Bob Klapisch raises a possibility I haven’t seen yet: should the Yankees start shopping center fielder Johnny Damon?
Damon is earning $13MM annually through 2009, and has a partial no-trade clause. His age 33 season has been a disappointment so far; he’s hitting .259/.363/.364. His flyball rate is down from 40% to 32%; that might have something to do with it.
Damon was supposed to enter the 2007 season in good health, with a broken foot bone healed and his shoulder 100%. However, he began the regular season with cramps in his calves. That developed into a strain, and then hamstring and back problems surfaced in late April. Jason Giambi’s injury will give the Yankees a chance to DH Damon, but it really seems like he needs to rest for two weeks on the DL.
Trading Damon would not be easy right now, and would qualify as selling low. The Yankees would probably have to eat some of his salary. I really can’t think of a club that would make sense though. I’d suggest the White Sox, but they seem too thrilled with Darin Erstad.
