The Bergen Record is reporting that Los Angeles has signed OF J.D. Drew to a 5 year, $55 million contract. Said deal went down just hours after the LA bailed on the much-discussed 3 team, 10 player trade that would’ve sent Shawn Green to Arizona and Randy Johnson to the Yankees.
Newsday’s Ken Davidoff and Jon Heyman are reporting that Javier Vazqeuz’ reluctance to play for the Dodgers was the prime reason for Paul DePodesta’s cold feet.
According to a source involved in the discussions, Vazquez’s declared refusal to play for the Dodgers was the primary impetus for the action by Los Angeles. Vazquez, a native of Puerto Rico, considered the West Coast to be too far away from his home. The righthander refused to fly to Los Angeles this week to undergo a physical examination.
Prior to the Dodgers’ entrance into the talks last week, an Arizona source said, the Yankees and Diamondbacks had come close to settling on an exchange that would have swapped Vazquez, money, and prospects Brad Halsey, Abel Gomez and Melky Cabrera for Johnson.
The two clubs could try to revisit those discussions, but first, they’ll probably try to bring in a different third team. Just as Vazquez didn’t want to play in Los Angeles, he has made it clear that he doesn’t want to be in Arizona, either.
The Diamondbacks would prefer to find a third team to take Vazquez. The Chicago White Sox have some interest in Vazquez, but while there had been earlier talks about first baseman Paul Konerko, the White Sox want to hold onto Konerko, now that they’ve dealt righthanded slugger Carlos Lee to Milwaukee.
While Johnson and Shawn Green, the two other marquee players in the proposed deal, both have no-trade clauses, Vazquez has no such protection.