MLB: What Now for Johnny Damon?
Now that Johnny Damon’s days in the Bronx appear to be over the question is where will Damon play next year? There is already some speculation as to where Damon may end up this winter.
The New York Daily News speculates that there is some thought around baseball that the San Francisco Giants might be a good fit for Damon, however, it also goes on to say that it doubts the Giants are willing to give Damon the three year deal he is looking for. Damon would be a nice addition for the Giants, but, does he give them someone to compliment Pablo Sandoval in the lineup. He would be a good bat to stick in front of Sandoval but he does not give them the protection for Sandoval that they are looking for.
ESPN’s Buster Olney suggests that St. Louis would be a good fit for Damon. On some levels this would make sense. Damon is that type of gritty player that Tony LaRussa typically favors, however, the Cards need to spend money on someone who can get behind Albert Pujols in the order and not in front of him. Besides it really does not make sense for Scott Boras, the agent who represents both Damon and Matt Holliday, to present Damon as an option knowing that the Cards are the only serious bidder on Holliday. He stands to make more money on getting Holliday signed than he does Damon.
He has always had an interest in playing for the Atlanta Braves as it is close to his home in Florida, but, he would have to take a significant pay cut to play in Atlanta. The Braves really are not in a position to give a guy like Damon the type of money he is looking for.
In the end Johnny Damon my regret not taking the two year offer worth $18 million the Yankees were offering earlier in the week. Either he or Boras do not seem to have a real grasp on what his market value truly is in a down market.
Given Damon’s age and his interest in a 3-4 year deal, do you think he’s better off if he goes to an AL team just to have that DH option? Or do you think he can play the outfield for through the duration of his next contract?
No, I am not convinced he can play the field for another 3 or 4 years. The Yanks moved him to left because his defense was starting to decline a bit and I think he has had some shoulder issues that has affected his throwing from the outfield.
I am not convinced he is going to get a 3-4 year deal either though. It does not look like anyone is willing to give guys the length of deal they are looking for this winter.