Just before spring training began, the Mariners pushed the
Dodgers to make a trade that would have sent lefthander Randy
Johnson to Los Angeles for righthander Ismael Valdes, lefthander
Mark Guthrie and second baseman Wilton Guerrero. After
unsuccessfully trying to substitute righthander Ramon Martinez
for the younger and cheaper Valdes, the Dodgers walked away from
the deal. "The reason I was told," says Seattle general manager
Woody Woodward, "was that they didn't want to take on more
dollars."
The Dodgers may be less hung up about adding to their payroll
now that ownership of the team has passed from the O'Malley
family to Rupert Murdoch, the global media giant who has been
known to overpay sports announcers, never mind the athletes who
actually play the games. Major league owners welcomed Murdoch
into their club last week by a 27-2 vote, with only the Braves'
Ted Turner, himself a global media giant, and the White Sox'
Jerry Reinsdorf voting nay. (The Mets abstained.) If some owners
feared that Murdoch might use the long reach and deep revenues
of his News Corp. to create a superteam in Los Angeles, they
could find out quickly whether those apprehensions are
justified. Murdoch could authorize the acquisition of Johnson as
well as the signing of catcher Mike Piazza to the richest
contract in baseball history even before the paint is dry on his
new parking spot at Dodger Stadium.
Now that Murdoch owns the Dodgers, Piazza
could become the game's first $100 million man.
(Bill Frakes)
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A source familiar with the Johnson trade negotiations says
Murdoch's arrival "makes it more likely" that the Big Unit will
be a Dodger. Still, Woodward says L.A. general manager Fred
Claire never suggested that he would be more willing to pull the
trigger after the sale of the club was approved.
Seattle scout Stan Williams continues to shadow the Dodgers just
in case talks are rekindled. He's keeping an eye on Valdes, 24,
who missed a start last week because of soreness in his throwing
elbow.
Johnson, 34, has simmered ever since the Mariners told him last
November that they would not talk about re-signing him because
they don't think they will be able to afford him when his
contract expires after this season. Now there are indications
that his anger and uncertain future could become corrosive to
the team. Johnson, who is 53-9 in his last 83 starts, recently
told manager Lou Piniella that his situation is distracting him
on the mound and that he wants to be traded as quickly as
possible.
Like Johnson, Piazza could be a free agent after this season. He
first gave the Dodgers a Feb. 15 deadline to negotiate a
contract extension but amended that to Opening Day because of
the ownership change. Piazza's agent, Dan Lozano, says he has
not discussed contract terms with the team, though Piazza, 29,
is believed to be seeking a seven-year deal worth nearly $100
million. "Mike would like to retire with the team he signs
with," Lozano says.
Issue date: March 30, 1998
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