Trade options limited for dealing Big Unit

New York Yankees or bust?

A person who speaks often with Randy Johnson confirmed Wednesday that Johnson’s public comments this week about a possible trade from the Diamondbacks should be interpreted to mean the Yankees are the only team he is interested in joining.

D-Backs’ 2nd half to be audition time

Should the D-Backs trade Randy Johnson?

Johnson, who has a full no-trade clause, told reporters at the All-Star game media session, "I’m not going to leave to go to a situation where they theoretically have a chance to win. There has been no list of teams. Just teams that have a (good) chance to win. That’s the only way."

The Yankees — who along with the St. Louis Cardinals have the largest divisional leads at the All-Star break, seven games — would seem to be the strongest lock for the postseason at this point.

Johnson (who makes $16 million this season and next) has told the D-Backs, who have the worst record in the majors, he is willing to approve a deal to a contender. While various reports have Boston and Anaheim and even the Chicago teams interested in Johnson, the person close to Johnson said Arizona should understand that Johnson desires to go to the Yankees.

If Johnson would waive his no-trade clause only for the Yankees, that leaves a possible sticky situation.

A Diamondbacks source insisted they will have to be "overwhelmed" in any deal. But despite their public protests to the contrary, the Yankees are generally considered to have very little to offer in a trade.

They were unable to make a competitive offer to Seattle for Freddy Garcia, who was traded to the Chicago White Sox.

A three-team deal might alleviate the problem, but the third team still would have to find something from the Yankees it likes.

So if Johnson wants to go to the Yankees, and the Yankees don’t have enough to overwhelm the D-Backs, what does that leave?

That remains an open question; Johnson would be unhappy staying on a losing team, but the Diamondbacks cannot afford (in baseball or public-relations terms) to move Johnson without a highimpact return.

"I would definitely like to talk to him (today)," manager Al Pedrique said Wednesday, "and let him know that we would love to have him on this team for the second half."

A source said interest in Arizona’s other available veterans — center fielder Steve Finley, right fielder Danny Bautista and infielder Shea Hillenbrand — is "lukewarm" and that the longer the team goes without moving those players, the less chance they are traded.

The D-Backs are sending out scouts to look at top prospects from the Yankees, Red Sox, Angels and perhaps the Padres in preparation for possible offers from those teams.