Grimis
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|  #1 Posted on 4.12.03 1123.46 | Instant Rating: 7.29 | Typical....
Final Package for Vazquez Unclear
ESPN.com news services
The New York Yankees have begun the rebuilding of their starting rotation after the Montreal Expos agreed Thursday to trade right-hander Javier Vazquez, ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reports.
The Yankees will send first baseman Nick Johnson, outfielder Juan Rivera and left-handed reliever Randy Choate to Montreal, Stark reports.
The deal is contingent on the players passing physicals. Montreal scheduled a 2 p.m. ET news conference to make "a major baseball announcement."
The Yankees would like to negotiate an extension for Vazquez, who is eligible for free agency after next season. Montreal, which is owned by Major League Baseball's 29 teams, is faced with payrolls limits and Vazquez, eligible for salary arbitration, will likely get a raise from the $4,775,000 he made in 2003 after losing his hearing.
Vazquez fills one of the holes in the Yankees' starting rotation. He went 13-12 with a 3.24 ERA for the Expos last season, and is three years younger than Bartolo Colon, who is a free agent. The Yankees also were interested in signing the right-hander.
New York's rotation, the backbone of its run to four World Series titles and six AL pennants since 1995, needs retooling with Roger Clemens retired, and Andy Pettitte and David Wells free agents. Wells had back surgery Tuesday.
The Yankees' rotation has Vazquez, Mike Mussina, Jose Contreras, Jeff Weaver and Jon Lieber, who hasn't pitched in the major leagues since reconstructive elbow surgery in August 2002 but hopes to be ready for the start of the season. The Yankees have talked to the Dodgers about acquiring Kevin Brown for Weaver.
Johnson, 25, played first base for much of last season because of Jason Giambi's knee injury, and started the season as the regular designated hitter. While he's regarded as a top hitter -- he batted .284 with 14 homers, 47 RBI and a .422 on-base percentage -- he has been injury prone throughout his career.
Rivera, 25, hit .266 with seven homers and 26 RBI in 173 at-bats and has a strong throwing arm.
Choate, 28, pitched only 3 2/3 innings over five relief appearances for the Yankees last season, compiling a 7.36 ERA. He went 3-5 with one save and a 3.91 ERA in 54 games at Triple-A Columbus.
Johnson is eligible for salary arbitration for the first time while Rivera isn't yet eligible. New York will have to find another backup first baseman to spell Giambi, who had knee surgery after the season.
Meanwhile, the Yankees are pushing ahead on the Gary Sheffield front.
Sheffield met Monday and Tuesday with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner at the team's spring training complex in Tampa, Fla., and worked out Wednesday at the Yankees' minor league complex. The free-agent outfielder appears likely to sign on his agreed-to three-year offer from the Yankees -- he might have a physical Thursday, a sign that a deal is approaching.
In other news Wednesday, left-handed reliever Felix Heredia agreed to a $3.8 million, two-year contract to stay with the Yankees. Heredia was 0-1 with a 1.20 ERA in 12 appearances with the Yankees, who claimed him off waivers from Cincinnati on Aug. 25.
Heredia had a $1.7 million player option for 2004, which he declined. His new deal calls for $1.8 million salaries in each of the next two seasons and gives the Yankees a $2.5 million option for 2006 with a $200,000 buyout.
New York also is trying to re-sign Gabe White, another left-handed reliever. Chris Hammond, signed last offseason as a left-handed setup man, may be traded.
The Yankees also are close to a $6 million, two-year agreement with right-hander Paul Quantrill, who played for the Dodgers last season. Backup catcher John Flaherty has agreed to a $775,000, one-year contract, but must pass a physical for the deal to be finalized.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
The history of taxation shows that taxes which are inherently excessive are not paid. The high rates inevitably put pressure upon the taxpayer to withdraw his capital from productive business.
- Andrew Mellon| Promote this thread! |           | PalpatineW
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| #2 Posted on 4.12.03 1209.18 | Instant Rating: 9.00 | Tremendous.
The Yankee checkbook is infinite, but the Yankee talent pool is not. Trading Nick Johnson is just plain stupid, especially when there are decent free agent pitchers on the market. Yes, Vazquez is better than Colon, but Colon was comparatively cheap, in that he would cost only money. Let's see who George gets to backup Giambi at 1B now, because there's no way he plays 162 games in the field. This also leaves Soriano at second and Bernie in center. Defense at first: suspect. Defense up the middle: Suspect. I say bring it on.
 | Bullitt
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|  #3 Posted on 4.12.03 1211.24 | Instant Rating: 7.00 | Talk is this trade was made to free up some cash so the Expos could resign Vlad Guerrero.
This one's super lucky! | David Adams
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| #4 Posted on 4.12.03 1225.26 | Instant Rating: 6.67 | Originally posted by PalpatineW
Tremendous.Let's see who George gets to backup Giambi at 1B now, because there's no way he plays 162 games in the field.
Rafael Palmiero, you have a call on line 1. J. T. Snow, there's a call for you on line 2.
And don't be surprised if Matsui is moved to center and Bernie to left. Matsui played a better CF than Bernie did when subbing for him. | Grimis
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| #5 Posted on 4.12.03 1240.35 | Instant Rating: 7.29 | Originally posted by Bullitt
Talk is this trade was made to free up some cash so the Expos could resign Vlad Guerrero.
I will be tremendously pissed if the O's don't sign him...
The history of taxation shows that taxes which are inherently excessive are not paid. The high rates inevitably put pressure upon the taxpayer to withdraw his capital from productive business.
- Andrew Mellon | Bullitt
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| #6 Posted on 4.12.03 1248.34 | Instant Rating: 7.00 | Originally posted by Grimis
I will be tremendously pissed if the O's don't sign him...
Baltimore would be a good fit for Vlad. It's been reported he doesn't want to go to a "major" media market (like LA or New York, hence the Yankees focus on Sheffield over Vlad,) he hasn't really learned much English, and he doesn't want to be the "star."
Having said that, I'd personally rather see him stay in Montreal...but that's just the old-school, long-time Expos fan in me talking.
This one's super lucky! | drjayphd
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| #7 Posted on 4.12.03 1604.40 | Instant Rating: 7.17 | How to Make the Wienerboard a Better Place, Chapter 1: Just because you can't spell "Heidenreich", doesn't make you clever.
Adams: They might have to move Matsui to CF anyway, when Bernie's defense gets to the point that they need to have him DH. Buh-bye, Giambi's reprieve. Bring it, pinstriped wenches. 
Expos challenging in the NL East, anyone? Sure, they lost a solid pitcher, but they got a GREAT young bat (I don't even REMEMBER who the 'Spos had at 1B last year) in Johnson, and Rivera's arm might be a nice addition.
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| #8 Posted on 4.12.03 1742.12 | Instant Rating: 1.00 | Originally posted by drjayphd
(I don't even REMEMBER who the 'Spos had at 1B last year).
Brad Wilkerson. He was a nice average first baseman. However, as you stated, Ugly Nick Johnson should be an improvement. It's just too bad the 'Spos couldn't get Soriano. Assuming they resign Vlad, that would have been a nasty lineup for the NL East. Cabrera, Vidro, Vlad, and Johnson is still a pretty nice core.
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| #9 Posted on 4.12.03 2036.25 | Instant Rating: 5.54 | NL East is going to be quite the dogfight next year, what with Atlanta being as good as ever (though they'll likely lose Sheffield), Florida defending, Philly not standing pat as seen by their acquisition of Milton, and the Expos with a new big bat in their lineup.
Have fun, Mets fans.
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| PalpatineW
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| #10 Posted on 4.12.03 2051.45 | Instant Rating: 9.00 | Originally posted by drjayphd
Adams: They might have to move Matsui to CF anyway, when Bernie's defense gets to the point that they need to have him DH. Buh-bye, Giambi's reprieve. Bring it, pinstriped wenches.
Expos challenging in the NL East, anyone? Sure, they lost a solid pitcher, but they got a GREAT young bat (I don't even REMEMBER who the 'Spos had at 1B last year) in Johnson, and Rivera's arm might be a nice addition.
Yeah, I hear Rivera pours Gatorade like a champ. He's better than Endy Chavez, sure, but he's no Vlad Guerrero, not by a long shot. So that's a definite downgrade in the lineup if they dont resign Vlad.
| drjayphd
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| #11 Posted on 5.12.03 0050.11 | Instant Rating: 7.17 | How to Make the Wienerboard a Better Place, Chapter 1: Just because you can't spell "Heidenreich", doesn't make you clever.
Originally posted by PalpatineW
Originally posted by drjayphd
Adams: They might have to move Matsui to CF anyway, when Bernie's defense gets to the point that they need to have him DH. Buh-bye, Giambi's reprieve. Bring it, pinstriped wenches.
Expos challenging in the NL East, anyone? Sure, they lost a solid pitcher, but they got a GREAT young bat (I don't even REMEMBER who the 'Spos had at 1B last year) in Johnson, and Rivera's arm might be a nice addition.
Yeah, I hear Rivera pours Gatorade like a champ. He's better than Endy Chavez, sure, but he's no Vlad Guerrero, not by a long shot. So that's a definite downgrade in the lineup if they dont resign Vlad.
Well, yeah, but you've got to believe that they'll be able to make as competitive, if not more, of a run at Vlad than anyone else now that they know:
* That they don't have to pay out their asses for Vazquez, the salaries for Rivera, Choate, and the arbitration-eligible Johnson notwithstanding.
* Their schedule next year (22 home games in San Juan).
* That they can still offer Vlad the relatively pressure-free environment he desires.
I mean, come on, everyone knew he wouldn't go to the Yanks. The whole "he priced himself too high" thing is utter bullshit... pricing yourself out of the Yankees's payroll is a physical impossibility. He didn't want to play there, with their media. (Says the person that not only isn't Vlad, but probably couldn't ask him anything without looking like Ghost Dog talking to the ice cream truck driver.)
I just wanna see the Expos competitive... well, that, and the Bosox STOMP the Yankees (should the playoffs come to that) en route to winning the Series. (Remember what's more important... it's not whether the Yankees or Boston goes farther in the playoffs, it's who WINS THE FREAKIN' TITLE.) 
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| #12 Posted on 5.12.03 0458.19 | Instant Rating: 2.26 | | figures... although giambi, bernie and sheff can now play RPS to see who comes up lame first now. | Dagent913
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| #13 Posted on 5.12.03 1707.13 | Instant Rating: 5.06 | Juan Rivera's going to do nothing for Montreal by himself, he's going to need Vlad there too. And Nick Johnson does play first base well, but he's still inconsistent at the plate. As for Bernie, I'm sticking by him in the field, I don't care what anyone says! I think his gradually declining reliability when hitting is the bigger problem.
I do agree that they're going to have to focus on someone being able to play first well, since Giambi is not good for a whole season there.
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| #14 Posted on 6.12.03 2203.18 | Instant Rating: 7.33 | Originally posted by Bullitt
Talk is this trade was made to free up some cash so the Expos could resign Vlad Guerrero.
BELIEVE IT.
Wilks hit for the cycle in a game last year, and had some pretty good stretches during the season. I'd keep him for pinch hitting, or maybe platoon him and Johnson. Rivera and Vlad would be a good outfield. Vlad and ANYONE would be a good outfield.
Sacred Heart.....have mercy on us. | Whitebacon
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| #15 Posted on 6.12.03 2211.47 | Instant Rating: 6.83 | Originally posted by El Nastio
Originally posted by Bullitt
Talk is this trade was made to free up some cash so the Expos could resign Vlad Guerrero.
BELIEVE IT.
Wilks hit for the cycle in a game last year, and had some pretty good stretches during the season. I'd keep him for pinch hitting, or maybe platoon him and Johnson. Rivera and Vlad would be a good outfield. Vlad and ANYONE would be a good outfield.
Wilkerson is one of the better defensive outfielders in the NL (26 assists, playing all three OF positions, not sure where that ranks), the reason he got PT at first was because he could handle his business there, and face it, Liefer and Cordero suck.
(edited by Whitebacon on 6.12.03 2016)
 | Bullitt
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| #16 Posted on 6.12.03 2240.24 | Instant Rating: 6.98 | As reported on TSN earlier tonight, the Expos have offered Vlad a 5-year, $70 million contract, with a lot of pay backloaded under the assumption of new ownership within the next few years.
This one's super lucky! | PalpatineW
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| #17 Posted on 7.12.03 0057.35 | Instant Rating: 9.00 | 22 home games in San Juan won't likely be much incentive for Guerrero, a native of the Dominican Republic. I don't think anyone likes a San-Juan-to-Seattle-to-San-Juan-again road trip. I don't have the faintest idea of what Vlad's looking for, but the Expos are a pretty unpleasant franchise to play for.
a.) Attendance is hideous.
b.) Turf sucks.
c.) Travel sucks.
d.) Canada sucks. (No, I kid)
Putting myself in Vlad's shoes, barring sentimental ties to Montreal, I'd much rather play in Baltimore.
| Big Bad
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| #18 Posted on 7.12.03 0237.40 | Instant Rating: 5.54 | Here's the thing....in Baltimore, Vlad will all of a sudden become THE MAN and be expected to carry the Orioles out of mediocrity and to a World Series. From all indications, Vladdy just isn't that kind of an alpha type; he just seems to genuinely prefer playing hard in Montreal and still being able to walk around the town at night to grab a meal while everyone else is busy fawning over the fourth-line right winger for the Canadiens.
Rivera, Vlad and Wilkerson is a good OF, and with Johnson at 1B, the Expos offense will get an upgrade. If Montreal played in, say, the American League Central, they'd probably be favourites.
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| #19 Posted on 7.12.03 0533.19 | Instant Rating: 5.22 | Originally posted by Big Bad
If Montreal played in, say, the American League Central, they'd probably be favourites.
So could Baltimore. But they don't. They're in one of the most competitive divisions in baseball, and as such they probably won't make the playoffs.
Originally posted by PalpatineW
Cheering for the Yankees is like watching a Yokozuna v. Barry Horowitz match.
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