The Yankees are reportedly in "extensive" talks with Raul Ibanez about their DH job, but another option is no longer on the table. Johnny Damon told George A. King III and Joel Sherman of The New York Post that both he and the team are no longer considering a second tour of duty in New York.
"We both are looking at other options now,'' said Damon, adding that it's "unfortunate."
GM Brian Cashman acknowledged that the two sides spoke about a possible reunion, saying: "He called and I told him the truth. He is not the No. 1 option if and when I turn to DH options."
Earlier today we heard that even after the A.J. Burnett trade, the Yankees only have enough money to sign Eric Chavez or a left-handed DH, not both. Team executives will meet next week to reconsider the budget once the trade is made official, however. More than 58% of nearly 12,000 MLBTR readers prefer either Ibanez or Vladimir Guerrero to Damon according to the results of this morning's poll.
Jon Heyman weeps tonight.
hahahaha
Yeah…it’s Johnny who doesn’t WANT da Yankees….
if hes not considering the yankees what else does he have to consider
a return to kansas city
Don’t they have Butler for DH?
Baltimore
“We both are looking at other options now,” said Damon, adding that it’s “unfortunate.”
Puhlease, Johnny. You had a better shot being the DH with the A’s, not NY.
Even the A’s would rather sign Manny than kick the tires on Damon.
Damon says it’s unfortunate? But what’s really unfortunate is that Damon listens to Boras and sells himself to the highest bidder.
Whaaa?
Wow not a smart move Damon is not good enough to just stop considering teams.
Try reading between the lines a little. He’s not considering the Yanks after the Yanks told him no.
Bit of a misleading post title, eh? How could you be considering a team that isn’t considering you and never was?
I’ve seen the looks he gives Kim Jones.
uhh more like the other way around… not sure why the Yankees have their sights on Ibanez, and Damon. I’d rather have Matsui, the guy is one of the best with RISP, our lineup relies on the longball way too much. He can do that, and also drive a runner in. Its not like you need Ibanez to play the field. Andruw jones is a better opetion than him, and you can always move Nunez to LF. Oh well.
I really wish the Yanks would consider Vlad Guerrero. I’ve drooled about the idea for years.
I liked Damon in his first tour with the Yankees, and I still think he could help a team. I wonder if what the Yankees are really thinking is that they need a player who won’t be as needy as Damon-even if Damon would be somewhat more productive than the other options. The Yankees are probably looking for someone who would be content with 300 PA, and could play a position for a week or two if needed. They have to rotate some of their older players into the DH spot. And, economically, if the slot that the Yankees perceive Damon would be in is only going to be a part-time player for them, the $5MM Damon has been asking (plus luxury tax) is way out of line. Too bad. Damon’s late career is likely showing poor representation by Boras.
who are these older players we need to worry about in 2012? Arod and who? jeter can sit on the bench and relax. not like they would miss it that much for 1 game.
Cano, Granderson, Gardner, Nova… obviously.
– ECB
That’s far too much sarcasm for these discussion boards. I’m going to have to report you to a moder….
Oh wait.
I thought he always wanted to be a Detroit Tiger? Give me a break Damon. You’ve always been about the money and always will be. Your media statements are worse than your throwing arm.
I’d like to see him on the Tigers. The Tigers don’t really NEED him, but they can’t go wrong with a one-year $3mil deal.
They should slot him in as the first lefty second basemen in MLB. That infield defense would be unstoppable…
As a M’s fan I’d be interested in Johnny Damon as our LF and split time with Montero at DH
No thanks. We have Carp out in LF. Mariners do not need Damon. Period.
if you all read it it says Cashman is the one who First said HE wasn’t considering DAMON ….so what ELSE is Damon going to say after THAT?
I think that New York would be smart to sign Ibanez instead of Damon. Damon had a better batting average in 2011, but Ibanez had more power and runs batted in. Vladimir Guerrero makes sense for the Twins as a somewhat-powerful righty off of their bench or as a DH.
If Jim Thome can sign with an NL team (Phillies) then why not Damon? Assuming there’s an interested team, don’t see why he’s limited to AL / DHing. Thome’s role with PHI is likely minor compared to what Damon could offer, no?
Sadly, this is not really true, IMO. What we saw here in TB last season when Johnny tried to play in the field was not pretty. He did not run good routes to balls, flat out missed some, misplayed some, etc. And he’s never had much of an arm. Maybe he’s just rusty and needs more work but he likely woudn’t be a serious consideration for anything but DH. Solve the problem and institute the DH in the NL.
Damon shld lower his price and just find a place to play for the year, wherever. Enough posturing.
way to keep your pride intact johnny
Correction: Yankees no longer considering Johnny Damon
Plenty of teams will pick Jonny up for $1m a year. His agent has him so over-priced.
The Rays would bring him back for $1m.
Surprised Detroit doesn’t grab him – another team who would be a good fit is Cleveland.
Just retire, Damon. Your arm is jello and no-one cares that you’re close to 3000 hits except for you. you’re not making it to Cooperstown unless you’re attending someone else’s induction ceremony, so no sense wasting everyone’s time. Let a kid have your roster spot; you broke the Sox curse, sold your soul to the Devil for a quick buck and a stint in the limelight of New York City.
In short: Go Away.
Cut the guy a break. If you are a Sox fan, you have to feel good about 2004 and the role he played in it. And be fair-the Sox didn’t offer him much to stay before he went to the Yankees. The guy still wants to play, and he can contribute at some level. If he prices himself out, or only want to play under certain conditions, and ends up sitting, then he only has himself and his agent to blame. But we are talking about a guy who always played hard, stayed on the field, was apparently clean. There are a heck of a lot of worse guys out there-players who took the money and didn’t perform-or even care.
we offered him the same years for $3M less. Yes, I am happy for the memoriess he gave me as a Sox fan but I am bitter about the fact that he went to the Yankees. I appreciate his heart and his willingness to play hurt but I will always remember him putting on that Yankee uniform and it will always make me sick.
Understood, (although I thought they offered him three years) and I’m a Yankee fan, and I was glad to have him. When his time was up with the Yankees, he wanted more than they offered as well. My point was with so many bums out there (and both the Yankees and Red Sox have had them) Damon played hard. These guys get only so long to make their money before they become afterthoughts. If Albert can leave a great situation for more money, I’ll cut Damon some slack.
well technically the total package from the Red Sox was 4/42 IIRC and the Yankees offered 4/54. that’s 3M less per season/12M less total. I respect the guy and whenever I re-watch the 2004 ALCS and World Series games I smile when I see him (as I’d expect you to smile if you re-watched the games from the Yankees later 90s dynasty when you saw Posada) but I detest him for signing with you guys. I hate Clemmens for the same thing. If a player leaves and goes to a team I respect–any team other than Philly or New York teams or New York/Philly/Pittsburgh in the NFL–I have no problem but if you play for one of the Sox rivals I am harsh and unforgiving.
slight correction: Red Sox offered him 4yrs/$40M ($10M per), yanks offered him 4yrs/$52M ($13M per). Hardly the difference between rags and riches. that’s why I am so peeved. he got a fair offer from the Sox and he took Yankee money instead.
Loyalty is a tough thing and it’s very often not a two-way street. Plenty of teams-and both the Yankees and Red Sox do this-show players the door when their time is up or they are thought of as superfluous. It’s hard on fans, because we want the player to want to stay as long as we want them, at whatever the team is offering-and then we gripe and even boo when their production falls off (mike lowell comes to mind). Both Bernie and Posada saw the all-caps handwriting on the wall, and took it hard, but eventually they retired. From the Sox side, you can start with Clemens, with plenty to follow. The team wants them to stay, until it wants them gone, and then they are garbage. And very often the press and the fans follow right afterwards.
Lowell was essentially resigned solely because of his heroics in the 2007 World Series. At the parade people were screaming ‘Bring Back Lowell!’ It’s regrettable that some fans turned on him when his production dropped off entirely; it was plainly obvious his production would drop after all the hip injuries, but the fan reaction was unfortunate. Players like Pedro turned down the Sox offer to go play for other teams (in his case the Mets) and when he returned to Fenway in 2006 he was cheered wildly. Nomar, who had fallen out of favor with the fans, front office, and possibly ownership, was given the chance to retire as a Red Sox player in 2010 when he signed a one-day contract and immediately retired. These two players have something in common: never wore pinstripes. David Wells is an example for you guys. I can’t imagine seeing David Wells in a BOSTON uniform on the hill in Yankee Stadium was pleasant as a fan of the Yankees. Alfredo Aceves is a lesser example; he was booted by the Yanks and signed with the Sox. It happens, it’s part of the game, but as a passionate fan it’s hard not to hold grudges. In an example from a different sport, the NHL: The Bruins traded Phil Kessel to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He’s a great player. But he was also a jerk. But instead of boos, the fans rain “Thank yous” down on him, because the trade that rid Boston of him brought the draft picks that gave the B’s Tyler Seguin and Dougie Hamilton. On a side note, I wish all Yankee fans were as level headed as you. Not once have you rubbed salt in the wound of September.
14 million less to stay with a team that won their first WS in 86 years?? Maybe that was fair in your mind, obviously not in his. Players are commodities, nothing else. The get paid to play a game, a game that in most cases they are retired by 40, and with their lavish lifestyles, why not take more money. In the words of Jimmy Fallon, “who doesn’t like more money?” Ohhh he went to the Yankees, he’s terrible. Look at all the players that couldnt win one anywhere else, but came to the Yankees and got that big ole’ fat ring, and got some cash and now sit back and look at that big ring and say, yeah it was worth it. How many Sox players are sitting home with no WS NUGGET on their finger? A WHOLE BUNCH. Get real dude, haters will always be haters, and haters will never see the bigger picture, cuz they are too busy hating. NO BODY TAKES $14 milion LESS FOR THE SAME 4 years…..NO BODY, INCLUDING YOU.
Don’t forget another WS ring and $14 million extra in pay.
If the yanks are out of money then they should consider trading texiera and perhaps even arod if they can find others teams willing to take on their salary. Start building the team around Cano and young pitching like Pineda
Wuhhhh? They would have to eat so much of those contracts that it wouldn’t make sense to trade either to “save” payroll. Especially since their team is actually looking like it is much improved on the team that won the AL East last year.
For me the main thing about Damon was that he said during the season that he wouldn’t sign with the Yankees and then took the money and ran. I don’t care about Paplebon leaving , for example, because he has always made it clear that he wanted to get paid.