Randy Johnson pitched a perfect game on Tuesday night and the first reaction was “wow.” The second reaction, because this is 2004, was, “Boy, the Yankees are going to have to give up a lot more to get him.”
But here is a novel thought: If Randy Johnson is actually traded, why should it be to the Yanks? Aren’t the Mets the team in town that supposedly has prospects? Aren’t the Mets the team in town saying they would deal today if they saw a trade that would help? Aren’t the Mets the team in town that has a payroll that does not befit being a team in this town?
For the record, the Mets have not inquired about Johnson. Arizona GM Joe Garagiola has been steadfast in saying he does not foresee trading his ace. Owner Jerry Colangelo told Arizona reporters yesterday he wants the Big Unit to retire a Diamondback. Johnson has a no-trade clause, and it would take a great sales job for him to leave his state of residence for Shea.
However, this is as much about the Met mindset as about Johnson. The Mets had won five of six going into last night’s game against the Cardinals, and they wanted to spread the gospel that this shows their contender within.
Well, contenders with deep pockets, a supposedly plentiful farm and a New York address should not consider any desirable player beyond their reach. The Mets need to stop having such an inferiority complex, especially when it comes to the Yankees, and they must shed the minimalist thinking as if they are playing home games in Topeka.
They have let Alex Rodriguez, Alfonso Soriano and Vladimir Guerrero get away with less fight than Roy Jones showed Saturday. So if not Johnson, then the Mets need to be aggressive on Carlos Beltran. If not Beltran, then Magglio Ordonez. If not Ordonez, well, you get the idea.
But why not Johnson? Even with Johnson’s perfect game against Atlanta, Arizona still entered yesterday at 15-23, last in the NL West. Johnson has been hinting at frustration with the lack of run production (in his previous start he had lost 1-0 to Tom Glavine). And the D’backs have financial issues, want to take their payroll down to about $55 million in 2005 and Johnson, at $16 million, is by far their biggest ticket.
Why not Johnson? Well, there is his age (40), worrisome knees and the fact the Mets already have two upper-30s starters in Glavine and Al Leiter. But Johnson hardly looks faded, leading the majors in average against (.156) and strikeouts (81 in 63 innings).
“He was throwing 98 mph at the end [of the perfect game] with as good a control of his slider as I’ve ever seen,” Brave GM John Schuerholz said. “He was, pardon the pun, perfect.”
Also, before we all practice age-ism, Johnson (2.43), Glavine (2.45) and Leiter (2.52) currently rank 6-7-8 in NL ERA (which is led by 41-year-old Roger Clemens). If the Mets had Johnson and actually get Jose Reyes back in early June, they would have to be viewed as serious playoff contenders.
Why not Johnson? He is expensive ($16 million this year and next). But this should favor the Mets. Many teams simply can’t afford him. The Mets can. And the Mets should see the big picture; Johnson’s starts would be a 40,000-plus Shea must-see guarantee.
Why not Johnson? Because it would mean dealing youngsters. In Johnson’s prime, it took one elite prospect (Freddy Garcia) and two decent prospects (John Halama, Carlos Guillen) for Houston to rent Johnson for half a season. The Mets should try offering Scott Kazmir (elite prospect), Tyler Yates and Royce Ring (decent prospects) and see where it gets.
Sure, dealing Kazmir is a risk. But he is just at A-ball with worries about injuries (he’s been out since April 26), stature (how many 5-foot-10 lefties have made it big?) and makeup. Remember, the Yanks should never have traded Brandon Claussen last year. This year he couldn’t even make the Red rotation and is 2-3, 6.20 at Triple-A. Few prospects actually blossom.
But Randy Johnson is Randy Johnson, a perfect fit for the Mets.
