By the Time I Get to Phoenix

So it looks like Randy Johnson will soon find himself back in Diamondback camp. While my first reaction to the news was that the Yankees got the short end of the stick, I soon changed my mind.

To be quite blunt about it, Johnson stunk last year. 43 year old pitchers with health issues who are coming off one of their least-productive years ever aren’t really hot commodities. Kudos to Brian Cashman for getting a useful reliever and three semi-interesting prospects in return. Perhaps these guys will turn out to be a handful of magic beans, but it’s not like he was trading in the family cow, either...

As for Arizona, they’ll get their World Series hero back for two years or so. And they’ll pay him $14 million this year, and probably $10 million next year (once the extension gets worked out).

Word is that the Diamondbacks don’t need Johnson to be an overpowering ace for the trade to work out for them. The Snakes already have Brandon Webb, Doug Davis, and Livan Hernandez. Even if Johnson is only adequate, they should still contend in the NL West.

But jiminy jillikers -- $24 million over two years four your fourth starter? That’s the kind of deal you’d expect foolish, foolish Jim Hendry to make...