A sentence in a recent Tom Verducci mailbag set a few Yankees a-twitter this week. “Remember,” wrote Verducci, “the Yankees preferred Ross Ohlendorf over Owings in the Big Unit trade, otherwise he’d be their No. 3 starter and DH these days!”

Now while Ross Ohlendorf clearly has a bright future as a Major League reliever ahead of him — his stuff and his recent 6 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 7 K line are testaments to that — Micah Owings is a desirable starter with excellent stuff. Yankee fans would have every right to be a little dismayed if the team truly favored Ohlendorf over Owings. But the problem with Verducci’s claim is that it’s simply not true.

A few weeks earlier, Verducci’s Sports Illustrated colleague and fellow columnist Jon Heyman wrote about Micah Owings’ role in the Randy Johnson trade talk as well. His take, however, was completely different from that of Verducci’s: “The Yankees tried hard for Owings in Randy Johnson trade talks after the 2006 season, even offering to send Arizona a few million more if they’d include him. No go.”

What Heyman wrote jibes with press reports from the time of the trade in December 2006 and January 2007. At the time, New York reporters offered up differing takes. Some said that the Yankees maybe could have landed Owings if they were prepared to shell out more money for the D-Backs and accept fewer players in return. Others said that Owings was considered to be an “untouchable” in Arizona’s farm system.

While Verducci’s analysis seems off the mark, what Heyman offers seems most realistic. The Yanks wanted Owings as any team would, and the Diamondbacks opted to hold on to their prized prospect. With Ohlendorf on the team, a compensation pick from Vizcaino on the way and the Big Unit’s health issues lately, I’d say the Yankees did just fine for themselves in that trade.

Before I begin this exercise in What If? baseball history, let’s just remember that hindsight is always 20/20. When we look back in time and try to evaluate trades that weren’t made, it’s easy to do it sitting here in 2008. The trick is to put our selves in the shoes of those involved in the decision. In this case, that means hoping in a time machine and journeying to July 31, 1998.

It is July 31, 1998, and the Yankees are on a once-in-a-lifetime roll. The Yankees are 76-27 with a 15-game lead over the Red Sox. Since a 1-3 start, the team was a blistering 75-24. That just doesn’t happen.

But despite being prohibitive World Series favorites, the Yankees were always searching for ways to get better, and leading the charge was a rookie. General Manager Brian Cashman was in his first year as Yankee GM, and a series of moves and non-moves, beginning on that fateful night in July — the trade deadline — would impact the Yankees Dynasty up through the present day.

As site commenter Phil reminded us today, the Yankees were in the hunt for Randy Johnson. I had completely forgotten about these behind-the-scenes moves. But as RAB favorite and one-time Yankee beatwriter Buster Olney relates, the Yankees didn’t pull the trigger:

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No matter how poorly the return on RJ turns out (and it looks pretty bleak), it was still a good deal.

It was a good deal at the time because we shed ourselves of a 43-year-old malcontent coming off back surgery and making $16 million. It is a good deal now because Randy is undergoing yet another back surgery, which will end his season — and possibly his career, as he’s hinted in the past week.

So Brian Cashman saved $14 million and received a useful reliever for a guy who wouldn’t have helped anyway. And then some young players to boot.

Yankee fans will long hold Randy Johnson close to their hearts. His time in New York was filled with loving tenderness and great success. So as Luis Vizcaino puts up a sub-1.00 ERA over two months solidifying a shaky bullpen, Randy Johnson admits that he may never pitch again. That sure was a good trade.

With the Yankees starting pitching less than stellar recently, I’m sure Randy Johnson has crept into people’s minds. Say what you will about the Big Unit’s time in New York, but the man gave the team innings every year. But lest those doubts start to creep up on you, just turn to Will Carroll’s latest Under the Knife (Subscription well worth it):

Randy Johnson had a solid rehab start at Single-A, going six innings with six strikeouts against the kids. There was some concern about his velocity, which was off a bit, and that’s something to watch when he takes the mound again this Friday.

So it’s the same old story with the Grumpy Old Man. His velocity - already down over the last two seasons - is still down. In other words, Randy ain’t getting any younger, and I’m still happy to see him far far away for us.