Major League Baseball
Notebook: Johnson talks of trade rumors

By Larry Stone
Seattle Times staff reporter

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HOUSTON — When the media was herded into the hotel ballroom for yesterday's player interview session at the All-Star Game, the biggest crowd, by far, surrounded Randy Johnson.

Reporters from New York, Boston and California, among other places, were waiting to hear any new revelations about Johnson's trade prospects. With so many teams vying for playoff spots, and Johnson a potential difference-maker, it's the biggest story in baseball.

At times playful and combative, Johnson spent considerable energy deflecting questions about his trade status, which he controls via his trade-veto rights. He has been linked most persistently to the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox and Angels.

Eventually, however, Johnson let down his guard and gave his most revealing comments to date regarding his future with the last-place Diamondbacks.

Asked if he wanted to stay with Arizona, Johnson said, "I don't know if I can say that."

He added, "I haven't been approached by the Diamondbacks yet to waive my no-trade clause. The only way I would probably want to leave would be that I'm benefiting the Diamondbacks in leaving. I think I'd be doing that because they wouldn't have to pay my salary. It could go toward helping somewhere else. And they would have the players they got in return.

"Obviously, it would have to be a situation that's going to work for me. That's the only way. I'm not going to leave to go somewhere else to theoretically have a chance to win. It's going to have to be somewhere that ... teams that have a chance to win, that's the only way."

Johnson smiled and said, "There. You got what you wanted."

Johnson, 40, is 10-7 with a 2.99 earned-run average.

Ichiro in center
 
When Ichiro looked at the final results in the All-Star balloting, he was pleased to see he had sneaked into the American League's starting outfield with Anaheim's Vladimir Guerrero and Boston's Manny Ramirez.

And he came to an instant conclusion: In that group, he was going to be the center fielder. Sure enough, when American League manager Joe Torre announced his starting lineup yesterday, Ichiro was leading off and playing center. Guerrero was in right, Ramirez in left.

"When it was first announced, I knew I would be in center," Ichiro said. "In Houston, that center field is kind of unique. I have to be careful, make sure I do a good job there."

Ichiro's biggest disappointment at this year's All-Star Game involves another center fielder, Ken Griffey Jr. Elected a National League starter, Griffey won't play in the game because of a hamstring injury.

"This year, I was really looking forward to being on the same field as Ken Griffey Jr.," Ichiro said. "He was a baseball hero of mine."