Damon Wants to be a Detroit Tiger

[CapitalTigers]

Definitely interesting...

Agent: Damon wants to play for Tigers
Lynn Henning / The Detroit News

Johnny Damon, the free-agent outfielder who helped the Yankees to a world championship in 2009, would be happy to talk with the Tigers.

"Johnny believes the addition of him to Detroit's lineup would make the Tigers a winner," Scott Boras, Damon's agent, said during a Monday phone conversation.

Boras agrees.



"He's batted .363 at Comerica Park, he has a .412 on-base percentage at Comerica," Boras said.

Boras added, quoting Damon before Damon signed earlier contracts with the Yankees and Boston Red Sox: "I told you I could make the Yankees a winner, and I told you before I left Oakland (where he played in 2001) I could make a Boston a winner."

Boras says Damon has the same disposition toward the Tigers in 2010: "I can make the Detroit Tigers a winner," Boras said, citing Damon's words to him in December.



The Tigers are looking for top-of-the-order punch after the departures of Curtis Granderson and Placido Polanco. They are particularly needy on the left side of the plate, and Damon, of course, is a left-hand hitter.



From The Detroit News: Agent: Damon wants to play for Tigers | detnews.com | The Detroit News

[eastside billee]

Johnny Damon and I have two big things in common.....we both want to be a Detroit Tiger and we both want to make $7 million per year.

How's it feel to want?

[MotownRandy]

Couldn't you have edited this to get rid of some of the bull? You just quoted an entire article. That took no effort at all.

[CapitalTigers]

Originally Posted by eastside billee

Johnny Damon and I have two big things in common.....we both want to be a Detroit Tiger and we both want to make $7 million per year.

How's it feel to want?

Agreed. He'd have to come down on the $7 million; maybe with performance bonuses totalling $7mm. He does fit the bill of what Dombrowski is looking for though- left handed hitter that can play the field. Well, kind of play the field... his arm is questionable at best, as we all know.

[CapitalTigers]

Originally Posted by MotownRandy

Couldn't you have edited this to get rid of some of the bull? You just quoted an entire article. That took no effort at all.

Fixed.

[keystone]

Hmmm, an outfield of Guillen, Damon and Ordonez.

Our pitchers better throw a lot of ground balls.

[NJTiger]

tell you what, i watched every at bat of the world series and all of his seriously impressed me. he takes pitches, can steal 20+ bases and hit 15+ homers. and he's a lefty which this team desperatly needs.

he would give us plenty of good options if jackson doesn't work out.

obviously the only problem would be the contract. it's all a matter of if dombrowski and illitch can spend the cash.

[Yoda]

In case anyone wants to read the ongoing discussion on this...

If Valverde, why not Damon?

Damon is more interested in getting paid by the Tigers than playing for them. Those two things are always confused for some reason. Not that I blame him, but he wasn't coming out a couple months ago asking the Tigers to sign him. It's February and nobody else wants to pay him what he's asking.

[Johnny Mac]

Originally Posted by keystone

Hmmm, an outfield of Guillen, Damon and Ordonez.

Our pitchers better throw a lot of ground balls.

Hopefully an outfield of Damon, Jackson, Ordonez with Guillen at DH (or flip Ordonez and Guillen when needed), that looks a little better at least

[eastside billee]

It all wouldn't be so bad if we weren't saddled with the Guillen contract.

[jaymo]

So that was the guy on exit 50 with the "Will bat for food!" sign.

[Hongbit]

This thread should be titled "Boras tries tapping a familiar well to get another aging client a big payday"

[nmuman]

I'd love this signing if it were for about 4.5 million.

[Hart]

Damon could care less about the Tigers. This is just another ploy by Boras to get his client more money. He recognizes that the Tigers have spent in the past and might be willing to spend again. DD will not bite unless the price comes down.

Does it make anyone else feel good inside to see how Boras screwed things up for Damon this offseason? Or maybe Damon screwed things up for himself...

[monkeytargets37]

no thanks

[catswithbats]

Originally Posted by Hongbit

This thread should be titled "Boras tries tapping a familiar well to get another aging client a big payday"

A+

That's exactly what came to mind when I saw the headline.

[Charles Liston]

I like a guy who says he has a career average of .363 at Comerica as though that trend would continue if he were a member of the Tigers...uhhh Johnny you wouldn't be hitting against the Tigers pitching staff any more, and against that 2003 staff you should have hit .800.

He does have a superhero name though.

[CapitalTigers]

Originally Posted by Yoda

In case anyone wants to read the ongoing discussion on this...

If Valverde, why not Damon?

Although the same ballplayer is in both threads; I have been following that thread closely. I think it's two different subject matters for a thread. That of speculation and that of a ballplayer's agent saying he wants to be with a particular team.

[El Gato Pollo Loco!!]

I wouldn't mind Damon for less than $5 mil and a provision in his contract that he grow his hair and beard out.

[chasfh]

We all want to be employed.

Nevertheless, I would take him for 2/14. Anything more than that is overpaying.

[Eric Cioe]

Originally Posted by El Gato Pollo Loco!!

I wouldn't mind Damon for less than $5 mil and a provision in his contract that he grow his hair and beard out.

I could get on board with that so we could say "looks like Jesus, throws like Mary" again.

[Antrat]

Originally Posted by chasfh

We all want to be employed.

Nevertheless, I would take him for 2/14. Anything more than that is overpaying.

Agreed.

[Los Gatos]

Damon turned down 1 year @ $6 million from the Yankees. Why would he take less from Detroit? He'll crawl back there if he gets nothing better.

The whole thing is a joke. Boras has gone to the well before with the Tigers and he's trying to use them, either to get their money or up the offer from another team. I honestly don't want any part of Damon. Give me Raburn in LF and Guillen at DH. Leadoff will work itself out. The only FA hitter I'm interested in for the Tigers is Branyan.

[Eric Cioe]

Originally Posted by Los Gatos

Damon turned down 1 year @ $6 million from the Yankees. Why would he take less from Detroit? He'll crawl back there if he gets nothing better.

He won't crawl back there because Randy Winn took his spot. They weren't bluffing. Boras knows that now.

[GREEAR10]

I predict we end up signing him to 2yrs 10mill or 1yr 6.5mill....which prolly won't be that bad.

[ToledoTigerFan]

Sounds to me like his agent is trying to drum up interest where none exists. And we all know who his agent is. Methinks the Tigers have one or two too many aging outfielders already. Why add one that throws like a 90-year old woman?

[Los Gatos]

Originally Posted by Eric Cioe

He won't crawl back there because Randy Winn took his spot. They weren't bluffing. Boras knows that now.

I doubt Winn's $2 million contract would prevent them from taking Damon back. If it does, then the Tigers most certainly should not exceed the Yankees' last offer. But again, I don't want him on the Tigers at all.

[BigGrandy4528]

Originally Posted by Los Gatos

Damon turned down 1 year @ $6 million from the Yankees. Why would he take less from Detroit? He'll crawl back there if he gets nothing better.

The whole thing is a joke. Boras has gone to the well before with the Tigers and he's trying to use them, either to get their money or up the offer from another team. I honestly don't want any part of Damon. Give me Raburn in LF and Guillen at DH. Leadoff will work itself out. The only FA hitter I'm interested in for the Tigers is Branyan.

He would take less because right now it is less or nothing...something Scottie B failed to mention when he told Johnny the Yanks could shove it.

Boras may get people the big money when they are in their prime, but after the age of 34 every player employing him should fire scott boras

[Cult of Guillen]

Sign him for whatever he wants for one year only.

[sportz4life]

It's affordable if the structure is as follows 1year/6.5MM with/1.5MM deferred to 2011. with a 1MM option for 2012 at 6MM (either vesting or non vesting they can work that out).

If at the trade deadline July 31, the Tigers were to move him, they tigers would have only paid him 3,350,000 with the tacquiring team absorbing the remainder. (5MM prorated over 2/3 a season)

If the Tigers are contenders, 5MM and deferring his salary to 2011 when payroll is low..makes the deal cash flow friendly and risk adverse..

[Titus Tiger]

Originally Posted by GREEAR10

I predict we end up signing him to 2yrs 10mill or 1yr 6.5mill....which prolly won't be that bad.

I predict Dave Dombroski will keep his word.

[Casimir]

Nah, pass on Damon. Unless we can use 2 DHs in the lineup at once.

[Elevate]

I like Damon. For no more than a year, however. And no more than 7 mil.

[DaYooperASBDT]

Not to be a dick again, but could we possibly merge the two Damon threads? It's a pain going back and forth and trying to follow this discussion.

[tiger337]

I don't think the Tigers will sign him. Dombrowski said they weren't interested. I know it could be a negotiating ploy but it's not one that I remember him using before. When he is interested in a player, he usually says something like "we are always looking for ways to improve the club but nothing is imminent". And when he's really serious, he doesn't comment at all.

I think they are more likely to sign an infielder who can back up at third and perhaps second if Sizemore is hurt more than they are saying. Kennedy seems like a real possibility.

[Titus Tiger]

Originally Posted by DaYooperASBDT

Not to be a dick again, but could we possibly merge the two Damon threads? It's a pain going back and forth and trying to follow this discussion.

couldn't we just add two more threads and let all of them die?

[Casimir]

Originally Posted by tiger337

I think they are more likely to sign an infielder who can back up at third and perhaps second if Sizemore is hurt more than they are saying. Kennedy seems like a real possibility.

This was mentioned elsewhere here... what about Felipe Lopez as a backup IF? Has played all over the IF while Kennedy has not played SS. Perhaps with Santiago this isn't a big concern, but the extra SS depth would be nice.

Edit: Sorry, probably a bit incomplete with my thoughts on Lopez, but he has played 2B/SS/3B, even a bit of LF (although more interested in the IF work).

[davidsb]

He is worth every penny he demands - he said he can make us a winner!!

[DaYooperASBDT]

Originally Posted by Titus Tiger

couldn't we just add two more threads and let all of them die?

LOL. I remember trying to wade through all these threads while on dial-up, and I wanted to kill something. And grill it (Grilli it?).

[oldglory1999]

Imo...yes the guy isn't getting any older, but hey he has to world series rings within the last decade...that outta say something.

I say let's try him...if nothing else, at least we went to get one of the "big dogs"