Arizona scratch Yanks from talks for Johnson

George Steinbrenner isn’t going to be able to buy himself a new toy this time.

The Arizona Diamondbacks, to the delight of 28 other teams, have broken off talks with the New York Yankees, according to a highly placed Major League Baseball source.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean Johnson plans to stay put with the Diamondbacks, who set a franchise record with 20 losses in May and already have broken it with 21 in July.

According to the source, there are “a couple” of potential Johnson deals that could be completed before Saturday’s 3 p.m. CDT deadline for waiver-free trades. The teams showing late interest are the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants.

San Diego, along with Los Angeles, also is a favorite to acquire Steve Finley from Arizona.

So much for those reports that said Johnson would approve a trade only to the Yankees.

The Giants almost slipped in at the end to steal Greg Maddux from the Cubs in February. Their primary need now is for a closer, but they have been monitoring the Johnson negotiations closely. He’s a Bay Area native who would seem a good fit for the Giants’ park.

Peter Magowan isn’t known for spending money, but he wants to get back to the World Series before Barry Bonds is done. Sources indicated the Giants were working to trade Ray Durham or Edgardo Alfonzo, which might make it easier to pay Johnson, who is to earn $16 million this year and in 2005.

Bonds has pushed management to get serious about a deal for Johnson.

“Things happen,” he told the San Francisco Chronicle. “You can’t assume they’ll let him go. I hope they’ll let him go to us. He’d help us win, no matter what. He wants to go out a winner like any of us do. He deserves that, too, like any good player deserves to. If the Diamondbacks are going to rebuild, give him a chance to win. Give us a chance.”

Teams never like to trade within their division, but it’s unlikely the Diamondbacks can contend next season. That’s why Arizona general manager Joe Garagiola Jr. has said he’s not opposed to dealing his prized commodity within the National League West.