Dodgers Deny Johnson Trade Imminent

Randy Johnson wants out, and the Seattle Mariners are trying to accommodate him.

Team officials met in Florida on Thursday to discuss possible trade scenarios for one of baseball’s most feared pitchers.

But the possibility of an imminent deal with the Dodgers was dismissed by both teams, although Dodger executive vice president Fred Claire said the Mariners made a proposal Thursday that he turned down.

“It’s been a wild day. The phone started ringing early and is probably still ringing at the hotel,”

Woody Woodward, head of baseball operations for the Mariners, said before Thursday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

“The fact is there is no truth to that rumor. The idea that names were given to me for a trade and it was very close to happening are not accurate.”

Johnson asked to be traded last fall after the Mariners indicated they would not renew his contract--worth $6 million this year--beyond this season.

He renewed the request last week.

The Mariners say they’re talking with several teams about Johnson but are nowhere near a deal with the Dodgers, which reportedly was on the verge of obtaining the 34-year-old left-hander in exchange for pitcher Hideo Nomo and an outfielder.

While Woodward said he had spoken with Claire on Thursday, he insisted there was nothing to the Johnson-for-Nomo report by MSNBC.

“It was a good conversation. He said he was as surprised about the rumor as I was,” said Woodward, adding that he hadn’t spoken with Claire for “some time” before Thursday.

“I don’t anticipate any type of deal while the ball club is here in Tampa. There’s not a timetable. Would I like to get something done? Certainly. If we take one player, it’s not going to be a big salary player. It’s not that type of deal.”

Claire met privately with Nomo, his interpreter, outfielder Todd Hollandsworth and Manager Bill Russell nearly two hours before the Dodgers entertained the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday night.

“We have spoken to the Mariners. No, we have not made a deal,” Claire said after the brief meeting of less than 10 minutes. “[Woodward] gave me a proposal of what he was looking for in a trade. I told him I was not interested.

“I haven’t closed any doors in any way. Today, the price is simply too high.”