Damon Wants To Come Back To The Bronx

From Andrew Marchand:

With Curtis Granderson out until May, ex-New York Yankee Johnny Damon has a message for his former team -- give me a call.

Speaking on ESPN New York 98.7 FM's Michael Kay Show, Damon said he is willing to play just the five or so weeks of the regular season that Granderson will miss and he even would take a league-minimum contract to return to the Bronx.

"You guys know that I would have tons of interest to go to New York," Damon told Kay and co-host Don LaGreca. "But I just don't think they would be interested. I'm not exactly sure what happened over the years or something. They have had plenty of opportunities and I kept raising my hand, wanting to go back and, you know, hopefully it would be a perfect fit. It always had been. Have me for six weeks and then send me off on my merry way. That's fine."

....

Damon said he doesn't plan on picking up the phone and calling Cashman.

"I know how the New York media works," Damon said. "I'm talking to you so I'm sure he'll hear about it tomorrow."

...

"Absolutely," Damon said. "Losing a Curtis Granderson is a tough thing to swallow, but the way I hit at Yankee Stadium and the right field porch, I mean, it worked when I played for them. We'll just keep doing what we are doing, staying in shape, continuing playing soccer, continue to live my life. If they want to see what I can do, then I'll definitely be interested.

"I hope they have interest but it seems like they haven't the past couple of years. I don't know why things would change now."

I don't think that he'll add much at this point in his career, and Brain Cashman apparently agrees because he's already killed any chance of it happening.

Abreu & Damon DFA

A little over a week ago Hideki Matsui was designated for assignment by the Rays. Now, two other former Yankees have met the same fate, Johnny Damon and Bobby Abreu.

Damon was DFA by the Indians yesterday:

On Friday, August 3 the Cleveland Indians said farewell to veteran outfielder Johnny Damon, designating him for assignment. Like MLB.com's Jordan Bastian noted in his coverage the veteran outfielder foresaw the end coming, commenting back on July 21 "If we're not in contention I'll be the first one they drop." A week-long losing streak pretty much ended any reasonable playoff hopes the Tribe possessed.

... In 64 games he put together just a .222 batting average while garnering four home runs and 19 RBIs.

And thanks to their acquisition of Shane Victorino, Abreu lost his roster sport with the Dodgers:

Two-time All-Star Bobby Abreu has been designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Dodgers to make room on the 25-man roster for newly acquired left fielder Shane Victorino.

Abreu was signed as a free agent on May 4 after he was released by the Angels. He batted .251 with two home runs and 17 RBIs in 70 games as a part-time left field and pinch-hitter.

I enjoyed rooting for all three of these guys so it's kinda sad to see their careers end up like this, but it is what it is.

See you all on Old Timers' Day.

Damon Doesn't Understand Why Yanks Don't Want Him

From Jon Heyman:

Johnny Damon doesn't get it, doesn't get why he's not getting offers after the year he had. Damon didn't get why he didn't receive an offer from the incumbent Rays after he was a leader for them in the clubhouse and on the field, and now he doesn't get why he seemingly is running second as a candidate to be the Yankees' left-handed DH.

"I think it's a perfect fit,'' Damon said of the Yankees by phone. "But for some reason you have the year I had, especially with a team that has trouble scoring, and you can't even get a call to continue playing."

And while it has been reported that the Yanks were considering bringing Damon back, according to the NY Post it isn't going to happen:

There won't be a Johnny Damon II.

According to Damon, he isn't returning to the Yankees as a free agent.

"We both are looking at other options now,'' Damon told The Post Saturday and called it "unfortunate.''

According to GM Brian Cashman, Damon contacted the club.

"He called and I told him the truth. He is not the No. 1 option if and when I turn to DH options,'' Cashman said.

Do you think the Yanks should be targeting Damon over Ibanez?

Polishing a Turd with Raul, Johnny, and Hideki

The following post is being syndicated from The Yankee Analysts.

There has been much ado about the Yankees designated hitter situation yesterday, with Buster Olney tweeting that the team was "in position to add" one of Raul Ibanez, Johnny Damon, or Hideki Matsui within a week. Ken Rosenthal stoked the coals a bit (or, perhaps, took a book of matches from 7-Eleven), adding that the team was in "serious discussions" with Ibanez. Rosenthal further added that Ibanez was willing to take a discount to play in the Bronx, though I am unsure that he is in a position to be terribly picky regardless. Many would argue that far too much ink and effort has been expended on behalf of Messrs Ibanez, Damon, and Matsui, and that may be true ... but if a move is truly forthcoming, it makes sense to look for a silver lining and preempt at least a bit of the inevitable gruff.

Ibanez managed a slightly above-average 101 wRC+ against righties last season, batting .256/.307/.440 with 16 HR in 437 PA. While that may be below even the marginal standard set by Posada in 2011 (.269/.348/.466 with 14 HR in 316 PA), it is worth noting that Ibanez's numbers in lefty-friendly Citizens Bank Park were solid - a .278/.316/.516 slash line with 15 HR in only 273 AB is quite easy on the eyes. While Yankee Stadium's right-center isn't quite as appetizing as Citizens Bank's, it does seem like Ibanez would make fine use of the short porch without sacrificing too much elsewhere. This is all guesswork, to be sure, but Ibanez's power hasn't slipped all that much. And, if optimism is to rule the day, might I suggest that a rebound from his career-low BB% is well within the realm of possibility?

At face value, Johnny Damon appears to be the best option for the Yankees. He was able to eke out a reasonable 109 wRC+ while playing half of his games in an extreme pitcher's park, on the strength of a .261/.326/.418 line with nineteen steals (in twenty-five attempts). Damon's 99 wRC+ against righties may not instill a great deal of confidence, though, and the former Yankee has not displayed much of a platoon split in recent years. While that may normally be a positive, it doesn't really help the Yankees at this juncture. However, a bit of polishing reveals that Damon did quite well away from the Trop, batting .280/.345/.463 with 10 HR in 296 AB. An optimist should also note that Damon has raked to the tune of .270/.370/.524 and 19 HR in 311 AB in New Yankee Stadium. He also survived 84 innings in LF last year ... so, there's that.

Matsui, sadly, featured a curious reverse platoon split in 2011, with a solid 118 wRC+ against southpaws and a decidedly ugly 82 wRC+ figure against righties. He did manage a 137 wRC+ and 14 round-trippers against righties in 2010, which is more in-line with expectations, and, like Damon, he enjoys hitting in NYS (.268/.353/.485 with 17 HR in 299 AB). Additionally, on the heels of a late-July Godzilla sighting in the Bronx (including a 5-for-5 game on 24 July), Matsui managed a respectable .289/.345/.414 over the last third of the season. Could the short porch entice an awe-inspiring swan song? Even a pragmatist would say ... maybe.

While none of these players met the Posadian baseline set in 2011, it does stand to reason that all could enjoy a bit of a rebound in Yankee Stadium - particularly if platooned properly. Ibanez's righty killing (flicking? pinching?) may be a bit more appealing, particularly with Jones likely to do the heavy-lifting against lefties, but Damon and Matsui (and most any lefty) would benefit from the ubiquitously mentioned short porch. This may not be an ideal set of candidates by even the most flexible stretch of the imagination, but it would be somewhat inane to ignore the potential for a reasonable bit of success here.

Besides, with Spring Training right around the corner, shouldn't optimism be fostered?

Follow me on Twitter - @DomenicLanza

Damon for DH?

From Dan Martin:

With the Yankees in the market for a designated hitter now that Jesus Montero is heading to Seattle, they are looking at a number of options and reportedly already reached out to Johnny Damon and Carlos Pena.

Since they already added $10 million to the payroll with the signing of Hiroki Kuroda, they don’t expect to spend a lot to sign another bat and both could be relatively low cost.

Damon, 38, made $5.25 million last year with the Rays, but since Tampa Bay doesn’t want him back, he’ll likely have to settle for less in 2012. And Pena, 33, told MLB Radio the Yankees had made contact with him, according to their twitter account.

Another former Yankee, Hideki Matsui, is also still around after spending last season in Oakland. The 37-year-old slugger hit .251 with 12 homers and 72 RBIs in his lone season with the A’s.

The team could also opt to give 29-year-old Jorge Vazquez a shot.

I'm not sure how much guys like Damon, Matsui and Pena have left in the tank, but you'd have to believe their offensive numbers would get at least a little bit of a boost playing in the Bronx for 81 games.

Who would you like to see as the opening day DH?

Cano & Damon Pushing Ortiz To Yanks?

From The Sports Xchange:

Robinson Cano(notes) would like to see his friend David Oritz jump from the arch-rival Boston Red Sox to his New York Yankees and Johnny Damon(notes), the former teammate of both players, said it would be a good idea.

"Shoot, I was trying to tell him if he went to New York his 30 home runs turns into 40," Damon said while at Ortiz's celebrity golf tournament in the Dominican Republic, according to The Boston Globe. "He still has a great chance to win. I'm happy I got to experience both sides (of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry). Both sides were very incredible for me.

"… As a baseball fan, I would love to see him stay in Boston," Damon said. "But being a part of it, I know there may be some opportunities and less drama elsewhere."

Cano, also attending Ortiz's tournament, had earlier said he would welcome Big Papi to the Bronx.

"It would be a good idea, having another lefty on the team," Cano told the New York Daily News. "We all know he's a great hitter. Last year, a lot of people were saying, 'He's done.' He proved a lot of people wrong. I like people, when they're down, they prove people wrong. He came back, did a great job."

I know there really isn't a need to bring in a big bat, but I would certainly have no problems if the Yankees were actually interested in signing Ortiz. Not only would it add a very good lefty bat to the lineup, but it would crush Red Sox fans.

Damon and Matsui - Yankees Again??

A couple days ago Michael Kay said during the Yanks-Twins game that both former Yankees Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui had cleared waivers for their respective teams. So it got me thinking - could either of them really return to the Yankees in a waiver-deadline deal?

JD and Hideki have had good seasons so far, as Matsui could be considered as the second-half MVP (he's batting .384 since the All-Star Break). The Yankees bench is already choc full of veteran bats, with Andruw Jones and Eric Chavez splitting the DH duties, struggling Jorge Posada trying to get back into the lineup, and Marcus Thames down in Scranton, after recently signing a minor-league deal.

Clearly there is no real fit for either of these guys, but it is interesting to think about them donning the pinstripes again. There names have actually flown under the radar, and I haven't heard of any teams potentially interested in their services.

Where do you think these guys could end up?

Top 5 Yankees - Red Sox (Recent) Moments: #5

To get you folks in the mood for another clash between the Yankees and Red Sox (and to utilize MLB.com's new embed feature, I will be running down the top 5 Yanks-Sox moments of the last two+ seasons. Here is number 5:

Damon and Tex Go Back-to-Back




Be Sure to check out the rest of the countdown later today.

Manny & Damon Reunite in Tampa

Yankees Still Serious About Andruw Jones

Regardless of the money, who would you rather the Yankees signed? Damon, Jones, or Thames?

Yankees Have Slight Interest in Ramirez and Damon

I'm not sure how news-worthy this actually is, but I've always been intrigued by the possibility of seeing Ramirez in pinstripes. I'm not quite certain that he'd be the type to settle for a bench role, though.

Report: Yanks Talking To Damon About Return

From Ken Davidoff:

While the Yankees' primary focus remains pitching, they have been communicating with free agent Johnny Damon about a possible return to the Yankees for 2011, Newsday has learned.

Four sources said that Damon and the Yankees were talking about a role in which Damon, 37, would get occasional at-bats as a designated hitter and fill in at leftfield, allowing starting leftfielder Brett Gardner to either rest or shift to fill in for centerfielder Curtis Granderson or rightfielder Nick Swisher.

Damon would prefer a job with more guaranteed playing time, two of the sources said, so a deal is not close and far from guaranteed. But there have been multiple conversations between the two sides.

Jorge Posada already has been notified by the Yankees that he'll be starting at DH for most games. One of the sources said that Damon has been communicating with his friend and ex-Yankee teammate Alex Rodriguez about the possibility of rejoining the Yankees and whether he'd be a fit.

Ehh why not? Adding a bat like Damon's, even at 37, would improve the depth and give the Yankees a very dangerous veteran bat off the bench.

Damon Continues to Whine About Gardner's Slide

First there was this from Damon last night, along with Gardner's reaction:

"If anyone over there thought it was a clean slide, then we have a different opinion on that," said Damon, who spent four years as a Yankee. "It's part of baseball. But I thought the slide was dirty, and I'm sure a lot of those guys would agree."

...

"That's his opinion," Gardner told The Post. "He knows how I play. I think if he was over here in this clubhouse he probably would have given me a high-five for trying to break up the double play."

...

"Obviously, I feel bad about Carlos getting hurt. I wasn't trying to hurt him," Gardner said. "I don't think it was dirty at all. I could have went in with my spikes and I didn't. I hit him with the front or the side of my leg. I didn't think it was dirty. Some people probably do, and that's that."

And some more from Damon after today's game:

“The first thing (Gardner) touched was (Guillen’s) knee. He never touched the ground,’’ Damon explained. “If (Guillen) wasn’t standing there, Gardner ends up almost in the outfield.

"I understand trying to break up a double play, but the guy is on the DL for a reason. I don’t think he did it on purpose. With speed like that you get to the bag quicker. It just looks bad.’’

Damon said it was clear to him and his Tigers teammates that Gardner was going after Guillen.

“Obviously we see it from our side because our second baseman may be gone for the year,’’ Damon said.

Here's the play in question if you've forgotten.

Looks clean to me. Damon needs to stop complaining. Maybe he's just upset he's on a team that's going nowhere fast.

Damon: Cabrera is the best I've Ever Played With

No, not Melky....

From Fred Kerber:

Johnny Damon has been awed before by teammates. He marveled at David Ortiz's clutch hitting, at Manny Ramirez's uncanny two-strike ability, at Alex Rodriguez's swing, at Mark Teixeira's two-way talent. But Tigers teammate Miguel Cabrera tops them all.

"He's the best. The best I've played with," Damon raved last night. "Obviously, Ortiz brings the clutch-hitting capability in big games. A-Rod brings a perfect swing. Teixeira is the best all-around ballplayer. Manny, two outs runners in scoring position. But this guy is the total package. The best. That ball he hit out of the ball park [Monday]? It was a good pitch by Joba [Chamberlain] and he does that with it."

...

"Cabrera is one of those exceptional talents," Leyland said, "one of those few guys who's an MVP candidate every year."

I know there will be fans who take offense to this, and I'm sure that's the way the media would like it that way, but Damon is right about everything he said.

How would you rank A-Rod, Tex, Cabrera, Ortiz and Manny?

Damon On His Old Team and His New Team

(AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Just after signing with the Tigers, Johnny Damon was saying some things about how the Yankees handled their end of the deal and came off a little bit...uhhhh....douchey. Today, with the Yankees in Lakeland to face the Tigers, Damon spoke much more kindly about his former team. Here's the quotes from Chris Girandola and the AP:

"I got to see a whole bunch of them and, secretly, they all miss me,"...

"We definitely are on good terms; they're just doing things the way they want to and I have to do it my way. It's a little different for some people, but when it's all said and done, at least I can say I did it the right way also."

"Of course I would have loved to have helped to win another championship with them," Damon said of the Yankees. "New York is a great franchise, and I'm happy to have won a championship while there. I'm going to try to do everything I can now to help these guys win one."

Damon also spoke about how going to the Tigers was a smooth transition for him, and the difference between New York and Detroit.

"The pressure to win [in Detroit] is different, obviously," Damon said. "Going from Boston to New York, it was already ingrained. There was no way I was going to wear my ring [from winning a World Series with the Red Sox] while in New York. That would have been tough to do that."

Is he saying he's going to wear his Yankees championship ring in Detroit?

He did also mention once again that he knew he wanted to end up a Tiger. But we all know that what he's actually saying is since he couldn't get $8 million a year from the Yanks, his first choice became the Tigers.

Damon Out Today With Turf Toe

Johnny Damon will not play in today's Yankees-Tigers game due to turf toe in his left big toe. The injury occurred a few days ago but is not considered serious, but the Tigers are going to play it safe.Tigers' head athletic trainer, Kevin Rand, said "He's a lot better today. But it's March 10."

A-Rod Offered Damon Advice on Free Agency

From Anthony DiComo:

Perhaps more than anyone, Alex Rodriguez wanted Johnny Damon back in the Bronx.

Rodriguez, speaking publicly Thursday for the first time this spring, said he reached out to Damon this offseason to offer advice on free agency.

"Johnny and I are very good friends, and we've always had a lot of dialogue, both in the offseason and the season," Rodriguez said. "I was just trying to share some of my experiences with him."

...

"I was crossing my fingers hoping that he would come back," Rodriguez said. "Johnny's a great player. He was an integral part of our world championship team, and we're going to miss him dearly. He's also a great human being, and he's always out there doing a lot of charity work."

I give him credit for being there for a friend and offering up advice, I'm just not sure that was the best thing for the Yankees and Damon?

To be clear, I AM NOT BLAMING A-ROD for Damon signing with the Tigers, that will always fall on Damon and Boras. Plus, that would be totally unfair unless I knew exactly what advice he gave, which I don't because he did not go into detail about it.

What I will say is that A-Rod has never, nor will he ever experience free agency in the position Damon was in this offseason. A-Rod is now basically signed until retirement and has always been a free agent when he was the best or one of the best players in the game, not a declining outfielder that nobody wants to see in the outfield. For him it was easy to sit back and wait for the money. Damon, on the other hand, never got the money he wanted and ended up having to sign for a lot less than he originally wanted heading into free agency.

Once again we have no idea what A-Rod said so he can't be blamed, I just think his view of free agency is much different that what Damon's should have been this time around. But who knows, maybe he told Damon to dump Boras, take control, and make sure he resigned here. That would have been some good advice.

(Update) Thanks to a well informed reader, I have found out at least some of what A-Rod told Damon. This comes from John Harper:

"Under further questioning, after the press conference, [Damon] also admitted that, at the urging of Alex Rodriguez and CC Sabathia, he made an A-Rod-like attempt to remain a Yankee in mid-January, personally calling both team president Randy Levine and owner Hal Steinbrenner to try to make a deal."

Then there is this from Tyler Kepner:

Damon amended that statement later, saying the Tigers became his priority only after he realized he would not re-sign with the Yankees. He knew that for sure in January, when he called the managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner at the urging of C.C. Sabathia and Alex Rodriguez.

So yea, you certainly can't fault A-Rod for anything here. It was good advice.

Damon's Parting Shots

Johnny Damon, always willing to share his thoughts (sometimes a bad idea), expressed some negative feelings about the way the Yankees dealt with him this offseason as he was welcomed in his new home of Detroit. Here are the quotes via John Harper:

"We're coming off a great year and you're told you've gotta take a pay cut," Damon said. "You're kind of like, 'A pay cut? What the heck?' It's a little humbling.

"You're like, 'Wow, is that what they really think of me? Or what I do for the ballclub?' I did a lot for the ballclub. I even recruited (free agents) for those guys. I did everything."

Obviously, Damon felt that helping the Yankees win a World Series was enough to warrant a new contract at the $13 million a year he'd made for his four years in pinstripes. As a result, he admitted that, yes, agent Scott Boras told GM Brian Cashman not to bother making an offer if it was for less than $13 million per.

"I let Scott do his work," Damon said. "That's why he's there. In the end, I think he did a great job. It's funny, though. Every time I'm a free agent, I'm always on a new team."

...

"At one point I told Cashman, 'All I want is two years,'" Damon recalled. "I told him, 'I want to see Derek Jeter get 3,000 hits and I want to have a chance to win some more.'

"I wanted to be on a team longer than any other team I've been on. Because hopefully I've got a few good years left and I can start pushing up on the all-time runs list, and get 3,000 hits."
...

"I called Hal Steinbrenner," Damon recalled, "and he said, 'We just can't do anything.' I said, 'Thank you very much, I had a great time playing with you. Now it's time for both sides to move on.'"

Cashman had this response:

"When we signed him (for four years, $52 million), he was playing center field, a premium position, and the market was high. Now he's a left fielder, he's 36, in a collapsed market. Why would he not expect to take a pay cut?"

Cashman clearly understands simple concepts that might exceed Damon's intelligence. There are so many reasons why Damon should understand the need for a paycut. Maybe he does, after all, he did end up taking one to play in Detroit.

Damon: "The Tigers Were My First Choice"

From the AP:

“This is where I wanted to be,” he said Monday after completing his $8 million, one-year contract. “The Tigers were my first choice. I love it here and think I am a good fit.”

I honestly don't even know what to make of this, but I guess I'll just throw it in with the rest of his I only want to play here, or I'll never play there quotes. Here's one to refresh your memory from back on August 17th:

“I don’t know where else I would want to go to,” 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 I play for New York. There’s no bigger place to go. If you play well here, you’re going to get paid. New York has the resources. But we also have the chance to win every year. I don’t want to attempt to go make more money elsewhere, for more years, with a chance to be out of the race by the first of June."

For more nonsense from Damon, check out this collection of quote from the guys over at TYU.

I've often wondered why a player feels they have to make up some B.S. when they sign with a new team. Remember when A-Rod's dream was to be a Met, then a Red Sox, and then a Yankee?

For this quote alone I hope he gets booed when he comes back to the Bronx.

(Update) Apparently what he actually said was after the Yankees were out of the picture the Tigers were his number one choice. So I guess the quote wasn't as bad as it might have seemed.

Damon Passes Physical

After passing his physical today, Johnny Damon is now one step closer to officially becoming a member of the Detroit Tigers. All that's left is the Tigers making the announcement.