the Yankees, who have remade 60 percent of their rotation by adding Johnson, Pavano and Wright in place of Vazquez, Jon Lieber and Orlando Hernandez. New York has also added relievers Mike Stanton, Felix Rodriguez, second baseman Tony Womack and first baseman Tino Martinez.
Boston has had a busy winter as well, watching Pedro Martinez and Derek Lowe leave as free agents while acquiring Wells, Matt Clement and Wade Miller to bolster its rotation.
Vazquez went 14-10 with a 4.91 ERA in his first and only year with the Yankees. After going 10-5 with a 3.56 ERA and making the AL All-Star team, Vazquez battled mechanical problems after the break, going 4-5 with a 6.92 ERA.
Mark Feinsand is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
GO YANKEESSSS!!!!!!!! YIPPPPPEEEEEEE!
what a powerful team this will be... i like the unit
The big unit is of to a good start. Behavior is rude, crude and unexceptable. Sounds like he belongs here!
Mitch
i seen that on tv this moring mitch. i don't know. :D
have a good day all
richard
The big unit is of to a good start. Behavior is rude, crude and unexceptable. Sounds like he belongs here!
Mitch
Thats a low blow!
Kinda reminds me of the new Mets pitcher who threw a 70 something year old white haired man to the ground during a game. Who's his daddy?
01/11/2005 2:00 PM ET
Big day in the Big Apple for Big Unit
Yankees introduce left-handed ace Johnson
By Mark Feinsand / MLB.com
NEW YORK -- In a city chock full of big press conferences, Tuesday's gathering at Yankee Stadium may have been the biggest of them all.
That's when Randy Johnson was introduced as the newest member of the New York Yankees, putting the final touches on a trade that captured the headlines for much of the winter.
"The bottom line is that I've been brought to the New York Yankees to help this team win a championship, and nothing less will be acceptable," Johnson said.
Johnson began his remarks by apologizing for the incident involving a cameraman on Monday in which he put his hand on the camera and yelled at the cameraman.
The Yankees sent pitchers Javier Vazquez and Brad Halsey, catcher Dioner Navarro and $9 million to the Diamondbacks for the five-time Cy Young winner, who passed his physical on Monday.
The Big Unit gives the Yankees the bona fide No. 1 starter they lacked last season, as he joins a rotation that features Mike Mussina, Carl Pavano, Jaret Wright and Kevin Brown. The 6-foot-10 Johnson also gives the Yankees a left-hander in the rotation, filling the void left last winter when Andy Pettitte departed for Houston and David Wells headed to San Diego as free agents.
The Yankees were close to acquiring Johnson more than three weeks ago as part of a three-team megadeal with the Diamondbacks and Dodgers, but Los Angeles pulled out of the trade, putting New York's plans to obtain Johnson in jeopardy.
But the Yankees and D-Backs went back to the drawing board, as Yankees president Randy Levine and D-Backs CEO-elect Jeffrey Moorad hammered out a deal, finally agreeing on the three players and cash considerations that would go to Arizona. All four players passed physicals, and the Yankees came to terms last week on a two-year contract extension with Johnson, worth $32 million, so that he would waive a no-trade clause.
Johnson, 41, went 16-14 with a 2.60 ERA last season, suffering from a huge lack of run support for much of the season. He finished second to Roger Clemens in the National League Cy Young vote, finishing first among league leaders in strikeouts (290) and opponents' batting average (.197) and second in innings pitched (245).
"I might be 41, but I'm a young 41, and I feel great," Johnson said. "I've never felt better and I'm looking forward to what I have left in me, and I'm looking forwrad to the challenge."
Last season, the Red Sox made a big splash with a trade for Curt Schilling, sending Casey Fossum and Brandon Lyon, along with minor leaguers Michael Goss and Jorge De La Rosa, to Arizona for the right-handed ace. The Yankees countered by dealing for Alex Rodriguez, shocking the baseball world just days before Spring Training.
Now, less than five weeks before pitchers and catchers will report to Legends Field in Tampa, the Yankees pulled off another blockbuster, bringing one of -- if not the -- most dominant left-handers in baseball history to the sport's most storied franchise
The move makes the Yankees the favorite in the American League East, just as the Red Sox became the favorites last winter when they acquired Schilling, who, along with Johnson, was co-MVP of the Diamondbacks' 2001 World Series win over the Yankees.
Johnson is the latest move in a busy winter for the Yankees, who have remade 60 percent of their rotation by adding Johnson, Pavano and Wright in place of Vazquez, Jon Lieber and Orlando Hernandez. New York has also added relievers Mike Stanton, Felix Rodriguez, second baseman Tony Womack and first baseman Tino Martinez.
Boston has had a busy winter as well, watching Pedro Martinez and Derek Lowe leave as free agents while acquiring Wells, Matt Clement and Wade Miller to bolster its rotation.
Vazquez went 14-10 with a 4.91 ERA in his first and only year with the Yankees. After going 10-5 with a 3.56 ERA and making the AL All-Star team, Vazquez battled mechanical problems after the break, going 4-5 with a 6.92 ERA.
Mark Feinsand is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Answers:
GO YANKEESSSS!!!!!!!! YIPPPPPEEEEEEE!
Answers:
what a powerful team this will be... i like the unit
Answers:
The big unit is of to a good start. Behavior is rude, crude and unexceptable. Sounds like he belongs here!
Mitch
Answers:
i seen that on tv this moring mitch. i don't know. :D
have a good day all
richard
Answers:
The big unit is of to a good start. Behavior is rude, crude and unexceptable. Sounds like he belongs here!
Mitch
Thats a low blow!
Kinda reminds me of the new Mets pitcher who threw a 70 something year old white haired man to the ground during a game. Who's his daddy?
1 2