The Johnny Damon winter saga could be ending soon. According to the Chicago Tribune, the White Sox have become the front-runners to sign the free agent.
"I think we have a good shot to get him now,'' a White Sox team source told the Tribune.
The Tigers were thought to be the favorites to land Damon and offered him a two-year, $14 million contract, according to FoxSports.com. But playing in a bigger market could be enough to lure Damon to Chicago, even if the money and length of the contract are less than Detroit’s pact. The White Sox don't want to add much more to their $100 million payroll and could afford to offer Damon a one-year deal in the neighborhood of $4 million, MLB.com reports.
Damon hit .282 last season with a .365 on-base percentage, 24 home runs and 12 stolen bases. His offense could help the White Sox, who ranked 12th in the AL in runs in 2009. However, the addition of Damon could complicate their proposed designated-hitter rotation of Mark Kotsay, Andruw Jones, Omar Vizquel and Jayson Nix, the Tribune reports. It also would bump the White Sox up to six outfielders, meaning they likely would have one less pitcher or infielder.
