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« Freese Is Cardinals' First Choice For Third Base | Main | Odds & Ends: Johjima, Rockies, Kikuchi »
Boras Discusses Johnny Damon
We discussed Scott Boras' Matt Holliday-Mark Teixeira comparison yesterday. Today let's check out Boras' take on another of his high-profile free agent clients - Johnny Damon. Peter Botte of the New York Daily News has the quotes:
"Not that I've been thinking about this, but players who can get on the field every day and score 100 runs, how many guys do that? Johnny just plays, and he's got the body type that allows him to do that. If stem-cell research were around, you'd want to tap into that gene pool. He's (35), but has a 30-year-old's body. He plays much younger."
The best part is definitely, "not that I've been thinking about this." Also...is stem-cell research not around? Boras may also use a possible run at 3,000 hits as a selling point, but even he can't pitch a four-year deal for Damon.
Damon, 36 in November, hit .282/.365/.489 in 626 plate appearances this year. He played over 1,100 innings in left field, and UZR/150 found him below-average. There's speculation the Yankees will re-sign Damon or Hideki Matsui on a one-year deal and use that player partially at DH. Realistically, Damon's $13MM salary should be halved for 2010.
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I love Damon, but everyone knows Boras is wrong.
Damon has had shoulder/back/calf issues for the last 3 years. Thats why he gets so many days off- and the Yankees have the ability to do that with their lineup. So no he doesnt have a 30 year old body.
Posted by: Deanezag | October 20, 2009 at 09:03 AM
White Sox - LF/DH - Pods platoon.
Posted by: rockford | October 20, 2009 at 09:04 AM
I would like a compiled list of all idiotic statements, or, salesman statements, Boras has made.
If Boras really did say this, word for word, he's pretty much saying he's got nothing left to sell when it comes to Damon. A selling point is that he's got a 30 year old's body is useless, and the claim/fact that he scores 100 runs only is a testimony as to the people behind him batting him around to score. Boras is one interesting person to listen to. Not!
Posted by: UncleMo | October 20, 2009 at 09:07 AM
HE'S Back
Boras cracks me up.
Posted by: Cyyoung | October 20, 2009 at 09:10 AM
I love this guy. I know everyone loves to hate him but you have to admit he does and says everything he can to help his clients.
Posted by: bbxxj | October 20, 2009 at 09:23 AM
"who can get on the field every day and score 100 runs"
aka "this car is old but still starts up everyday, but only in ideal conditions." sure he gets on base, but also has Texeira and ARod behind him. Runs scored is a conditional stat. he's never had a good arm and has 3 muscle areas in decline. it's time to DH Johnny.
Posted by: el clash combo | October 20, 2009 at 09:51 AM
I could see him replacing Abreau/ Vladi in Anaheim.
Maybe he'll grow his hair and beard back.
Posted by: TheAntiRecruiter | October 20, 2009 at 09:53 AM
Boras is so full of crap. But I guess he could probably sell a steaming fresh cow pie as a Big Mac, and some owner out there would buy it. And pay double for it.
Posted by: Monkeyspanked | October 20, 2009 at 10:04 AM
Wait. If he does leave town, he can grow his hair out and then they can give locks of hair out as home game promos. We're on to somethin'. Oh, and he can show up everyday and score 100 runs.
Posted by: UncleMo | October 20, 2009 at 10:31 AM
Boras blows smoke like nobody else, but you have to admit that a 282 average in over 600 at bats is nothing to sneeze at. Obviously he's got something left in the tank and can help somebody. The question is who and at what price...
Posted by: Redbird | October 20, 2009 at 10:36 AM
Whoever misses out on Holiday will then overpay for Damon...
I am a Yankees fan and really would not mind seeing him go. Move Cano up to the two spot and then replace him with someone who can throw harder than my grandma...
Posted by: mike | October 20, 2009 at 10:59 AM
Which is why Damon should be a more permanent DH next year and they should let Matsui walk. Since he's not Type A, I would probably not even offer Matsui arbitration.
Platoon of Gardner/Melky again in CF, Swisher butchering RF, and a FA acquisition in LF. Damon could still play once or twice a week as needed, but Damon as a DH can keep him rested and use his speed more on the bases.
Posted by: turrdog | October 20, 2009 at 11:13 AM
Cano will lead the league in DPs if he bats second. The guy doesn't walk or strikeout, has little speed, and with Jeter getting on 300 times in front of him, he may crack 30 of them.
Posted by: turrdog | October 20, 2009 at 11:15 AM
@Mike:
Do you really want Cano's .350 OBP batting in the 2-hole? I know I wouldn't. If anything, it'll probably be Swisher batting second if Damon leaves and Holliday batting 5th.
Posted by: not sure | October 20, 2009 at 12:02 PM
"He's (35), but has a 30-year-old's body."
Oddly Boras forgot to mention Damon's 40 year-old legs and 50 year-old arm.
Posted by: Little Bear | October 20, 2009 at 01:15 PM
Saying Damon should only make half his '09 salary going forward might be a bit harsh. He's consistently been a +2.5 - 3 win player, and so should be worth 10-12MM on a short term deal. I'd guess it will be somewhat less, perhaps 9M a year for 2 years. 6.5MM next year would be a bargain.
Posted by: Mule | October 20, 2009 at 01:25 PM
"Oddly Boras forgot to mention Damon's 40 year-old legs and 50 year-old arm."
I think as he's gotten older his arm has actually gotten younger. When he first came to the Yankees he had the arm of an 8 year old...so now he's got the arm of a 3 or 4 year old.
Posted by: not sure | October 20, 2009 at 01:30 PM
Everyone here is wanting to pay Damon for what he has done instead of what he will do since he'll be older. Yeesh.
Posted by: UncleMo | October 20, 2009 at 01:51 PM
"Everyone here is wanting to pay Damon for what he has done instead of what he will do since he'll be older. Yeesh."
Isn't that usually how contracts are based?
Posted by: ECT | October 20, 2009 at 02:07 PM
Johnny "No Arm" belongs in the Bronx...sign him for two more plus an optional 3rd at, say, $8m per...
Posted by: hawkny | October 20, 2009 at 02:37 PM
IF the Phils win one more and the Yanks get by the Angels I can't WAIT for the Phils to test out that $13 million arm of Damon's.
Boras is a tool. Sure its a free country and he can say what he wants but it sure helps to get to 100 runs when you're hitting around Tex, Arod and Jeter. You think he gets anywhere close to that number with the Nationals? YOu think a solid up and coming player can put up numbers similar to his in NY with those he has around him??
Posted by: philsWSchamps | October 20, 2009 at 02:54 PM
Watching Damon try to reach second base on the fly from the outfield is one of the funniest things in all of baseball. Sign him up, if only for the entertainment value.
Posted by: Rootdown | October 20, 2009 at 03:51 PM
"but even he can't pitch a four-year deal for Damon."
This is where you're wrong, Tim. Boras can (and likely will) pitch it. The question is whether anyone will buy it. Last year, who would have thought that Boras would have the audacity to argue that Varitek should receive a comparable deal to Posada's, at a time when Posada was injured and it appeared unlikely that he would last as a catcher through the end of his contract?
Posted by: DunkinDonuts | October 20, 2009 at 05:04 PM
yeah, and he throws like my grandma.
Posted by: yankfan1 | October 20, 2009 at 05:48 PM
Any credibility Boras still had was lost after he claimed last offseason that Varitek was worth 4 years/$40+ million. Now, the only folks who still believe what Boras has to say are the same ones who attend Star Trek conventions.
Posted by: Bernard Malamud | October 20, 2009 at 06:01 PM
Damon turned in the best season of his career by OPS+. Also, as I learned from reading this site, his OPS was .120 higher at home.
A short-term deal that would let him continue in LF (while Matsui remained the DH) would make sense for both Damon and the Yankees. If he insists on getting some 4-year Borasized contract, the Yankees will let him walk. At that point, they might as well make a power move for Holliday.
Posted by: Jeremy | October 20, 2009 at 06:09 PM
The Perez to Koufax comparisons are still the best.
For those that think Damon won't get 4 years ... I wouldn't bet against Boras.
Who would have thought that a pitcher coming off a year in which he posted a WHIP of above 1.4 (which actually LOWERED his career WHIP) would land a 3/$36m deal. And you can't chalk it up to buying early - this was paid after the market had collapsed.
Damon is interesting though. He is an Abreu clone. Both hit for decent average, both walk (nod to Abreu here), both have middling power for a corner outfielder/DH, and both should be restricted to just a DH role. The only real difference is the rate of decline. Damon has been relatively consistent from an OPS perspective while Abreu has started a significant downward slide.
Posted by: bjsguess | October 20, 2009 at 06:11 PM
Just to be clear - I am not suggesting that a team actually does give Damon a 4 year deal (although I wouldn't be shocked). Also, I am not suggesting that he deserves a 4 year deal (clearly he does not).
Both Abreu and Damon should be happy with 2/16 - 2/18 type deals.
Posted by: bjsguess | October 20, 2009 at 06:12 PM
Watched the 03 ALCS game today... Matsui had some wheels on him then & seeing Damon with the Sox makes you wonder if Borass tries to hard sell Damon on a team or encourages him to stay in NY on a 1-2 year deal and help pad his stats with the short porch. Who knows with Damon, who'd a thunk he was going to NY in the first place.
Posted by: Maddoniz | October 20, 2009 at 06:13 PM
Two things.
Yankee fans, you shoulda seen this coming. Even you have to admit that Theo Epstein is a great GM, and not outbidding you guys for Damon should say something in the back of your minds like "Huh, I wonder why the Sox didn't just pony up the cash?" I wondered that myself for a couple of years when we lacked a leadoff man but when Elssbury came around and became our leadoff and Johnny began struggling, I realized why we hadn't.
And two,
If Boras is so stupid as to say "If stem cell research were around..." I will laugh so hard. I just f'ing learned about stem cell research in my biology class today lol.
Posted by: bosox15 | October 20, 2009 at 07:18 PM
"Oddly Boras forgot to mention Damon's 40 year-old legs and 50 year-old arm."
I think as he's gotten older his arm has actually gotten younger. When he first came to the Yankees he had the arm of an 8 year old...so now he's got the arm of a 3 or 4 year old.
Posted by: not sure | October 20, 2009 at 01:30 PM
----------------
Hands down...this is THEE funniest "ish" I've read all day. Ladies and gentlemen..the award for the best freakin' comment of the day goes to (drum roll)...."Not Sure"!! Put that one in the archives.
PS- I think the "stem cell" research refered to IF it were LEGAL and IN PRACTICE to use stem cell knowledge on humans. I could be wrong but I don't think it's legal, anywhere, to actually use it beyond testing on animals.
Posted by: YanksFanSince78 | October 20, 2009 at 11:23 PM
Damon still has a lot to offer a team, especially the Yanks. The trick is to accurately appraise his value and put forth a contract equal to his value. He obviously can still hit, he can still run, he can drive the ball evident by his 60 xtra base hits and he's still a solid OBP guy. He can also play LF, albeit not at a high level. How he does manage to help make up for his lack of range is by positioning himself according to the hitter and how the pitcher is going to pitch him. If he can DH for 100-120 games and play LF for another 30-40 then I think he can be a productive player. The ability to play 30-40 games in LF and his speed (which also translates into more xtra basehits) will ultimately make up for the 5-10 hrs Matsui might have over him.
Posted by: YanksFanSince78 | October 20, 2009 at 11:27 PM
I'd much rather bring Matsui back and let Damon go elsewhere. Matsui is built to be a DH in Yankee stadium.
Posted by: gianthinker | October 21, 2009 at 09:26 AM
i think that damon will resign for 2 years 15 mil even if boras thinks he can get more cuz at this point damon is comfortable in ny so when u r on the back end of a career and u r on the 1 team that will pay u year in and year out as long as u produce there is no sense on goin to the rangers or some place crazy to prove yourself again cuz boston and ny would b all set and good luck gettn $ anywhere else.....also runs scored is the most overrated stat cuz anyone that walks and slaps a couple singles with 2 mvp candidates behind them will score 100 runs with that said he will b back and im hoping that the rays dont pick up crawfords option with swish damon and crawford splitting time in corner outfield and dhin that will b even better then this year all do respect to matsui crawford can hit 300 get his walks power is increasin even though this year not so much but he can steal whenever between him and gardner that is an easy 100 thefts
Posted by: yanks>all | October 21, 2009 at 10:41 AM