Comments on: Report: Damon came crawling back http://riveraveblues.com/2009/12/report-damon-came-crawling-back-21478/ A New York Yankees Blog Mon, 28 May 2012 16:32:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: The twists and turns of Johnny Damon’s off-season | River Avenue Blues http://riveraveblues.com/2009/12/report-damon-came-crawling-back-21478/#comment-747405 The twists and turns of Johnny Damon’s off-season | River Avenue Blues Tue, 12 Jan 2010 15:00:32 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=21478#comment-747405 [...] with Nick Johnson, apparently Damon recognized the urgency of the situation. He reportedly offered to come back for two years and $20 million, but the Yankees, already knee deep in the Johnson negotiations, stuck to their two-year, $14 [...] [...] with Nick Johnson, apparently Damon recognized the urgency of the situation. He reportedly offered to come back for two years and $20 million, but the Yankees, already knee deep in the Johnson negotiations, stuck to their two-year, $14 [...]

]]> By: George Malits http://riveraveblues.com/2009/12/report-damon-came-crawling-back-21478/#comment-726548 George Malits Sun, 20 Dec 2009 15:15:37 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=21478#comment-726548 Remember, the Red Sox put Manny on irrevocable waivers before the 2004 season. Any team in baseball could have had him just by taking over his contract. There were no takers, he was over priced. Last year, he was 5 years older and 5 years crazier and Boras still got him the big contract. Manny is a great hitter but he's also an indifferent fielder and a club house distraction. Getting THAT contract for that combination of talents was nothing short of a magic trick Remember, the Red Sox put Manny on irrevocable waivers before the 2004 season. Any team in baseball could have had him just by taking over his contract. There were no takers, he was over priced. Last year, he was 5 years older and 5 years crazier and Boras still got him the big contract. Manny is a great hitter but he’s also an indifferent fielder and a club house distraction. Getting THAT contract for that combination of talents was nothing short of a magic trick

]]> By: Renny Baseball http://riveraveblues.com/2009/12/report-damon-came-crawling-back-21478/#comment-726507 Renny Baseball Sun, 20 Dec 2009 10:51:28 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=21478#comment-726507 It is not that black and white, the recession on baseball, I believe. The recession only escalates the "haves" vs. "have not" chasm -- both in terms of teams and as among the types of patronage of baseball tilting to the "have" teams (e.g., perks/higher pricing in new stadiums/merchandising/tv). If there were not a recession, more middle market teams would stand a better chance at being financially competitive. I would presume that it is because of the widening disparity between teams generating high revenues and teams that are not self-sufficient outside of revenue-sharing, the market for Boras's "elite" or second-tier clients is a much more constricted universe of teams. Less choices means less wiggle room for Boras, thus less leverage (e.g., Boras's infamous unidentified teams with lucrative offers become easier to identify or eliminate as bluffs). So that's where Boras was negligent in gauging the market, in which the recession and team revenue trends are inter-related factors. I agree that Boras's usual bombastic negotiating style (the ultimatums, the over-pricing) -- which were always distasteful and crass to me but surprisingly have worked -- finally back-fired with JD. If anything I am surprised that this has not happened sooner -- it nearly did with A-Rod. (And yes, the good cop/bad cop thing in the A-Rod case was my exact view of it too). Also, to add, while a complete disservice to JD, it's not like JD did not participate in Boras's posturing too, a far cry from the last month of the season when it seemed like JD to '10 Yanks was a done deal but I guess that was cheap talk. It is not that black and white, the recession on baseball, I believe. The recession only escalates the “haves” vs. “have not” chasm — both in terms of teams and as among the types of patronage of baseball tilting to the “have” teams (e.g., perks/higher pricing in new stadiums/merchandising/tv). If there were not a recession, more middle market teams would stand a better chance at being financially competitive.

I would presume that it is because of the widening disparity between teams generating high revenues and teams that are not self-sufficient outside of revenue-sharing, the market for Boras’s “elite” or second-tier clients is a much more constricted universe of teams. Less choices means less wiggle room for Boras, thus less leverage (e.g., Boras’s infamous unidentified teams with lucrative offers become easier to identify or eliminate as bluffs). So that’s where Boras was negligent in gauging the market, in which the recession and team revenue trends are inter-related factors.

I agree that Boras’s usual bombastic negotiating style (the ultimatums, the over-pricing) — which were always distasteful and crass to me but surprisingly have worked — finally back-fired with JD. If anything I am surprised that this has not happened sooner — it nearly did with A-Rod. (And yes, the good cop/bad cop thing in the A-Rod case was my exact view of it too).

Also, to add, while a complete disservice to JD, it’s not like JD did not participate in Boras’s posturing too, a far cry from the last month of the season when it seemed like JD to ’10 Yanks was a done deal but I guess that was cheap talk.

]]> By: YankFanDave http://riveraveblues.com/2009/12/report-damon-came-crawling-back-21478/#comment-726435 YankFanDave Sun, 20 Dec 2009 06:56:09 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=21478#comment-726435 Left this out: Damon's avg hrs last three full seasons played: 17.6 Left this out:
Damon’s avg hrs last three full seasons played: 17.6

]]> By: YankFanDave http://riveraveblues.com/2009/12/report-damon-came-crawling-back-21478/#comment-726432 YankFanDave Sun, 20 Dec 2009 06:52:59 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=21478#comment-726432 I like Johnson but there is nothing supposed about his lack of power That is just not his game or skill set: Nick Johnson home run season high total: 23 season over 20 hrs: 1 seasons over 10 hrs: 4 career season hr average: 11.1/season hr total last year: 8 avg last three full seasons played: 15.3 Johnny Damon home run season high total: 24 seasons over 20 hrs: 2 seasons over 10 hrs: 11 career season average: 13.8/season hr total last year: 24 Where is the power surge going to com from? I'm not knocking him, it is just a fact he has never had much power. Damon has shown decent, not spectacular, power in KC, Boston and NY. Johnson showed modest power at best as a Yankee and no more than that in Montreal, Washington and Florida. I like Johnson but there is nothing supposed about his lack of power That is just not his game or skill set:
Nick Johnson
home run season high total: 23
season over 20 hrs: 1
seasons over 10 hrs: 4
career season hr average: 11.1/season
hr total last year: 8
avg last three full seasons played: 15.3

Johnny Damon
home run season high total: 24
seasons over 20 hrs: 2
seasons over 10 hrs: 11
career season average: 13.8/season
hr total last year: 24

Where is the power surge going to com from? I’m not knocking him, it is just a fact he has never had much power. Damon has shown decent, not spectacular, power in KC, Boston and NY. Johnson showed modest power at best as a Yankee and no more than that in Montreal, Washington and Florida.

]]> By: ecksodia http://riveraveblues.com/2009/12/report-damon-came-crawling-back-21478/#comment-726363 ecksodia Sun, 20 Dec 2009 05:27:43 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=21478#comment-726363 If they signed him to that 2/20 deal, how much would the Yankees have had to spend on other players? I'm actually surprised they didn't sign him, I thought they had around 7 million left to sign another SP. Although I would love having Damon's bat in the lineup, the likelihood that his offense (not to mention his defense in the field) will regress, and that we have, at the very least, league average hitters and above average defenders in LF, suggests that it's better if we use it all on starting pitching. But then if his price drops to 2/16, 2/14... Who knows? If they signed him to that 2/20 deal, how much would the Yankees have had to spend on other players? I’m actually surprised they didn’t sign him, I thought they had around 7 million left to sign another SP.

Although I would love having Damon’s bat in the lineup, the likelihood that his offense (not to mention his defense in the field) will regress, and that we have, at the very least, league average hitters and above average defenders in LF, suggests that it’s better if we use it all on starting pitching. But then if his price drops to 2/16, 2/14… Who knows?

]]> By: Steve http://riveraveblues.com/2009/12/report-damon-came-crawling-back-21478/#comment-726276 Steve Sun, 20 Dec 2009 03:08:52 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=21478#comment-726276 I'm willing to bet, that if Johnny does indeed sign elsewhere, and IF Nick stays healthy, which is always the primary concern with Nick after all, Nick Johnson will out-homer Johnny Damon this season. Even if he doesn't he could still be just as productive. Some people are seriously overstating Nick's supposed lack of power. I’m willing to bet, that if Johnny does indeed sign elsewhere, and IF Nick stays healthy, which is always the primary concern with Nick after all, Nick Johnson will out-homer Johnny Damon this season. Even if he doesn’t he could still be just as productive. Some people are seriously overstating Nick’s supposed lack of power.

]]> By: Steve http://riveraveblues.com/2009/12/report-damon-came-crawling-back-21478/#comment-726275 Steve Sun, 20 Dec 2009 03:05:25 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=21478#comment-726275 I concur. Also, there is a difference between "loss" and "lose." Learn it. Live it. Love it. I concur. Also, there is a difference between “loss” and “lose.” Learn it. Live it. Love it.

]]> By: Steve http://riveraveblues.com/2009/12/report-damon-came-crawling-back-21478/#comment-726274 Steve Sun, 20 Dec 2009 03:03:12 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=21478#comment-726274 Honestly, I don't think there is or ever was a market for Damon at $20+ million. I don't think there's any chance that he gets either a 3-year deal, or a $10+ million average annual value. None. Honestly, I don’t think there is or ever was a market for Damon at $20+ million. I don’t think there’s any chance that he gets either a 3-year deal, or a $10+ million average annual value. None.

]]> By: YankFanDave http://riveraveblues.com/2009/12/report-damon-came-crawling-back-21478/#comment-726236 YankFanDave Sun, 20 Dec 2009 02:29:05 +0000 http://riveraveblues.com/?p=21478#comment-726236 I don't know if they can't afford to lose him but I'd take Damon at 20/2 over Johnson. His D is not an issue since he could play DH. He has more power, better run production, greater speed, and a better BA than Johnson; and his OBP is above average. I don’t know if they can’t afford to lose him but I’d take Damon at 20/2 over Johnson. His D is not an issue since he could play DH. He has more power, better run production, greater speed, and a better BA than Johnson; and his OBP is above average.

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