After a 22 year career, Randy Johnson called it quits today at the age of 45. I think most people would agree that he is a hall of famer. I will remember Johnson for his 2 years spent as a Yankee. He wasn't exactly the most popular guy in New York, but he was a decent pitcher during his time in pinstripes. I always found it interesting that Johnson was traded from Arizona to New York and then back to Arizona. The Yankees originally sent Brad Halsey, Dioner Navarro, and Javier Vazquez to Arizona for Johnson. Halsey didn't work out. Navarro became a servicable catcher. Some thought Navarro would one day replace Jorge Posada. Vazquez is back in New York to eat up innings. (Ugh.) On the flip side, the Yankees received Alberto Gonzalez, Steven Jackson, Luis Vizcaino, and Ross Ohlendorf when they traded Johnson back to Arizona. Gonzalez and Jackson made little contribution. Vizcaino was a decent reliever for a while. Ohlendorf was a middle reliever before being traded to Pittsburgh in the Damaso Marte-Xavier Nady deal. So the Yankees got 2 years out of Johnson and received some salvage value at the end. Overall, it wasn't a bad deal for the Yankees.
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