Johnny Damon and Scott Boras are on the ropes. But it seems that neither the veteran outfielder nor his arrogant agent knows it.
According to SI.com’s Jon Heyman, the 36-year-old outfielder called Brian Cashman last week in a desperate effort to convince the Yankees’ general manager to extend him an acceptable contract.
Cashman’s final offer: one-year, $6 million, of which half would be deferred with no interest to appease financial manager Hal Steinbrenner, who has suddenly tightened the budget on his front office.
Damon’s response: Nay.
Given that Damon refused a two-year, $14 million contract from the Yankees earlier this winter, it might have been mildly embarrassing for him to settle for Cashman’s “take it or leave it” proposal. But unless Damon and Boras know something the rest of the baseball world doesn’t, a little blushing of the cheeks could only be the beginning.
Damon is in a precarious and unenviable position. He brings plenty of value, but not quite enough for a team to break from the decidedly owner-friendly market trend and cave in to his demands.
"Johnny was awesome here,'' Cashman told SI.com. "He was great in the clubhouse, great on the field. He is a great competitor, a great person and a great player. We're going to miss him. We wanted him to stay. We looked forward to having him back. But not at all costs.''
The Yankees have already supplanted Damon by adding Randy Winn on a one-year, $2 million deal, so Damon’s most attractive option could now be serving as a designated hitter and potential platoon outfielder for their AL East rival Tampa Bay Rays.
Tampa’s marquee addition last winter was former Phillie Pat Burrell, but after inking a two-year, $16 million contract, Burrell produced a .221 AVG/.315 OBP/.367 SLG dud that few saw coming from one of baseball’s perennial sluggers. Damon could replace Burrell, if the Rays are willing to cut their losses on him, and/or split time in the outfield with Gabe Kapler, whose former lefty platoon partner Gabe Gross is now a free agent.
But while GM Andrew Friedman might have a spot for Damon, the Rays do not have deep coffers, and neither do the Tigers, Reds, Braves, A’s or Blue Jays – the other teams that have expressed some level of interest.
In other words, Damon should get used to hearing things like “one-year,” “deferred money,” and “incentives” regardless of his preferred destination.
In this day and age, that’s the market for aging, offensive-minded outfielders.
