This Just in: Unit Deal Done

It's a one for four deal. Randy Johnson is gone and the Yankees get four prospects in return. Sweeny Murti of WFAN reports that the DBacks will send major league reliever Luis Vizcaino, Russ Ohlendorf, Steven Jackson, and Alberto Gonzalez.

We have already discussed Ohlendorf. Alberto Gonzalez is a slick-fielding 23 y/o shortstop whose glove is major-league ready, although I don't know anything of his hitting prowess. Vizcaino is a 32 year-old right hander whose last three seasons have been impressive - averaging about a 3.60 ERA through this stretch. He is going to give you 60-70 innings of relief, has a career k/9 of 8.10, and career BAA of .246. He throws primarilly fastballs and sliders with an occasional change. He also has an above average to plus splitter.

Steven Jackson is the prototypical powerarm. Unfortunately, a part of that prototype includes a dash of wildness. The 24 year-old Jackson has the right frame for pitching: 6-5 & 220lbs. He throws very hard and, like Owings, commands a serious slider. From scout.com:

Another college pitcher who jumps straight to Double-A after spending last year in Lo-A South Bend, Jackson is a pure power pitcher who has a devastating slider that caused, among other things, 12 wild pitches last season. The Diamondbacks have openly stated they feel their Double-A rotation could be the big league rotation before too long, and for a long time, and expect big things from Jackson, a 10th round pick out of Clemson in 2004.

I will have a lot more on Vizcaino and "the prospects" tonight or tomorrow, so stay tuned for that as well as a critique on Mientkiewicz. All in all, a very good deal for the Yankees. Micah Owings was not a part of the package which is a bummer, but you could have done a lot worse, especially when you consider that Cashman did not eat any substantial amount of Johnson's contract. Bravo.

UPDATE: The above post came from Yankees beat reporter Sweeny Murti, who I have come to refer by first name only amongst friends. While driving an hour after Murti's scoop, I heard radio personality Michael Kay "breaking" a story on the Unit trade. Already laughing because the "Voice of the Yankees" was beat to the punch by WFAN and still launched the "breaking news" declaration, I was further embarassed when Steve Phillips was Kay's source. Phillips explained that the Yankees would get Vizcaino and a pitching prospect. While the two reports differ and I admit Phillips has earned a lot more respect than some blogger like me, I am much more inclined to trust Murti since Steve the GM is constantly dead-wrong.