Diamondbacks will continue to listen to offers for Johnson

PHOENIX (AP) _ The Arizona Diamondbacks haven't given up on trading Randy Johnson, managing partner Ken Kendrick said Tuesday. <br/><br/>``What we're prepared to do is to listen to anyone, and

Tuesday, December 14th 2004, 7:16 pm

By: News On 6

PHOENIX (AP) _ The Arizona Diamondbacks haven't given up on trading Randy Johnson, managing partner Ken Kendrick said Tuesday.

``What we're prepared to do is to listen to anyone, and there have been other clubs who have expressed interest in Randy,'' Kendrick said. ``We're going to continue to do that, but it's an ultimate decision _ if ever made _ that needs we and Randy to get together and discuss it and get his representatives involved. And we're not at that point yet.''

Incoming Diamondbacks chief executive officer Jeff Moorad called Yankees president Randy Levine on Monday, a baseball official said on condition of anonymity. No new proposals were made, the official said.

New York had broken off talks Dec. 1, saying Arizona's asking price was too high.

Johnson, who has a no-trade clause, has asked for a trade to a contender, and it is not clear whether he would accept a deal to any team other than Yankees.

Kendrick said the Diamondbacks were retooling into a contender, which might make the Big Unit want to stay.

``We've had some visitors with us today,'' Kendrick said at a news conference to announce the shortstop Royce Clayton's one-year contract, a deal worth about $1.3 million. ``We've been entertaining some prospects.''

The last offer the Diamondbacks made to the Yankees was Johnson for pitcher Javier Vazquez, setup man Tom Gordon, pitching prospect Brad Halsey and $18.5 million _ the difference between Johnson's 2005 salary and the $35.5 million the Yankees owe Vazquez over the next three years.