EIBIT: The Big Unit Arrives in the Big Apple

This Extra Innings column was originally published on January 6, 2005, the day the Yankees completed the trade bringing Randy Johnson to New York.*

Let the healing begin.

Now that Randy Johnson has made it to New York, we can finally put that whole 2001 World Series loss to the Diamondbacks thing behind us. Yeah, the Red Sox might have Curt Schilling, but the Yankees now have Randy Johnson. The Big Unit. This is the one who throws perfect games and wins Cy Young awards. Yeah, he's had some injury problems over the past few years, but the guy threw a perfect game this season.

Forty years old?

Pah!

Things are finally going to come together this season. The Great World Series Drought will end in 2005. With Johnson, the Yanks finally have the starter they've needed. A proven ace. A proven post season ace.

I'm excited.

I hope Arizona enjoys Javier Vazquez. Couldn't hack in it New York or in the post season. You can't expect him to handle the bright lights of a place like New York or even a smaller city like Chicago. He came up in Montreal so Vazquez really doesn't have the pedigree to perform in the post season. I'd be very, very surprised if he's ever able to win a World Series. Unlike the new Yankee: Randy Johnson.

Complete opposites.

Everyone mark your calendars for the World Series parade in New York City this October. 2005: the year of the Yankees.


*Extra Innings Back In Time may or may not actually be real columns. In this case, this wasn't a real column.