Johnny Damon Rumors

Odds & Ends: Chapman, Cubs, Holliday, Damon

Links for Saturday afternoon ... Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News spoke with a baseball executive who believes the Yankees will wind up with Aroldis Chapman. "My bet is that it'll come down to the Yankees and Red Sox, like it always does..." said the executive. "And I think the Yankees will get him. They can give him a big-league contract over five years for $20 million and they don't even feel that." The NY Post's Bart Hubbuch reports that the rumored three-way deal involving Milton Bradley, Kevin Millwood and Luis Castillo "isn't happening because the Rangers aren't...   Continue Reading

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Stark On Bradley, Uggla, Yankees, Braves, Pedro

ESPN.com's Jayson Stark responds to some of Scott Boras' recent comments before providing some rumors in his latest Rumblings and Grumblings column: The Rays, Rangers and Jays appear to be the three likeliest landing spots for Milton Bradley. The Cubs say they don't want to eat much of the $21MM remaining on Bradley's contract, so a bad contract swap still seems possible. Stark hears that the Marlins were in serious trade talks with the Giants and Rangers about Dan Uggla. There's no indication that the Yankees are in on Jason Bay or Matt Holliday at this point. The Yanks figure...   Continue Reading

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Rogers On White Sox, Gamel, Cabrera, Yankees

The White Sox have a new third baseman of the future, writes Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune. Dayan Viciedo held his own as a 20-year-old in AA this year (.708 OPS), but Brent Morel has passed him on Rogers' depth chart with a torrid stint in the Arizona Fall League. Here are the rest of Rogers' rumors: A's GM Billy Beane likes what he sees from pitching prospect Fautino de los Santos, who is hitting the mid-nineties as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. Casey McGehee has emerged as a solid player, but the Brewers are reluctant to trade...   Continue Reading

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Heyman On Damon, Lackey, Crede

After working the lobby all week at the Chicago GM Meetings, SI's Jon Heyman has the latest hot stove chatter... The Giants "appear to have emerged as one potential competitor" for the services of Johnny Damon. The Rangers met with John Lackey's agent yesterday, though they're not expected to have that kind of money available. Heyman adds that the Brewers and Mariners haven't ruled out signing the righty. Joe Crede is among the third base candidates the Orioles will consider. We heard about Adrian Beltre, Mark DeRosa, and Pedro Feliz earlier today. Lefty reliever Mike Gonzalez "appears very popular in...   Continue Reading

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Rosenthal And Morosi On Yankees, Vizquel, Bradley

Let's check in once more on Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi, as they continue to pass on rumors in their FOX Sports blog. If the Yankees were to let Johnny Damon go, they'd have plenty of other options, and not just left fielders. Some baseball people feel that New York should be focusing on center field instead of left, and the team has long coveted Mike Cameron. He could potentially replace Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner until Austin Jackson is major-league ready. Omar Vizquel will not return to Texas in 2010. A source tells Rosenthal and Morosi that Vizquel...   Continue Reading

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Yankees Notes: Damon, Matsui, Chapman

In his recap of the third day of the GM meetings, Lohud.com's Chad Jennings has a few quotes from New York GM Brian Cashman that hint at the Yankees' upcoming moves. Here are the highlights: When asked about retaining both Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon, Cashman says: “If I did that I wouldn’t have room for anybody else unless I made trades." Cashman seems to be referring to position players here, so how much flexibility they have to add pitching could be another story. It's a possibility that the Yankees could re-sign both Damon and Matsui, since they still trust...   Continue Reading

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Boras Seeking Long-Term Deal For Damon?

Joel Sherman of the New York Post says Scott Boras "sounded as if he wants a three- or four-year deal for Johnny Damon" in comments made yesterday. Sherman also questions Boras' willingness to take less than the $13MM salary Damon made the last four years. Such demands would take the Yanks out of the mix for Damon's services, no matter what Boras says about his client's gene pool. Boras' Damon comments don't mean much, until one team actually emerges that is willing to guarantee three years. Last year Boras somehow got us talking about ten years for Mark Teixeira and...   Continue Reading

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Yankees Could Keep Pettitte, Damon, Matsui

2:15pm: Just because the Yankees would prefer to keep Damon on a one-year deal doesn't mean that's possible. Speaking to Jon Heyman, Scott Boras compared Damon to Jorge Posada, who got a four-year deal and Derek Jeter, who is expected to receive one, too. 11:49am: Lohud.com's Chad Jennings notes that the October and November performances by Pettitte, Damon, and Matsui won't affect the team's decisions on whether to bring the players back. The quote from Cashman: “What they were when they went into October, that’s what they still are regardless of how well or how poorly they played in October."...   Continue Reading

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Sherman On Mets, Giants, Cardinals, Yankees

Joel Sherman of the New York Post suggests, as Adam Rubin did earlier today, that the New York Mets may not be able to sign Matt Holliday or Jason Bay because of payroll restrictions. A Mets official tells Sherman that, if that is the case, the team's Plan B involves trying to "sprinkle power at a variety of positions" rather than adding one elite hitter. One scenario Sherman outlines for the Mets is adding a catcher like Bengie Molina, an outfielder such as Jermaine Dye or Mark DeRosa, and then moving Luis Castillo to clear second base for someone with...   Continue Reading

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Crasnick Polls Baseball Executives

Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com has a fascinating piece up discussing how various baseball executives view the emerging free agent and trade market. Among those polled: Of 20 executives, 11 would want Matt Holliday, nine Jason Bay if money or length of deal were not an issue. Despite Holliday being younger, better defensively and having a better career OPS, Bay's success in the pressure cooker of Boston swayed a large number of executives. For John Lackey's destination, eight believe it will be the Yankees, four the Mets, three the Angels, and the Dodgers, Astros, Orioles and Brewers getting one vote apiece....   Continue Reading

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