4:29pm: Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets that the Tigers aren't going to sign another outfielder. As he says, they're counting on Austin Jackson.
2:07pm: Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski told Beck through a team spokesperson that the Tigers have not expressed interest in Damon. If the Braves aren't likely to sign Damon, where will he end up?
8:35am: Now that they've found a closer, the Tigers are looking for offense and Johnny Damon is one of the players they're considering, according to MLB.com's Jason Beck. The Tigers, who were first connected to Damon last night, have had preliminary talks with agent Scott Boras about Damon.
As Beck notes, the Tigers have an uncertain amount of payroll flexibility at this point, but it doesn't look like Damon will require a long-term commitment. The Braves are interested, but there are cheap corner outfield options out there, which limit Boras' leverage.
That would be a good fit, but I hope he re-signs with the Yanks for 1 year.
He will be in pinstripes I hope!!!
That would be a good fit, but I hope he re-signs with the Yanks for 1 year.
I officially don’t understand what the Tigers are doing.
It’s like they think they were actually good last year.
They weren’t. Their Pythag was of a team under .500. Damon would be a TERRIBLE move for them. All his power is to right field, and Comerica is a terrible park for hitters like him. I highly doubt Damon would even want to go there, because he’d get nothing on the free agent market a year after slugging under .400.
Damon’s career at COPA:
.363/.412/.550
171 AB’s is a fairly small sample size.
a professor of mine used to say “Too bad, that’s all the data we got. Use it!”in 502 PA vs the Tigers overall, Damon is at 302/364/469in 81 PA at Tiger Stadium, Damon is at 297/346/486in 189 PA at COPA, Damon is at 363/412/550if you’re are looking for a reason to be optimistic about Damon joining the Tigers, one might use those numbers as a good starting point
Why would you use his numbers against the Tigers, the one team he would no longer be facing, as a starting point?
Damon’s career at COPA:
.363/.412/.550
Yeah okay man. In 1st from mid April to the last month of the season is good. I don’t care who was on the team, I don’t care how weak the division was and even though they did end up losing it, they were a good team. If you can stay competitive and in the hunt all year, be in a position to play for a playoff spot… you’re a good team. And I promise you they would have put up more of a fight to the Yanks in the post season than the Twins managed.
It’s like they think they were actually good last year.
They weren’t. Their Pythag was of a team under .500. Damon would be a TERRIBLE move for them. All his power is to right field, and Comerica is a terrible park for hitters like him. I highly doubt Damon would even want to go there, because he’d get nothing on the free agent market a year after slugging under .400.
Trying to contend is a weak division?
LF/DH Damon (L)
2B Sizemore (R)
RF Maggs (R) / Clete (L)
1B Miggy (R)
DH/LF Guillen (S)
3B Inge (R)
CF AJax (R) / Clete (L)
C Laird (R) / Avila (L)
SS Everett (R) / Santiago (S)
Trying to contend is a weak division?
LF/DH Damon (L)
2B Sizemore (R)
RF Maggs (R) / Clete (L)
1B Miggy (R)
DH/LF Guillen (S)
3B Inge (R)
CF AJax (R) / Clete (L)
C Laird (R) / Avila (L)
SS Everett (R) / Santiago (S)
You’re talking about a team that sank huge money into a declining Ordonez, and a broken Dontrelle. Don’t expect to understand them.
dontrelle was dumb I agree, made no sense. But Magglio produced and earned his contract for the majority of it, which in a long-term deal is what you hope for. He also was a clubhouse leader and he was also a huge influence in enabling them to sign Miggy long-term (they are both Venezuelan and good friends). Yes he’s at the end of his contract and not doing so hot, but without him, they wouldn’t have made it to the WS in 06.
I am right with you on that. The only thing I can consider is the Tigers consider the market is favorable for them with how cheap some players are going and are jumping on it. For example, Valverde, though he may not be EVERYTHING they need, they still got him at a bargain price. and I’d take him at that price over anyone in next year’s crop of relievers.
You consider 14 million for two seasons plus the loss of a first round pick a bargain for Valverde?
yes considering he is replacing lyon and rodney. 2 years 14 mil is cheaper than 5 years and 26 million. And the draft pick loss isn’t as bad considering they have two sandwich round picks and they didn’t have a legit closer before the deal.
exactly. He is also 10x better than both of them, and has been so at a hitter’s ballpark. He’s gonna rock at Comerica and in 2011 they will actually need him to close games. Or at this years deadline, they can get prospects for him that are better and more developed than “the 19th” pick of the draft. And they are in contend-now mode.
If they are in “contend-now mode”, as you say, why did they trade away Granderson? This is a team going the cheap route in CF and 2B. I’m not saying Valverde is a bad reliever. It’s a bad signing based on the market, the Tigers current roster and ability to contend. They would have been better off letting Zumaya, Perry and Schlereth fight for the job.
I officially don’t understand what the Tigers are doing.
I don’t understand what the Tigers are doing either. With all the young outfield candidates they have, they shouldn’t need Damon. Maybe as a block to keep Ordonez’s 2011 option from vesting? I don’t know, unless the Tigers are getting him dirt cheap, they don’t need him. I can understand Valverde…but Damon??
I don’t understand what the Tigers are doing either. With all the young outfield candidates they have, they shouldn’t need Damon. Maybe as a block to keep Ordonez’s 2011 option from vesting? I don’t know, unless the Tigers are getting him dirt cheap, they don’t need him. I can understand Valverde…but Damon??
Please Boras, ship Damon off to Detroit as I don’t really want him taking playing time away from our guys who deserve it. Damon is a fine player and a great leadoff hitter (great contact, consistant OBP, sees alot of pitches, smart baserunning, nice doubles power even if the HRs drop off) but his cost and defense make him barely and upgrade if at all over Diaz in LF.
However for the Tigers I can see the appeal:
1. Damon LF/DH
2. Sizemore 2B
3. Ordonez RF/DH (dude still hit .310 with a .376 OBP)
4. Cabrera 1B
5. Guillen LF/RF/DH
6. Inge 3B
7. Jackson CF
8. Laird C
9. Everett SS
Raburn as supersub at OF/3B/1B
That defense is pretty poor at the corners but at least you can rotate them through and try to keep their legs fresh. It also is dependant on Sizemore and Jackson to produce early but the lineup as a whole had a good amount of potential.
Please Boras, ship Damon off to Detroit as I don’t really want him taking playing time away from our guys who deserve it. Damon is a fine player and a great leadoff hitter (great contact, consistant OBP, sees alot of pitches, smart baserunning, nice doubles power even if the HRs drop off) but his cost and defense make him barely and upgrade if at all over Diaz in LF.
However for the Tigers I can see the appeal:
1. Damon LF/DH
2. Sizemore 2B
3. Ordonez RF/DH (dude still hit .310 with a .376 OBP)
4. Cabrera 1B
5. Guillen LF/RF/DH
6. Inge 3B
7. Jackson CF
8. Laird C
9. Everett SS
Raburn as supersub at OF/3B/1B
That defense is pretty poor at the corners but at least you can rotate them through and try to keep their legs fresh. It also is dependant on Sizemore and Jackson to produce early but the lineup as a whole had a good amount of potential.
Yeah, I’m lost too. When evaluating potential suiters for Damon, I thought about Detroit but then “x’ed” them out because I didn’t think it fit. A) They claim a lack of money to spend B) Other than Austin Jackson, who may or mary not need some seasoning @ AAA, they have no legit CF in the mix. Clete Thomas and Ryan Raburn have spent very little time in CF over the last few years. Damon, struggled in LF and would be really exposed in CF of Comerica Park. Raburn, Thomas and Wilkin Ramirez all deserve PT and are the kind of players the Tigers should be playing (cheep and affordable w/ some upside). Assuming they aren’t crazy enough to play Damon in CF and assuming that Laird and Inge will remain at C and 3B respectively, then w/ Damon they would have 5 corners all deserving PT time because of salary or talent including Raburn, Tohmas, Guillen and Ordonez. They could move Ordonez to DH and slide one of those guys to RF but then you still have Guillen and Damon in LF. If they felt like they needed another OF and had $5 or $6 mil to spend then why didn’t they go after someone like Marlon Byrd who satisfies their needs defensively and brings some offensive ability to the table as well? As much as Damon rakes in Comerica it seems like a redundant move and a poor use of money.
I agree. I think if the Tigers acquire an outfielder, they need to acquire a guy who can play all three outfield spots…Rick Ankiel? Seems like a better fit than Damon and could provide Cabrera at least a little protection.
On second thought…I don’t like THAT idea too much either. Haha
i agree, I’d love Ankiel in Detroit. Here’s a guy who’s a year removed from hitting 30 homers playing half his games at Busch Stadium, a pitcher’s park. He could be a surprise power hitter at Comerica, another pitcher’s park. Ankiel and Endy Chavez would be the two guys I hope the Tigers target. Although I am not too sure Ankiel has much range defensively either.
to clarify, i’d be happy it if they got them cheap one-year deals, no more.
Wouldn’t mind Ankiel who is quite solid definsively but have no idea what he can offer with the bat from one day to the next. If you are looking to add Chavez the Tigers have a very nice comparable already in Clete Thomas who is a plus defender.
Ankiel is what they need, a guy that could help them this year, but isn’t dragging them down next year, when they could actually be good with all that money they have to spend. But our Outfield is going to be atrocious defensively next year if we continue to play Guillen in left and Ordonez in Right. I think they should grab Ankiel though to give A-Jax some more seasoning in the minors. If anything, Ankiel’s a one-year gamble that could pay dividends. (See E. Jackson). Endy Chavez could play good defense in Center, Ankiel/Ordonez in right and Clete Thomas/Rayburn in left. I know both Ordonez and Guillen are expensive to platoon, but Platoon him and Guillen at DH that way Ordonez’s 2011 option doesn’t vest (PLEASE NO).
I agree. I think if the Tigers acquire an outfielder, they need to acquire a guy who can play all three outfield spots…Rick Ankiel? Seems like a better fit than Damon and could provide Cabrera at least a little protection.
ya really, its not like we don’t have enough slow, aging OFs in Guillen and Ordonez. If anything get some defense in the OF. How about Endy Chavez at a minor league deal, assuming his range hasn’t declined drastically since those two surgeries? I wouldn’t mind Damon so much then in LF, assuming A-Jax and Endy play good defense in center and right. Then platoon Magglio and Guillen at DH so that Magglio DOES NOT reach his incentive.
Yeah, I’m lost too. When evaluating potential suiters for Damon, I thought about Detroit but then “x’ed” them out because I didn’t think it fit. A) They claim a lack of money to spend B) Other than Austin Jackson, who may or mary not need some seasoning @ AAA, they have no legit CF in the mix. Clete Thomas and Ryan Raburn have spent very little time in CF over the last few years. Damon, struggled in LF and would be really exposed in CF of Comerica Park. Raburn, Thomas and Wilkin Ramirez all deserve PT and are the kind of players the Tigers should be playing (cheep and affordable w/ some upside). Assuming they aren’t crazy enough to play Damon in CF and assuming that Laird and Inge will remain at C and 3B respectively, then w/ Damon they would have 5 corners all deserving PT time because of salary or talent including Raburn, Tohmas, Guillen and Ordonez. They could move Ordonez to DH and slide one of those guys to RF but then you still have Guillen and Damon in LF. If they felt like they needed another OF and had $5 or $6 mil to spend then why didn’t they go after someone like Marlon Byrd who satisfies their needs defensively and brings some offensive ability to the table as well? As much as Damon rakes in Comerica it seems like a redundant move and a poor use of money.
Everyone jokes about Sabean for taking on old or broken down, expensive guys. Dombrowski seems to want to build his teams in that mold.
You never know if this just a plot to get some more money out of the Braves. I mean if he can’t get a second team he invents one.
more money out of the Braves? lol. The Braves have no money. They have at most 5 mil. I don’t see Damon taking any more than that, if all that at all.
Considering we dont NEED Damon we can just say 3.5M take it or leave it. If Boras says they can get 6M from the Tigers and to beat it, we can just move on and not worry about it.
I’m pretty sure Heyman and Beck are on Boras’ payroll and this is the team to supposedly give him leverage to keep his asking price up. Every single Boras client always has a mystery team (not in this case) or a team that makes no sense. Damon will not be a tiger and if so he’d have to be a DH bc he is not covering that huge outfield.
The reason the Tigers would entertain Damon would be that have no one in the lineup remotely close to resembling a leadoff hitter. Damon would also give them a a lefty bat which only has one in the lineup with Guillen. The Tigers consistently are right-handed heavy when the park is much better suited for left-hand hitters and this needs to change. While it would be nice to have someone capable of playing plus defense the Tigers lineup sorely lacks productive bats besides Cabrera. He would at least be an upgrade over Guillen defensively. 2nd and most importantly it would allow Ryan Raburn to be a super sub and spell Magglio in right to not let his option vest.
Still plenty of teams in need of a DH.
Just sign with the Yankees man you are going nowhere fast.
The Tigers don’t need Damon. Finally, Dombrowski is making some sense.
So let me get this straight, the braves are out on Damon, the Tigers are out on Damon. Who besides the spankees are IN on Damon?!? Oh right Johnny Damon is in on Damon.
UM bro the yankees done said they werent gona resign him lol… to me i think the braves will sign him and trade melky…
If his stock drops enough the Giants should pick him up for RF. There’s not many suitors left, and SF has some money to spend even if they spend some to get a starting catcher.
With his arm, I cannot imagine any MLB team ever putting Damon in RF.
Put Damon in LF and DeRosa in RF
The list I’m refering to seeing has your pal Johnny on it. It also has other free agents still looking for work. And it has the guys people tried to dump this off season. I see a heck of a corralation to the list I have read to the list of guys not being given much of a chance by mlb teams…or they are riding out the contracts…or they are not givng them much at all.
————–
So have you actually seen the allegedly sealed list of 104 players? If not, then you’re talking out your backside. If all steroids could do for Johnny from 2002-2004 was an avg of 15 hrs and a noodle for an arm, then Johnny needs to get his money back. His numbers, for the most part, have been consistantly the same over the past 5-7 years. I would argue that any of the FA still looking for work, that you speculate, may have been on that 2004 list are still unemployed not because of use, but because they are 5 years older and their production has been in decline. Steroids can do a lot but they don’t help improve your batting avg, OBP or poor defense. If it did then Damon wouldn’t need a cut off man in short LF when he’s throwing from the warning track.
I figured from the start this wasn’t a true rumor. Purely speculation that turned into a rumor. All these “what are they doing” posters just needed to chill until it was either confirmed or denied. I’m glad DD came out quickly today and in fact came out and said we aren’t interested in Damon
If the Giants can’t sign their current target Kiko Calero, I could see Sabean trying to sign Damon to play left field and move DeRosa to right field. The Giants still have a need for a leadoff hitter and we all know that Sabean loves them veterans! Of course Damon isn’t going to get more than $3 or $4 million on a one year deal from the Giants. Still that might be more than the $2 million the Yankees or Braves say that they have available. I still wouldn’t count out the Giants in signing Damon.
it’ll be the bravos that sign damon. they’re just using negotiating tactics right now because they’re dealing with boras. damon will get around $4 mill and hit leadoff.
it’ll be the bravos that sign damon. they’re just using negotiating tactics right now because they’re dealing with boras. damon will get around $4 mill and hit leadoff.
If the Rockies could move Spilborghs, I could see the Rockies as a possible destination at the right price… in terms of AL teams, I think the M’s could be a surprise in the Damon sweepstakes… I know Jackie Z’s defense policy, but maybe as a DH role, rotating weekly with Bradley and Griffey??
Nobody wants you johny
I hope the Braves does sign Damon… Im tired of hearing everone say ih i dont want him i hope he sign with the yanks… Well im here to tell you that hes not signing with the yanks…
What? Huh? Holy talkin’ out your ass Batman, how in the world is Damon “assumed” to be on the list of 102 mlb players that failed the steroid test? Because he has a Cro-Magnon looking head and is a Boras client doesn’t mean he’s juicing.
I know the list you’re referring to, and I also know that it’s based on pure speculation. The players not getting deals are aging defensive liabilities, something people actually care about nowadays.
That list has already been proven to be 100% fake.
if it bumps Pierre to the 9 hole, i’m all for it