• Selig approves Johnson trade to Yankees Selig approves Johnson trade to Yankees NEW YORK — Randy Johnson is practically ready to be measured for one tall set of pinstripes. Commissioner Bud Selig gave his blessing Monday to a trade
• Selig approves Johnson trade to Yankees
Selig approves Johnson trade to Yankees
NEW YORK — Randy Johnson is practically ready to be measured for one tall set of pinstripes.
Commissioner Bud Selig gave his blessing Monday to a trade that will send the Big Unit to the Yankees, making a contract extension the last major obstacle to be resolved in the drawn-out Arizona-New York swap.
The Yankees were given a 72-hour window to come to terms with the five-time Cy Young Award winner. Johnson’s current deal pays him $16 million in 2005 and expires after this season.
The Diamondbacks would receive pitchers Javier Vazquez and Brad Halsey, young catcher Dioner Navarro and $9 million to be paid over three years.
Arizona also agreed Monday to a proposed trade that would send Navarro and other prospects to the Dodgers for Shawn Green and $8 million. The slugger was part of a three-team, 10-player swap involving Johnson and the Yankees that collapsed Dec. 21 when Los Angeles backed out.
Johnson, 41, was 16-14 last season on a Diamondbacks team that went 51-111, tied for the 10th-most losses in major league history. The 6-foot-10 left-hander led the majors with 290 strikeouts, was second with a 2.60 ERA and pitched a perfect game against Atlanta, but the Diamondbacks scored two runs or fewer in 17 of his 35 starts.
Atlantic conference loses two teams in Top 25
The Atlantic Coast Conference’s record run of seven ranked teams came to an end Monday.
The Big East provided the two unbeaten replacements — West Virginia and Boston College — and tied the ACC with five schools in The Associated Press Top 25.
Illinois and Kansas remained 1-2 in the poll for the fifth straight week. That’s how long the ACC had seven teams in the Top 25, the longest run ever with that many.
North Carolina State lost two straight nonconference games and fell from 17th, while Virginia lost its conference opener to Wake Forest and dropped from No. 25.
Illinois (14-0) had three easy wins last week, including a 22-point victory over Cincinnati, and received 62 first-place votes and 1,787 points from the national media panel.
Kansas (9-0) stayed second for the seventh straight week with a dramatic overtime win over Georgia Tech, winning for the second time without injured preseason All-America Wayne Simien.
The Jayhawks got the other 10 No. 1 votes and 1,724 points.
