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Johnny Damon

Stark On Holliday, Lee, Yankees, Hoffman

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ESPN.com's Jayson Stark reports that the Cardinals and Phillies may be better off letting their respective deadline acquisitions walk once they hit free agency. Here are the details and the rest of his rumors:

  • We know that Matt Holliday's interested in staying in St. Louis. But one AL exec doubts the Cards can afford to tie up $40-50MM per year in Holliday and Albert Pujols. It could work short-term, but could prevent the Cardinals from keeping Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter. Plus, the pair of sluggers may not be worth a combined $50MM in a few years.
  • One team official believes Cliff Lee's agent will be looking for a $100MM payday once the lefty hits free agency after next season (assuming the Phils pick up his 2010 option). The official says the Phillies should consider letting Lee walk after next year, instead of committing long-term to him.
  • The teams that considered dealing for Johan Santana after the 2007 season aren't surprised to hear that he's having elbow trouble now, though it's not something they anticipated with any sense of certainty. However, Mets assistant GM John Ricco says he doesn't regret the way the team handled its ace.
  • There are increasing indications that the Yankees don't plan on being big buyers in the free agent market this offseason. The Yankees seem more likely to keep Johnny Damon and let Austin Jackson grow into a full-time player than pursue Matt Holliday or Jason Bay.
  • Stark hears that the Red Sox were the only team to claim Billy Wagner. We heard the Angels had interest, but apparently they never made a claim.
  • One executive believes AL teams would have very little interest in Trevor Hoffman. Hoffman has value because of his status as a Type A free agent, which could factor in to teams' claims.
  • Rival clubs expect the Blue Jays to try dealing Edwin Encarnacion after the season. He makes $4.75MM in 2010, so it won't be easy.
  • The Royals are still trying to deal Ron Mahay and at least one scout expects a team or two to have interest in ther veteran lefty.

Rosenthal On Mets, Cubs, Yankees, Hawkins

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Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports wonders how Mets GM Omar Minaya and Cubs GM Jim Hendry will untangle themselves from their respective messes. Both execs have overpaid for players in the recent past, but both can point to recent successes. Here are the details:

  • The Mets are expected to lower their payroll from the $150MM range next season.
  • The Rockies obtained Carlos Gonzalez from the A's in last winter's Matt Holliday trade and, for all of Holliday's heroics in St. Louis, Gonzalez is out-slugging Holliday by 142 points since the A's flipped him to the Cards.
  • A Yankees official says it's "very likely" the team will bring Johnny Damon back after the season if he's willing to take a paycut.
  • Like their cross-town rivals, the Yanks are expected to be operating on a lower payroll next year.
  • The Yankees figure to be in the mix for Matt Holliday, Jason Bay, or both.
  • Alex Gonzalez could have vetoed the trade that sent him to Boston.
  • The Astros placed LaTroy Hawkins on waivers and Rosenthal expects the Rockies, Cardinals and Dodgers to at least consider him.

Heyman On Damon, Minaya, Wagner

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Jon Heyman of SI.com would like to see an Angels-Dodgers World Series. He breaks down lots of great possible matchups and, as always, provides some rumors:

  • The Yankees plan on bringing back Johnny Damon and they figure to make him an opening offer worth $6-8MM. It would be a big paycut from the $13MM he's currently making, but Damon seems to want to return to the Yanks.
  • As much as the Yankees like Hideki Matsui, they probably need the DH spot for players like Damon and Jorge Posada. Check out some possible destinations for Matsui right here.
  • It looks and sounds as though the Mets plan on keeping Omar Minaya around as GM, and the $3.5MM remaining on his contract definitely has something to do with their stance. As Heyman says, one of the best deals Minaya made was his own.
  • One GM believes Billy Wagner's a "difference maker" and suggested the Mets should seek a decent prospect in return for him.
  • The Cubs don't appear likely to fire Lou Piniella, Heyman hears.
  • Heyman guesses Tony La Russa will return when his contract with the Cardinals is up after the season.

Yankees Rumors: Damon, Pettitte, Matsui

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Last year it was Mussina, Abreu and Giambi. This year we've got another set of free agents-to-be in the Bronx, so let's take a look at the latest rumors surrounding them:

  • Johnny Damon doesn't expect to negotiate with the Yankees before the season's over, but he tells Yahoo's Gordon Edes that he likes New York so much he hopes to "lock something in for a couple more years."
  • Andy Pettitte tells Christian Red of the New York Daily News that he knows he wants to avoid drawn-out contract negotiations after the season. Pettitte, who says he's focused on winning now, admits he decided to return to the Yankees "no matter what" last winter.
  • Hideki Matsui likes New York and wants to play defense, but other than that he's not thinking about his upcoming free agency, according to Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News.

Discussion: Johnny Damon

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On the first three years of his four-year, $52MM deal, Johnny Damon had been an above-average outfielder for the Yankees, worth roughly $36MM of the $39MM he was paid according to Fangraphs' metrics. This year, however, Damon is on pace for a career season at age 35, and is set to surpass his career high in homers while currently holding a stout .284/.364/.517 slash line. It's got all the makings of the infamous "contract year," and Damon has recently expressed an interest in staying with the Yankees.

Earlier in the year, Damon said he'd prefer to get a two-year deal, but said he'd settle for a one year deal with a vesting option if need be. He also said back in May he didn't expect to be brought back in pinstripes, but now it looks like the Yankees may consider taking him on in a one-year deal through arbitration as Damon is set to become a Type A free agent. 

Damon has a .979 OPS at the new Yankee stadium and .785 away from there, and much has been made of the park being a haven for left-handed batters, so perhaps it'd behoove him to stay there. Arbitration is a possibility for the Yankees, but Damon is probably due for a large raise and the Yankees have been uncharacteristically stingy of late. They also declined to go into arbitration with Bobby Abreu last season. And perhaps a multi-year offer could tempt him out of New York, despite his desire to stay.

So a couple questions here: If you're the Yankees, would it be an easy call to offer Damon arbitration? Or should they hand him a multi-year contract instead? If the Yankees do offer arbitration, do you see Damon accepting or opting for greener pastures? Have at it in the comments.

Damon Wants To Stay In New York

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The Yankees would like Johnny Damon to return next year and, according to Tyler Kepner of the New York Times, the 35-year-old outfielder hopes to re-sign once he becomes a free agent after the season.

"I don't know where else I would want to go," Damon said. "Obviously that's not the right thing to say when you're about ready to approach free agency, but I'm very happy with playing in New York, and my family's happy."

Damon's agent, Scott Boras, will have a strong 2009 campaign to point to in his negotiations. With 22 homers and 52 walks, Damon's OPS now approaches .900 and he is on his way to a 14th consecutive season of at least 140 games played. (Hat Tip: River Ave. Blues)

Yanks Could Bring Back Damon; Not Matsui

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Joel Sherman of the New York Post looks forward to some decisions the Yankees will face this offseason:

  • Sherman believes the Yankees would consider bringing Johnny Damon back if he'd sign a one year deal after the season when he hits free agency. 
  • Damon profiles as a Type A free agent, so the Yankees could offer him a one-year deal in arbitration and receive two draft picks if he signs elsewhere.
  • Damon makes $13MM this year and would presumably receive a raise in arbitration. Remember, the Yankees didn't offer Bobby Abreu arbitration last year.
  • The Yankees like Hideki Matsui a lot, but they won't bring him back next year because they want to be able to rotate other players in and out of the DH spot.

Olney On This Year’s Free Agents

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ESPN.com's Buster Olney writes that there's a chance no player will sign a contract longer than four years during the coming offseason. Here's a handful of the many predictions he makes about baseball's next class of free agent talent.

  • Matt Holliday, whose power numbers are pedestrian so far, is in position for a deal worth three years and $30-35MM. Not much when you consider many expected him to sign for over $100MM, but he and Scott Boras still have four months to change the perception that Holliday needs Coors Field.
  • Since Aubrey Huff's hitting cleanup in a good lineup, his numbers figure to be strong enough for him to command a two-year deal (maybe even three).
  • Orlando Hudson's hot bat and spectacular glove make him a candidate for a three or four-year deal if he can continue producing at a similar rate.
  • Johnny Damon could ride "Coors Field East" to a decent contract, but at 36, he's unlikely to see offers longer than two years.
  • John Lackey's "likely to get the biggest deal of any free agent this winter" and could be the only player to sign for more than $50MM. Jason Bay would likely command over $50MM, I would think.  
  • Olney says it's unknown whether the Red Sox will bid three or four years on him and adds that the Yankees may not bid aggressively on Bay since they need room for Derek Jeter. 

   

Damon Doesn’t Expect To Be Back

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With the future in his sights, Johnny Damon is on pace for a big contract year. Columnist Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News says Damon, who has spent time on four different clubs despite years of consistent production, is not sure he'll be brought back in pinstripes next year. Harrington provides Damon's quote:

"I don't think it will be too much of a surprise if they don't bring me back," Damon said. "I would love to be able to say I'll be back. This would definitely be the best place for me. I feel like this could be my last chance to be on a winner. I understand the free agent game, how it is. I know they have a bunch of young outfielders coming up."

Bryan Hoch of MLB.com says Damon's aiming to play for 5 more seasons and retire at 40. He has played in at least 140 games in 13 straight seasons. He could join Paul Molitor, Rickey Henderson, and Craig Biggio as the only players to have 200 homeruns, 400 stolen bases, 1,000 RBI, 1,500 runs and 3,000 hits.

Odds & Ends: Bonds, Armas, Strasburg

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