Mike Celizic

The Yankees went into this offseason saying they wanted a leaner payroll and younger lineup in 2007. Word out of the team’s front office also was that Brian Cashman, the general manager who looks like Jeff Van Gundy, but without the sunny disposition, had wrested control of the team away from George Steinbrenner’s Tampa-based committee of crack baseball advisers.

Experience has taught us to take such pronouncements with a grain of salt the size of the Matterhorn. Invariably, every Yankees long-range plan crumbles the moment an overpriced and superannuated superstar comes on the market. They couldn’t help themselves; it was the Steinbrenner way, and to expect them to behave any differently was like expecting a St. Bernard to swear off drooling.

But this year, it’s been different. November wasn’t two weeks old before Gary Sheffield and his $13 million option for 2007 were being traded to Detroit for young pitching prospects. Then it was Jaret Wright and his $7 million salary being sent to Baltimore for a middle reliever. The Yankees had to agree to pay $4 million of Wright’s 2007 salary, but the trade fit in with the announced plan — Wright was an oft-injured disappointment who was making too much money.

And now, the Yankees have worked out a deal to trade the Big Unit himself, Randy Johnson, back to the Diamondbacks. Suddenly, the idea that the pinstripes have an actual plan that will not only keep them competitive but also build for a future that’s farther away than next March, isn’t so farfetched after all.

Can this mean the Yankees are clearing payroll to sign Roger Clemens? Yankees fans hope it does; Red Sox fans hope it doesn’t.

Moving Johnson makes all the sense in the world for New York, which is another reason it is so surprising. This hasn’t been a team that’s made a lot of intelligent moves ever since its run of four titles in five years ended after the 2000 season.

Johnson is a first-ballot Hall of Famer and one of the most dominant power pitchers of all time. But he’s 43, he’s coming off his second back surgery, his 2006 ERA was 5.00, and he’s got $16 million coming in salary next year. By some measures — 17 victories being the primary one  he’s still a premier pitcher. But for $16 million, a team can buy a lot of replacement.

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The Yankees did invest that much for one year of Andy Pettitte’s efforts, but they still don’t have anybody to anchor the rotation for the next two years, let alone the next five. Dumping Johnson for some pitching prospects and yet another middle-of-the-rotation starter won’t give them an ace.

It could allow them to sign Clemens, who would probably join the team in mid-season as he did last season in Houston.

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