From Jon Heyman:
To this point, the Yankees and free agent outfielder Johnny Damon seem to be apart in contract talks, with the Yankees looking to pay him about $20 million over two years and Damon believed to be seeking a four-year deal while trying not to take a pay cut from the $13 million a year he made.
This is the second day in a row Heyman has said the Yankees want Damon for 2/20.
And like yesterday when we addressed this rumor at the Climate Summit in Copenhagen, one immediate question comes to mind:
The Yankees would rather Damon sign a 2-year contract, than a 1-year arbitration deal?
We don’t get it. Damon just turned 36 on November 5th. He’d be nearly 38 at the end of a 2-year deal. For the front office, you’d think years would be more important than annual salary, especially for someone who played a terrible LF this season. We’d much rather see 1 year at $15 mil (or whatever he’d get in arbitration) than 2 years. Plus with offering him arbitration, you’d at least get the insurance of multiple draft picks if Damon walked.
If this rumor is true, Cashman & crew basically thought 2 years/$20 mil at ages 36 & 37 far outweighed 1 year/$15 mil with draft pick insurance.
That’s messed up, yo.
edit: For the record, we’d rather bid farewell to Damon entirely, and sign Holliday. Our commentary was based on speculation that the Yanks actually want to re-sign Damon. All this is rumor obviously. How are you today? Starting to really get cold out. Going to a holiday party this weekend. It’s an ugly sweater party. Sounds like fun. Watched Carrie Underwood’s special last night. Thought it was great. Who knew she was such an entertainer.



9 Comments
Brian Cashman is watching December 8, 2009 13:18
It is Jon Heyman, reporting on a Boras client. I want someone else to report it before I believe it.
Business Suit December 8, 2009 13:20
Or maybe they don’t want him back but don’t want to just walk away from him. If this is true they might be offering a deal they know he won’t take so they can bring in someone else.
Ben December 8, 2009 13:49
if they really wanted him back a 1 yr 14 mil deal would have been great. and if he left u would have got picks for him. weird.
Brian December 8, 2009 13:58
we just got Granderson
later Damon!
Box607 December 8, 2009 14:14
Damon 2 for $20M is dumb. The market was set last year. Abreu (who is better offensively and I can’t believe I’m saying this defensively at this point) got only $5M last year. The Granderson deal (if it goes through) would moot Damon signing, but if they wanted to offer anything to Johnny, it should be one year and $8M. Don’t like it Johnny, go play for the Mets.
Zero December 8, 2009 14:15
Jon Heyman is a jerkoff. All of his reports are the equivalent of somebody on a message board posting ‘FIRST!’ every time a new thread is started.
Kevin December 8, 2009 17:12
What you are saying makes no sense to me. I dont see how youd rather 1/15 than 2/20. I realize how old Damon will be in 2011 but what you are saying is that you don’t think Damon will be worth 5 mil in 2011. Is it a sure thing he will be worth that? No, but I think its a good bet Damon will be worth 5 mil in 2011.
Steve December 8, 2009 17:38
” The market was set last year. Abreu (who is better offensively and I can’t believe I’m saying this defensively at this point) got only $5M last year. ”
But Abreu just got $19M/2 THIS year. That’s the market. Not last year’s Abreu deal.
Matcohen December 9, 2009 16:59
There are a lot of options for DHs – $15 million is way above market.You guys are wrong on this one.