Dodgers sidestep three-way trade

NEW YORK — The Dodgers withdrew Tuesday from the proposed three-team, 10-player trade that would have sent Randy Johnson from the Arizona Diamondbacks to the New York Yankees, who then criticized Los Angeles for “reneging” on the deal.

“As we sit here right now, the deal is no more,” Dodgers general manager Paul DePodesta said during a conference call. “I’ve been saying all along that we weren’t going to do the deal unless it made sense for this club in 2005, and that was not the case.”

Los Angeles would’ve received right-hander Javier Vazquez from the Yankees along with two top prospects, catcher Dioner Navarro and third baseman Eric Duncan. The Dodgers also would’ve gotten pitcher Mike Koplove from Arizona.

Arizona would’ve obtained outfielder Shawn Green and pitchers Brad Penny, Yhency Brazoban and Brandon Weeden from the Dodgers. Along with Johnson, the Yankees would have gotten pitcher Kaz Ishii from Los Angeles.

“The Dodgers reneged on the deal that was agreed to last Friday, unequivocally and with no contingencies except for a window for contract extensions and physicals,” Yankees president Randy Levine said. “For some reason, the Dodgers over the weekend started to backpedal. Why they would break their word is only something they can answer. It sure is disappointing, and we’ll have to think long and hard before ever doing business with the Dodgers again.”

Earlier in the day, an official of one of the teams and a person close to one of the players involved in the trade said the deal had been submitted early Tuesday to baseball commissioner Bud Selig for approval.

The official said the Dodgers gave the go-ahead to finalize the trade late Monday and early Tuesday, when two conference calls were held. One call involved the general managers and baseball executive vice president Sandy Alderson, and the other included ownership representatives and Selig.