Johnny Damon told Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that he considers the Yankees a “perfect fit” for his services given their need for a left-handed hitting DH. The Yankees don’t hold any grudges over the way Damon’s first stint in New York ended, but they haven’t offered him a contract this offseason, and they don’t seem likely to make final decisions on their DH opening until the A.J. Burnett intrigue ends.
Despite rumblings that Damon is altering his offensive approach now that he’s just 277 hits away from the 3,000 hit milestone, he says he's not changing as a player as he nears personal accomplishments.
“It's never been a driving force for me,” he told Heyman. “I always had the intention of being a good teammate."
Damon hit .261/.326/.418 with 16 homers and 29 doubles in 582 plate appearances in 2011. He was Tampa Bay's primary DH last year, but maintains he could still play the field if necessary. I examined Damon's free agent stock in November, concluding that another modest one-year deal is likely. The Scott Boras client appeared to be seeking a $5MM deal about a month ago.
He can seek any amount he wants. What a team will give him is a completely different matter, and it doesn’t look like $5MM is in the cards.
I believe he will likely end up with $3M max at this point.
Whoa, Jon Heyman trying to get a Boras client work?! Well I never!
Once the Burnett deal is completed, the next step will be signing Damon. The Ibanez news is there simply to drive down Scott Boras’ asking price for Damon.
Damon should be back on they yannkees
Johnny! come back to New York PLEASE!!!!!!!!! Who is Raul Ibanez anyway? I would take Damon over him any day!
I find myself really missing that ALL CAPS GUY all of a sudden.
I’ve gone back and read some of your posts. You have some decent input… you don’t need the Lady Gaga gimmicky schtick.
Dare you, I do to type in all caps…..is this the creature?
Watch the Pirates sign him and he will say he has always wanted to play in Pittsburgh
he must really hate Oakland
If he wanted to play in 2012, he should have unloaded his agent before the winter (Boras) and taken the 1st MLB contract offer presented with so many DH’s available and he with little to offer a team over the ones even still out there.
Consider..
Vlad, Ordonez, Ibanez, even Ramirez and Anaheim would probably be willing to give away Abreu, plus pay most of his salary.
Damon has serious problems and have a feeling he will either sign a minor league deal this spring if he wants to continue.
Players do adjust swings now.. I can name a few HOF and the most prominent one who changed it the most radically was Yaz…
Yaz, when he won the TC (Triple Crown) an even up until ’72 held his bat OVER his head (knob) and brought it down as the pitch would arrive.
It was only after he injured his wrist that he changed his swing, bringing the bat lower, then again during the late 70’s going to the Walt Hriniak approach.
Another good ballplayer who also would change batting styles would be borderline HOF’er Dwight Evans.. not 3k hits, but close to 400 HR and 2500 hits. Evans changed his stance nearly every season before finally adopting the Hriniak approach.
Just making a point that great hitters can and do make changes (radical) to their stance.
just wait til next year
“i’ve always wanted to play in the minors again. it’s like coming home”
, , , . . . .
You’re welcome.
exactly what i was thinking haha
Or the Long Island Ducks.