SI's Jon Heyman listened to Scott Boras hold court up at the GM meetings in Chicago, and reports that (a) Boras thinks that Damon should get a four-year deal; (b) Damon doesn't want less than his current $13 million; (c) the Yankees are saying that they are "absolutely not" going to offer him four years -- more like 2; (d) the Yankees offer would be at $10 million per; and (e) the Giants have some interest in Damon.Setting aside for a moment the fact that Heyman's report reads more like a press release for Johnny Damon as opposed to a news story (Jon: the reason Damon leads many other players in stats measured "over the past 12 seasons" is because he's old!) let's parse this:
Just because the Yankees have more money than God doesn't mean that they're going to throw it away stupidly. Indeed, in the past few years we've seen the Yankees move from a model of spending outrageous amounts of money stupidly to spending outrageous amounts of money wisely. If you're the Yankees, in an offseason where almost every other team is looking to slash payroll, and there are at least three all-star caliber left fielders around, why on earth would you give the oldest one $52 million over four years? If I'm Brain Cashman I call the bluff on Damon, wish him well in that big outfield in San Francisco and focus my attention on Matt Holliday.
Which, come to think of it, may be Boras' hope anyway. If the Yankees are eliminated as a Damon suitor -- and a hard demand for a four year deal for the guy should eliminate them -- it opens up the market for Holliday, also a Boras client, considerably.
If the Yanks can resign Matsui to DH and Damon goes and postures himself into this year's Abreu signing, it would probably be for the best. At least no one thinks Matsui can wear a fielding glove, whereas a manager could talk themselves into the fielding horror show that Damon has become. Godzilla is a better hitter still, I think I see a solution here.
Damon will be back so it's a waste of time and energy to read anything more to it. Nobody is giving him a 4 year contract and he loves it in New York.
I could care less. GO PHILLIES.
Don't be so certain. Brian Sabean isn't as bad as a lot of people think, but he'll overpay for declining veterans in his sleep. Even if he doesn't offer four years, I'm sure he could have Damon on a three-year deal. And the Yanks would be foolish to match it.
let Damon go use the money to sign Lackey, then resign Matsui to protect Arod in line up ,Jorgie can not be the bat behind arod he hits into to many double plays. for left field use the kid use melky and center austin jackson and gardner. the yanks become younger better defensively and have the best 1-4 rotation in the game. at no increase in team payroll.
let Damon go use the money to sign Lackey, then resign Matsui to protect Arod in line up ,Jorgie can not be the bat behind arod he hits into to many double plays. for left field use the kid use melky and center austin jackson and gardner. the yanks become younger better defensively and have the best 1-4 rotation in the game. at no increase in team payroll.
The headline should read, "Boras is pricing Damon out of New York".
If the Yankees sign Holiday its all over but the shouting, they are a lock for another championship. Can you imagine pitching through that lineup?
I give Johnny Damon's hamstrings three weeks at the outside covering that San Francisco center field in that damp chill off the Bay. You'd have to put him in thermal long johns and let him ride a Segway with tundra tires and a bored-out cylinder if you wanted to get more than fifty games out of him in any given season.
As far as Matsui, Godzilla belongs in New York. I still remember standing by the window of my 20th-floor room in the Shinegawa Prince Hotel in Tokyo, looking out over Tokyo Bay and thinking, wow, this is the rail yard where Godzilla walked out of the harbor and picked up that commuter train in his mouth. I also recall all the Matsui Borg bobbleheads being sold along with the votive Buddhas and incense cones at the Shoji Temple bazaar. But I also realize that times have changed. The Phillies are the new hibakusha and the bronze statue of Godzilla on the pedestal in front of the main entrance to the Tokyo central railroad station will soon be moved to the front entrance of the new Borg Stadium. Why fight it? In any case Matsui's story plays a lot better there than that godawful Roland Emmerich remake. At least it has a script.
Baseball is on it's way out because the serious bad economy has caught up!
$4.00 @ gal gas this year.
Yankee owner on the way out so $$$$ will not be a problem!
Making money will!
All teams are looking to reduce $$$$ except the Yankees.
The attendance will take a big hit this year!
People are sick of hearing hom much these player want for $$$$$$.
Yesterday I read a comment made by Boras where he said Damon's health isn't an issue and that "his durability is off the charts." Is Scott talking about the same Johnny Damon who strained a calf muscle while rounding 3rd base in the 2nd or 4th inning of game six in this past WS, and as a result had to sit the rest of the game? Ha!
dude, take your medication, ok.It will get better just stop
banging your head on the walls.............
" Yankee owner on the way out so $$$$ will not be a problem "
THIS IS SO FUNNY , TELL ME ANOTHER JOKE.
Yeah, that's him, Damon also told fox sports that his calf gives him cramps when it is cold.
Godzilla will be a Yankee soon & will be offered a 3yr / $24M (Yanks Option for 3rd year with a $2M buyout essentially making it a 2yr / $19M deal) and he will gladly accept. The Yanks need his bat in the lineup. Damon is insane if he thinks he's getting a 4yr deal. The Yanks gave 4yrs to Posada and Mo because of their long tenure in the organization - sorry Johhny, you don't qualify for that kind of commitment or $$. Sign Figgy for 4yrs / $50M and stick him in left field and lead him off!
Scott Boras is a comic, he has alot of jokes, but the YANKEES AIN'T laughin,,,,,,,,,,,
Cash knows how to deal with Scott,,,,,,,
He did get hurt, but he's also played in at least 140 games in every season of his career, so 12+ years worth of data > one game.
Good god I hope not. One year with maybe a team option for a second, anything after that and the Yanks are blocking Montero who should (hopefully) be ready by 2012 if not 2011.
The new world order Yankees are not giving Damon or Matsui three or four year deals.
If Cashman doesn't get bogged down in sentiment he'll jettison both and sign either Bay or Holliday and maybe resign Nady at a reduced rate, although Nady is another Boras client.
Realistically the Yankees shed $32.5 million on Nady, Matsui and Damon, they got zero production out of Nady last year and could easily sign Bay and Jermain Dye for less than that money and be set with spare change left over.
Thanks for your service Damon. Enjoy your contract with a 2nd or 3rd place team.
Hmmmm... well then I guess luckily for both Damon and the Yankees it wasn't a game where they needed him, no? ;-)
Thomas - If the Yankees sign Holiday its all over but the shouting, they are a lock for another championship. Can you imagine pitching through that lineup?
You mean that 3 man rotation.
Burnett is flakey and Petitte is 38 yrs old...a lock...I think NOT.
Just to remind you, Pettite the 38 year old won the three clinchers
FOR THE YANKEES, HE IS THE ALL TIME WINNER IN POST SEASON WINS AND
HE HAD NO ARM PROBLEMS, YOU DON'T THINK HE WOULD PICK UP 300 WINS,HE IS A LEFTY, COME ON.
Just to remind you, Pettite the 38 year old won the three clinchers
FOR THE YANKEES, HE IS THE ALL TIME WINNER IN POST SEASON WINS AND
HE HAD NO ARM PROBLEMS, YOU DON'T THINK HE WOULD PICK UP 300 WINS,HE IS A LEFTY, COME ON.
:) yes, luckily that K from Marte with two on and Utley up allowed my heart to get back to beating normally. I swear after what he did to CC and Pettitte, the yanks should have just rolled the ball to Posada since it'd be the only guaranteed way to keep him from hitting a HR. Utley was a monster that series.
He's a 37 year old (will be 38 next year) pitcher with 229 career wins. If he averages 15 wins a year, he'll need 4.5 years to break 300. For a guy who hates being away from his family, I doubt he sticks around that long.
Are you smoking crack again?! That's the silliest, ill-informed diatribe posted in this section EVER. Pack your pipe and keep movin'. The Yankees rule and baseball will never die.
they definitely aren't resigning matsui, girardi already said the only thing matsui can do is DH and he wants to give some of the other ailing players a rest every now and then, so Matsui definitely out, sign holliday and give damon a 1 or 2 year dear at a reduced rate and everyones happy.
Regadless of all of this...mark my words, Phillies in 7!!! Mark my words!!
Mark my Words, Philly in seven...mark my words!!
Sign Nady he will put up the same numbers as Damon over a full season (has a better arm also) and at a bargain rate (one year) which will make him play harder for a new contract and he is younger. Forget about Holiday he cannot hit AL pitching he has better numbers in a fastball league (NL). Go after Granderson hard he will clear up the CF position for at least 5 years resign Matsui at all cost this guy is a top notch professional and watching him he is a great hitter in the clutch,Ive seen this his whole yankee career. Damon let him walk his body is breaking down. Thanks for the years Damon but you understand this is a business. Check on the availability of Halladay and Hernandez. Halladay should come cheaper than Hernandez but I would rather have Hernandez and I would trade either Joba or Hughes and prospects for Hernandez after I lock him up to a long term deal before the trade. Also if Pettitte doesnt come back look to pickup a Lefty starter via free agency (Washburn) or trade. Last but not least find a competent 2 innings set-up man via your current roster Joba,Hughes or trade (Heath Bell).
If Cashman could swing a deal for Granderson and Edwin Jackson (awesome potenial on a team that will score runs for him) deal that would be awesome. Jackson had 13 wins,33 starts and a 3.62 era that would be awesome for a number 4 or 5 starter in the rotation. Jackson had a better season than Lackey and he is much younger. Granderson will be the leadoff hitter and he should hit 25-30 homeruns and bat 280-290 average and steal some bases. Matsui makes the most of his at bats when he does get them so youll get 20-25 homeruns out of him and Nady youll get 20-30 homeruns out of him and these number are for a full season 140-162 games. Matsui's at bats will be less than that but like I said very smart hitter he makes the most out of his at bats! Matsui is younger than Damon and he is also a true homerun hitter and rbi man! Jason Bay,Lackey and Holliday stay away from them! Hernandez is a young workhorse as is Jackson they will both win games and eat up innings in Pinstripes!
What Sour Grapes, but,I don't expect anything else from the worst deluded bunch of parasite so called fans. You embarrass a great team with your mindless rants.
The 27 time World Series Champions, the Legendary New York Yankees probably won't be resigning either Matsui or Damon. The Yankees need to get younger,so they will be leaving the DH role open, so they can rest they're aging stars Jeter and Posada, and give them days off in the field, and let them DH. They both could've played First Base, but, last years signing of Tex has now left that option out. What the Yankees will do this off-season is maybe to sign a couple of stop gap measures for this year, while waiting to sign Doc Holliday in free agency next year. They might also be a serious contender for Detroit's Curtis Granderson to replace Damon in left field, or Clone Figgin's, but not the over priced Matt Holliday, who I believe will stay in the National League, probably with ST Louis. They will also probably take a look at Ben Sheets,but other than those moves, I can't see the World Series Champs doing much else this year, again the focus will be around making Doc Holliday a New York Yankee next year.
Granderson, with his sparkling career OBP of .344 and average 150 Ks per year would be a great leadoff hitter for New York.............if you're a Red Sox fan.