Don't expect Johnny Damon to end up in Atlanta unless his asking price drops significantly. MLB.com's Mark Bowman hears that the club isn't likely to pursue Damon unless they can sign him for $1-2MM. One of Bowman's sources says "it would take a miracle" for the Braves to sign the left fielder.
The Tigers have some interest in Damon, and the Yankees could re-engage the Scott Boras client if the market continues to weaken Damon's negotiating position.
Would trading Melky Cabrera count as a miracle? Of course it would.
I don’t really get the Melky hate. He is a very good fourth outfielder and thats what he will be. He can play all three positions and he is a switchhitter so he can spell any of our starters (Diaz, McLouth, Heyward) against both LHP and RHP. 3.1M (2.6 actually) isn’t a steal but its not like we are paying him 16M or something.
the problem is banking on Heyward to being able to handle RF already. The kid has maybe 150 AB’s against pitchers above A level ball. By signing Damon to something around $5 mil does expand the budget a bit, but it will save them plenty in the long run with Heyward. He needs to stay down until june, which would leave Melky as an everyday player until June. I dont like that idea. Sign Damon and platoon Melky/Diaz till Heyward shows he’s ready
Melky is average. Just like the rest of the Braves outfield. They need someone that will add some offense or they will be as fun to watch as c-span. Let’s just hope Glaus has a whole year in him.
Again, Melky is not a starter. He is a fourth outfielder. What is the big deal?
If you listened to any of the interviews with Wren after the trade he kept saying things like ‘he gives us alot of versatility’ ‘he can play all over the off’ ‘he gives us options’ which is just nice GM speak for he is going to be a super-backup.
I understand Melky has value because he can play all the OF. You missed my point. If Melky is the 4th OF’r that means they are banking on Heyward being ready, which is a bad plan IMO. Sign Damon and leave Melky as the 4th OF/platoon with Diaz. Bring up Heyward and trade someone in June. Paying more now and saving $$ in the long term should be the goal
Probably would have made more sense to ask for prospects instead of Melky, then sign Damon with the remaining cash.
HORRAY!!! I was in a panic that they would sign old-noodlearm. Hope this pans out.
Because there are so many times in a season where a game is determined by a left fielder having a great arm. I’ll take his offense contribution over Werth’s arm any day.
Even if we would have gotten prospest instead of Melky that would have only given us 3-mil more to play with meaning Damon would have to sign for 4-5 mill vis the 10 mil he was reported to be asking. I dont know if even then that would have been enough to get Damon.
This is pretty sad. Damon is a good hitter and while his arm is poor, he can make some plays in the OF.
Obviously, Boras pissed off the wrong people with Damon’s asking price.
Still, this guy played a big role in helping the Yankees win a championship. His heads up double steal is one of the smartest plays in World Series lore. He’s also the type of guy you want up at bat in a crucial situation. He can make a pitcher work until he makes a mistake.
Some team is going to sign him and get the same kind of payoff that the Angels got from Abreu who also was treated like he should be put on the scrap heap by the rest of baseball.
I guess it seems if the Yankees don’t want you, the rest of the league really doesn’t want you.
I like Damon. I’ve watched him play a ton and the account of his demise is overblown. He’s not the speedy CF he was, but he’s still a cut above most of the OF’ers in the game.
Good, Good, Good
We actually need a good defense supporting our elite starting staff. Heyward is a plus to plus-plus defender in right, McLouth is average in center, and Diaz/Cabrera would be plus defensive combo in left. There is no need to add Damon in there.
Also, I want to leave the door open for our plus-plus centerfielder (Schafer) to come up and reclaim center, with McLouth moving to left, after he proves that he is healthy in a few months of AAA. Damon would pretty much block that from happening.
Well damn ,make up ya’lls mind.1 day you say they make an offer to Damon,That turns out to be a joke.Then you say the Braves are pursueing Damon..Another joke and now ya’ll say the Braves aren’t likely to sign Damon.JOKE! Knew they were just pulling out damn chains…oh well.
I agree the last thing that I think they should do is block Heyward or Schaefer. It will be easy to dump Cabrera when and if Schaefer shows that he is ready. An OF of McLouth Schaefer and Heyward would be sick fast and not much would hit the green. Not to mention that wouldnt be too shabby for a hitting OF either.
Asking Damon to take a $1-$2MM contract is kind of a slap in the face. He’s not worth what he thought he was worth at the start of the offseason but he’s worth more than that. A deal like Adam Laroche just signed seems fair to me.
Seems like Damon is really running out of options. The Tigers could be his only suitor unless he can reestablish contact with the Yankees.
It’s hard to understand why nobody wants him. Its makes sense to be cautious about his age. The market seems to be trending toward cheaper and shorter term contracts for players who aren’t in the prime of their career or top tier talent.
well it’s possible that the source could be talking about singing Damon for something like 5 million and trading Cabrera and his 3 million=2 million. Probably not, but it seems odd that the Braves would even consider this as a deal Damon would accept. someone else would jump at the opportunity to have him that low.
Someone else… like the Tigers?
Good that Damon is NOT a option but maybe now they could get Eric Byrnes once he gets released for 1M
why sign Byrnes? He doesn’t make the team any better. A reason for signing Damon would be to improve the team. Byrnes is worse than Cabrera, and would just crowd the OF if added
Whoever picks up Byrnes if he is indeed released will likely only end up paying the major league minimum. Unfortunately, $400k for a scrap heaper like Byrnes would suit Liberty twofold — pay your LF the league minimum WHILE keeping J-Hey in the minors.
Sigh. I want real owners again.
Eric Byrnes sucks. Obviously you didn’t watch the Yankees play last year. Damon can still hit and has some speed left. Did you even bother watching the World Series?
Byrnes is awful
what a joke… 1-2million? Are u serious? Damon wont get 30mil/yrs but i can see a 2yr 15/mil deal going down.
Hey bbxxj. Did you really call Diaz a “plus” fielder. Not to mention you called the Gold Glove winning McClouth “average” in CF. WOW!
Yes I did, but just to clarify I said a Diaz/Melky combo would be a plus in LF.
Diaz has a career +6.2 UZR/150 in LF with a +2.9 UZR/150 last year in LF. He is a below average RFer because his arm isn’t good enough for RF but it is plenty good for LF and his range is well above average. Now I woudn’t call that ‘plus’ but I would call it above average. However when you start giving a former CFer in Melky playing time in LF the group as a whole becomes a plus defensive unit.
McLouth did win GG in CF, yes I know that. I also know he is a career -7.1 UZR/150 in CF but he did post a +4.7 UZR/150 last year. While he does have a fantastic glove (ie he can make alot of tough catches which earned him his GG) and he gets good reads off the bat, he doesn’t have the pure range or arm to be a plus defensive CFer. His glovework, reads, and medocre CF range/arm would make him a plus-plus defensive LFer but not a CFer. Schafer has the laser guided cannon of an arm and elite range to be a true plus-plus CFer.
PS: Using the ‘Reply’ button is easier.
Wow Damon is really getting fisted by how the market is shaping out. He better hope the Tigers really want him or else he’s gonna have to crawl back the yankees and take the original offer or LESS if he wants a decent paying job.
I think that the FO could come up with the money for Damon if they trade away cabrera and drop some dead weight such as JoJo Reyes, Schafer, Diory Hernandez. If they want it to happen they can make it happen.
I’m not sure how Schafer qualifies as dead weight? I mean I don’t even think Pujols could hit fastballs with a broken wrist. If he can get healthy, and I see no reason why he can’t, he is still our CF of the future.
All of those guys make the minimum anyways so I’m not sure how droping them would help anything.
Eric Byrnes was just DFA’ed. Let’s hope that Wren doesn’t sign another crappy outfielder.
There are some factors at work here when teams look at Damon for next season. He will be 36 going on 37 by the end of next seasonHis splits at Yankee Stadium vs Away were polar opposites in the power areaHome – .279 AVG, .382 OBP, .533 SLG, .915 OPS, 17 HR, 18 2BAway – .284 AVG, .349 OBP, .446 SLG, .795 OPS, 7 HR, 18 2BHe had 12 SB last season, lowest total for his career in a full seasonHis defensive numbers are below league average, Arm (-4.2 runs below average), Range (-3.7 runs below average), his UZR is -9.2 below average and -12.1/150 gamesTeams see these factors and combine them and realize that his greatest offensive effectiveness may be in a lineup surrounded by Jeter, Tex and Arod and in Yankee Stadium where RF suits his style of hitting. This is not to say Damon is not a good offensive player, but maybe teams just don’t see the value of him outside of that environment he had last season and when combined with his defensive weaknesses are weary about what they may actually get over an entire season in their respective parks and lineups.
Remember in signing Damon a team is signing a strictly offensive player here and that is where his value has to be determined removed from Yankee Stadium, as well as the lineup he was in.
Even if Damon comes back to New York next season I don’t expect him to put up the numbers he had last season.
Don’t look into the 12 SBs. He wasn’t caught all season and since he was hitting in front of Teixeira, he left the hole for him and wasn’t asked to run since Teixeira could easily drive him in from 1st. Jeter’s SBs jumped to 30 since he was hitting leadoff. Damon has definitely not lost a step on the base paths. He could steal 25-35 with a high percentage next seson if he leads off for a new team.
Are Wren and Boras playing games against each other? Boras throws out the tigers name trying to get Wren to budge, in return Wren says Ill offer $1-2 max?
Now Tigers have taken themselves out. Maybe Wren bumps his offer, maybe Damon signs with New York.
Ok
I love the Braves I always have and always will. I pretty much like everything Frank Wren has done in his short career as GM but you are telling me we are so cheap we cant offer Damon 5 mil with an option trade melky for a prospect and pretty spend an extra 2 mil than we are right now. The tigers say they have no interest and apparently no one else does either so make him an offer and he has 2 sign it
I agree 2 MM is an absolute joke. I would be perfectly happy to have Damon lead off for us next season for 4-6 MM.. Go with a Damon, McLouth, Heyward OF and use Diaz to spell them. Trade Melky and keep Schafer in AAA until September. If he shows he can cut down on his K’s, he can replace Damon as our lead off hitter next season.
I wasn’t saying offer him 2 MM offer 5 MM and trade melky who is making 3 MM n our budget only goes up 2 MM
why not trade diaz instead and keep melky. diaz is making $2mil+ and might net a prospect (which is all you would get for melky) and then we can keep the versitle Melky to be able to play all 3 spots
why not trade diaz instead and keep melky. diaz is making $2mil+ and might net a prospect (which is all you would get for melky) and then we can keep the versitle Melky to be able to play all 3 spots
Damon not only gives us a legit leadoff guy but improves McLouth’s and Yunel’s numbers by allowing them to hit 2nd and 6th respectively. Heyward should be up all season in my opinion; if he lives up to his potential the Braves can sign him longterm like they did with McCann. I’m sure that both Damon and Heyward will increase attendance significantly.
If the Braves don’t have the money, then they could
A. Stay with what they got.
B. Trade Melky and use the money given to him towards Damon.
they’re not gonna jump out there and say to a boras client: want $7 mill? Boras will just ask for more. they’re low-balling him because its Boras. I’d do the same thing.
Why do people keep saying we need to trade Melky? and why so obessed with Damon. we don’t need him.
Your wrong. We do need a player like Damon. He brings great experience and energy to a club, and creates an atmosphere that all the stats don’t recognize. Confidence goes a long way and takes pressure off of some of the other players. We all know that there is a weakness in the offense. That weakness is not currently being addressed.
Also, bringing in a player like Damon energizes the fans. More fans in the seats is good for everybody.
Damon is not Pujols or any other big name. I mean come on people are treating him like he is a mega superstar player when he’s a 37 year old guy that is past his prime.
I’m not going to buy into any of the media talk on this. It makes so much sense for the Braves lineup and we are talking about Scott Boras and Frank Wren here. DE doesn’t leak much of anything and Boras likes to talk his clients up a ton. If something happens, we won’t know much until it is just about final..
very true. imo, damon would at least be one more stable piece to the top of the order. couldnt hurt and itll take stress off heyward. i want heyward to be absolutely ready when he comes up, so itll be nice to give him as much time in the minors as possible. signing damon wont hurt the team and theres nothing wrong with having a trade piece mid-season if we end up having too many outfielders.
1 or 2 million?? They can’t fork over another 3 or 4 just to sign a proven winner and bring some veteran experience to this club??? It sucks being a Braves fan sometimes.
1 or 2 million?? They can’t fork over another 3 or 4 just to sign a proven winner and bring some veteran experience to this club??? It sucks being a Braves fan sometimes.
Thought this was a crock of ______. What was possibly overheard was either planted or a comment at dinner: “Thought about Damon, Mr. Wren?” “Ummmm… No” “Hey, the Braves have expressed interest in Johnny Damon!!” Except they left out the part about no.
OR perhaps it went like this…
Braves: “Mr. Boras, would you take $1 million?”
Boras: “No”
“Hey, the Braves have expressed interest in Johnny Damon!”
Some of these guys like Dave O’Brien are fools. Last off season really exposed him. Too bad his reputation has improved dramatically this winter because the Braves aren’t talking. Therefore, any rumor appears to be “true”.
Wait wait wait…we are going to give Melky 3.1 but are holding out on Damon for 1 to 2 tops?
Sounds like we are asking him to beg to play for us…not likely. It would be troubling to find him a spot in the lineup for one…seeing as McClouth is pretty much the go-to leadoff guy for the next 3 to 4 yrs. Now, do you like seeing Damon hitting 2nd or Escobar?
Escobar goes the other way quite well, I like him in the hit and run scenario….I also like Damon too, but I dont like his defense, especially in CF or RF. That leaves pretty much a platoon scenario between him and Diaz….hence the 1 to 2 MM we are looking for and will never receive.
why did you rule out left field? that’s where he’d be. that’s where you put your worst defensive outfielder. diaz would probably get most of the time in right and melky would be a very heavily used 4th outfielder, probably a platoon if diaz struggles again versus righties.
I didn’t rule out LF…actually left it as the only possible scenario but only in a platoon situation….I don’t see anything else happening to change that fact.
…and w/ the dollars involved, or lack thereof, I don’t see anything happening unless we dump some other OF’rs.
Let Diaz start. All you Braves fanatics should already know why.
word. itll be damon in left, mclouth in center, diaz in right. bobby will want damon in the lineup everyday if they sign him because of his veteran presence. i mean, look at how often he used garrett anderson. so, regardless of whether or not anyone else thinks damon should be in the lineup everyday, he will be. and at this point, diaz has earned bobby’s respect, so he’ll be in there, too. but im sure melky will be used extremely often. bobby’s probably gonna want to see what he can do.