From a purely dispassionate standpoint, I would fully agree that a decent, MLB average 2nd baseman is more important than a 4/5 starter, (assuming the top 3 are Webb, Haren, Scherzer, with Double D and RJ the last two guys, in some order) and so I can’t fault the FO for that. Even if the 4th or 5th starter IS Randy Johnson, a future HOFer.

What I CAN fault them for is reportedly offering Adam Dunn a contract AFTER turning down RJ for being too expensive, and, when said contract offer was rejected, NOT adding some of that surplus cash to their offer to RJ; this after using the excuse that they “didn’t have the money” to pay Randy. Presumably, they were planning on picking up a free agent 2B anyway, so I have to think that the majority of the money they’re paying Lopez was already in the budget.

With the Scott Schoeneweis trade, however, I’m wondering whether that $2 million could have been added to RJ’s contract offer.

According to the Oakland Tribune, “Johnson is on the open market because Arizona declined his offer to reduce his 2008 salary ($15.1 million) by 50 percent.” It’s the first time I have seen that number in print, and would seem to be confirmation that the real amount he was asking for was nearer $8m, than the $5m many people think. I’d do the deal at $5m, but would have to think very hard about offering him $8m. That would have been the bulk of the money available, and hamstrung the team for making any other moves.