Rockies' Hampton may block 6-player trade with Marlins

TUCSON, Ariz. -- Mike Hampton and Charles Johnson are the biggest names in a six-player deal tentatively agreed to Thursday by the Colorado Rockies and Florida Marlins.

Colorado's Hampton and Florida's Johnson would have to waive no-trade clauses. They have until midday Saturday to decide whether to do so, according to Scott Boras, Johnson's agent.

Colorado also would send outfielder Juan Pierre to the Marlins, who would send outfielder Preston Wilson, left-hander Vic Darensbourg and infielder Pablo Ozuna to the Rockies.

Rockies general manager Dan O'Dowd would not speculate on whether the deal would go through, saying, "I'm in a holding pattern on that."

Florida general manager Larry Beinfest refused to comment on specifics but did say, "I'm hopeful that the work we did here can culminate in something happening."

"We'll see what happens," he said. "I'm optimistic about the work we did and the way that we moved through on a couple of different areas."

Johnson is "deliberating," Boras said Thursday. "We'll look into it. It's a big change. He went to Florida for a reason. He knows there's an opportunity in Colorado. It's just something he's beginning to think about."

The tentative trade was first reported Thursday by the Rocky Mountain News, Palm Beach Post and South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Hampton was quoted in Thursday's editions of the Denver Post as saying he would not approve a trade to Florida.

"It's not going to happen," Hampton told the paper when told a deal was possible.

"They're pretty much in the same situation we're in," Hampton said. "They've been in a cycle where they've been trading good players and going young. If I am going to be traded, I wanted to go to a team that could win right away."

The 30-year-old left-hander was 7-15 with a 6.15 ERA this year -- the highest in the major leagues among pitchers who qualified for the ERA title.

He is 21-28 with a 5.75 ERA since leaving the New York Mets to sign a $121 million, eight-year contract with the Rockies in December 2000, the richest deal for a pitcher. Following a 9-2 start in 2001, he is 12-26 with a 6.62 ERA.

Johnson, a 31-year-old catcher, hit .217 this season with six homers and 36 RBIs in 244 at-bats.

Hampton is owed $84.5 million in salary through 2009, plus $19 million in deferred money from his $21 million signing bonus.

Johnson is due $25 million over the next three years -- plus $1 million extra in 2005 if he is traded.