World Series star Johnny Damon may be close to signing a free agent contract, but it most likely will not be with the White Sox, who called at the 11th hour to see if he would be interested.
Instead, Damon could be headed for the Sox's AL Central rival Detroit, which is believed to have offered the two-year deal that agent Scott Boras had been seeking. If reports are accurate, Damon could make as much as $14 million over two years, far less that he was seeking from the champion Yankees.
The Braves were also involved, but, like the White Sox, were believed to be willing to go only one year because of budget restraints. Atlanta reportedly was willing to spend less than $5 million on the 36-year-old.
Damon would have been an interesting fit for the Sox, who were not believed to have made a former offer. GM Kenny Williams is reported to be very close to his final budget and even one year at $7 million would have put him at the limit.
The Sox could have used him as both a left fielder and DH, although he would drastically cut into playing time for Mark Kotsay and Andruw Jones. In a perfect world, he would have batted second behind left fielder Juan Pierre, giving the Sox one of the more potent lineups in the majors.
A former Red Sox World Series star as well, Damon helped lead the Yankees to the 2009 title by batting .282 with 24 homers in the new, smaller Yankee Stadium.
bob in SB on February 11, 2010 8:45 PM Why are we keeping Andruw Jones? What ray of light did
Ken Williams see to make hime think that this guy could
hit major league pitching?
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The ray of light Kenny saw on him? That's easy...Kenny saw 500,000 rays of lights here....so cheap, one cannot be wrong. I wouldn't criticize Andrew's signing. He is completely expendable if it does not work out. Damon would be a great addition...and relatively cheap at 5-7 millions.
Too bad, the Sox could use him.
Here we go again with false reports and Cub fans believing every word of it. In other news, the Cubs are close to signing Walter Johnson and Ty Cobb.
Yep, here we are again, offering a quality free agent way less than everybody else, telling him playing at the Cell and for Ozzie makes up for it.
Yeah, KW expresses interest in Damon after he knows he's going to sign elsewhere, and can then say for the record, "I tried to get him."
Lame.
Why are we keeping Andruw Jones? What ray of light did
Ken Williams see to make hime think that this guy could
hit major league pitching? I saw him with the Dodgers
and he was pitiful. Low bat speed, high body fat and
not a big league player. Damon is light years more effective.
Yeah, God forbid the Sox take away playing time from Mark Kotsay and Andruw Jones. Relying on washed-up bums like them is why they'll finish 3rd in the AL Central again. It's a shame, because they've got one of the top rotations in baseball.
Damon can take Jim Thomes DH spot and would make a great addition to the team.
Plus by signing Damon it keeps him away from the Tigers.
In the last three years at playing against the Sox in U.S. Cellular Field Damon hit;
BA: .333 OBP: .382 SLG: .490 OPS: .872. And in 2009 at Chicago, Damon hit
BA: .385 OBP: .467 SLG: .385 OPS: .852
We don't need this guy, not unless we get him really cheap. He is past being an impact player and will only take at bats from Kotsay and others. I just don't see the point.
JMY3005 on February 11, 2010 3:27 PM
Too late. Braves have already made an offer.
*****
What's your point in saying "too late"? You do know in free agency that if another team has made an offer, you're welcome to make an offer too, right?
Too late. Braves have already made an offer. And besides, though this would be an outstanding pickup for the Sox, I am afraid its another case of some scribe getting our hopes high only to be let down hard again. Forget about it.
Who's his agent?