Tigers Sign Damon - 1 yr, 8 mil; NTC

[southsider2k5]

On this team, that's certainly a consideration. But the way I see it, Damon would be the only one on the roster with a leadoff hitter's skill set. (Outside of maybe Beckham, who has less base-stealing ability and I don't want taking extra pitches right now.)

 

JMO, but I'd probably go: Damon, Beckham, Quentin, PK,.... and bat Pierre 9th. Damon's gap power would mesh nicely with Pierre's speed.

 

He might also be the closest thing to a #3 hitter that we have.

 

My top of the order might just be Pierre, Beckham, Damon.

[iamshack]

I take it that Rock's source has bad news regarding Damon?

I believe he said the entire thing was a farce.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

You dont have to believe my sources. Not a big deal. No need to try and make fun of me though.

I wasn't making fun of you, I was just saying your sources don't exist. My apologies for sounding offensive.

[WCSox]

He might also be the closest thing to a #3 hitter that we have.

 

My top of the order might just be Pierre, Beckham, Damon.

 

Much of this decision will hinge on Quentin. If he's hitting anywhere near his 2008 season, I think that Damon leading off would be ideal. But if Q has a down year or is injured again, you almost have to move Damon to the #3 spot.

 

Hell, I get the feeling that this entire offense is going to the way that Quentin goes. They can't hide him behind Thome and Dye anymore.

Edited February 19, 2010 by WCSox

[fathom]

You dont have to believe my sources. Not a big deal. No need to try and make fun of me though.

 

Yeah Rock, it's not like you haven't been dead on with a handful of things the last two years!!

[scenario]

Tigers Offer Contract to Ex-Yankee Damon

Published: Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 11:50 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 11:50 p.m.

 

LAKELAND | Dave Dombrowski, president and general manager of the Detroit Tigers, confirmed Thursday that the club has offered a contract to free agent outfielder Johnny Damon.

 

Negotiations between Dombrowski and Damon's agent, Scott Boras, have been reported over the past several weeks but there has never been an official confirmation by the Tigers, who, under Dombrowski, typically do not disclose anything about personnel matters until they are concluded.

 

"I can confirm that we have talked (Dombrowski and Boras) and that we have offered him (Damon) a contract," Dombrowski said.

 

Dombrowski would not say how much money or how many years were involved, but published reports have indicated Boras was initially seeking a two-year, $20 million deal. No team has offered anything even approaching that.

 

The Tigers offer has been variously reported at two years for $14 million and one year for $7 million. Dombrowski would not confirm either number. "I would be very surprised if it's for more than one year," one source said.

 

Tigers Manager Jim Leyland, as is his custom, would not comment on the Tigers' offer.

[ScottyDo]

Tigers Offer Contract to Ex-Yankee Damon

Published: Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 11:50 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 11:50 p.m.

 

LAKELAND | Dave Dombrowski, president and general manager of the Detroit Tigers, confirmed Thursday that the club has offered a contract to free agent outfielder Johnny Damon.

 

Negotiations between Dombrowski and Damon's agent, Scott Boras, have been reported over the past several weeks but there has never been an official confirmation by the Tigers, who, under Dombrowski, typically do not disclose anything about personnel matters until they are concluded.

 

"I can confirm that we have talked (Dombrowski and Boras) and that we have offered him (Damon) a contract," Dombrowski said.

 

Dombrowski would not say how much money or how many years were involved, but published reports have indicated Boras was initially seeking a two-year, $20 million deal. No team has offered anything even approaching that.

 

The Tigers offer has been variously reported at two years for $14 million and one year for $7 million. Dombrowski would not confirm either number. "I would be very surprised if it's for more than one year," one source said.

 

Tigers Manager Jim Leyland, as is his custom, would not comment on the Tigers' offer.

This makes me very happy. Come ooooon random NFL scout! I will consider you a baseball guru if you come through for me on this one!

[WCSox]

"I would be very surprised if it's for more than one year," one source said.

 

In other words, the Sox are probably still in it. I guess that's sort of good news.

 

[NorthSideSox72]

I believe he said the entire thing was a farce.

And I can tell you that is not the case. An offer was made.

 

Plus with this latest article, making it seem as if DET's offer is 1 year as well... then we're back to what it seems like - Damon is weighing the two one-year offers, and Boras is hoping one of the two teams blinks and ups the ante.

 

Rock later said there was "no news", and that seems bad. Well, given the situation, no news is what I'd expect. The offers are on the table, Boras is hoping for one team to up the stakes, and if not, then Damon will take one of the two offers as-is. Nothing to report, until he takes an offer. We wait.

 

 

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

I don't know how we'll be able to move Kotsay or Jones. Nobody needs another extra OF, but I'll try anyway.

 

Here are my 2 trade suggestions to fix the problem:

 

1. Crazy 3-way trade: Kotsay to the Reds for Aaron Miles in an equal salary swap (each player paid $1.5M) and then Miles goes with a halfway decent prospect to the Orioles for Ty Wigginton and cash.

 

For the Orioles: Miles is very versatile, and although he's coming off an absolutely horrid year, he's never had a bad year aside from 2009. He'd give the O's more versatility than Wigginton, who is useless with Tejada and Atkins at the corners, especially with youngsters coming up. Going from Wigginton to Miles is a talent downgrade, even though Wigginton is a sunk cost, so the O's get someone halfway decent to make up for the talent downgrade.

 

For the Reds: Kotsay would allow the Reds to dump Laynce Nix, plus he'd back up Votto, provide a better PH option, and open up more time as a backup for Janish, who was going to be a starter until the Reds picked up OC.

 

For us: Wigginton replaces Kotsay as the 1B backup, and also replaces Nix as the 3B backup as well. Plus he replaces Jones as a power option off the bench. Vizquel covers SS and 2B.

 

 

2. Try to trade Andruw Jones to the Pirates for Ryan Church.

 

Jones becomes their backup and DH option against AL teams. He's dirt cheap, and while he has a lower floor than Church, the reclamation potential is greater. For us, we actually get a backup CF option.

 

 

In the end, we replace Nix + Jones + Kotsay with Wigginton and Church.

 

Bench:

Church LF, CF, RF

Castro C

Vizquel 2B, 3B, SS

Wigginton 1B, 3B

 

Much better.

Edited February 19, 2010 by Kenny Hates Prospects

[WCSox]

I don't know how we'll be able to move Kotsay.

 

Easy. If nobody wants him, you DFA him.

 

[ScottyDo]

Easy. If nobody wants him, you DFA him.

I don't think anyone wants to get rid of him just to get rid of him. I don't see how that would benefit the team at all. He's a fine bench player. Trading for another need makes sense. DFA doesn't, IMO.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

Easy. If nobody wants him, you DFA him.

I know that, but I was trying to think more along the lines of not having to eat his money first. It would be better to get another player making the same amount than it would be to eat $1.5M and take on somebody else.

[quickman]

I believe he said the entire thing was a farce.

 

 

I maybe wrong but I don't think rock said this. I think and I am paraphrasing, he said his source said there was some action last week but now there is dead silence which he views as not being good.

[NorthSideSox72]

I maybe wrong but I don't think rock said this. I think and I am paraphrasing, he said his source said there was some action last week but now there is dead silence which he views as not being good.

He actually said both, but I think the "farce" thing was just an inference on his part. The second point is what he was really getting at, or at least that's how I took it.

 

[WCSox]

I don't think anyone wants to get rid of him just to get rid of him. I don't see how that would benefit the team at all. He's a fine bench player. Trading for another need makes sense. DFA doesn't, IMO.

 

Sure, but I wouldn't stress out about finding a team that will want to give up a halfway decent prospect for one year of Kotsay. IMO, DFAing/trading Jones might even make more sense.

 

I know that, but I was trying to think more along the lines of not having to eat his money first. It would be better to get another player making the same amount than it would be to eat $1.5M and take on somebody else.

 

IMO, it's almost not worth worrying about. Especially given how Jones can't stay healthy or get on base regularly anymore. And as Balta has suggested multiple times, keeping Kotsay/Jones and going to an 11-man pitching staff might be the best way to go.

 

[quickman]

He actually said both, but I think the "farce" thing was just an inference on his part. The second point is what he was really getting at, or at least that's how I took it.

 

 

Ok, you may know better as you follow the board closer than I do. That said, his source may not be at liberty to say anything and this silence is consistant with the media shutting down on this topic as well. I only suspect that he has two offers and is taking the weekend to decide which one to take. It appears each is different in structure and there are many moving parts including his agent, family, Union and his personal feelings. This is not unlike any other job in life when one has mulitple opportunities that will involve moving, money and lifestyle. A couple of days to think does not reflect negatively on either side of the ledger right now.

[NorthSideSox72]

Sure, but I wouldn't stress out about finding a team that will want to give up a halfway decent prospect for one year of Kotsay. IMO, DFAing/trading Jones might even make more sense.

 

 

 

IMO, it's almost not worth worrying about. Especially given how Jones can't stay healthy or get on base regularly anymore. And as Balta has suggested multiple times, keeping Kotsay/Jones and going to an 11-man pitching staff might be the best way to go.

An 11 man staff gives you this bullpen:

 

Jenks

Thornton

Putz

Linebrink

Pena

Williams/Threets

 

No Hudson, no long reliever. Not saying that's such a bad thing, but, that's what you'd get.

 

[NorthSideSox72]

Ok, you may know better as you follow the board closer than I do. That said, his source may not be at liberty to say anything and this silence is consistant with the media shutting down on this topic as well. I only suspect that he has two offers and is taking the weekend to decide which one to take. It appears each is different in structure and there are many moving parts including his agent, family, Union and his personal feelings. This is not unlike any other job in life when one has mulitple opportunities that will involve moving, money and lifestyle. A couple of days to think does not reflect negatively on either side of the ledger right now.

I think that is all spot-on.

 

[Heads22]

I still think Torres makes the most sense as long-reliever/mop-up. I'd rather have Hudson getting his starts in at AAA.

[SoxFan562004]

Ok, you may know better as you follow the board closer than I do. That said, his source may not be at liberty to say anything and this silence is consistant with the media shutting down on this topic as well. I only suspect that he has two offers and is taking the weekend to decide which one to take. It appears each is different in structure and there are many moving parts including his agent, family, Union and his personal feelings. This is not unlike any other job in life when one has mulitple opportunities that will involve moving, money and lifestyle. A couple of days to think does not reflect negatively on either side of the ledger right now.

I think this is extremely realistic and I also have a gut feeling the Tigers blink and add a year or make a one year deal much higher than the White Sox deal. Earlier in this thread I said I think he signs with the Tigers for a significantly better offer than the White Sox, either in years or one year money, by the end of Friday, so I have 13 hours to be spot on from a shot in the dark, LOL!!!

 

 

[SoxFan562004]

I still think Torres makes the most sense as long-reliever/mop-up. I'd rather have Hudson getting his starts in at AAA.

Couldn't agree more, I really want Hudson down in AAA as a starter.

[MattZakrowski]

I still think Torres makes the most sense as long-reliever/mop-up. I'd rather have Hudson getting his starts in at AAA.

 

Agreed, it's a low leverage role, and I don't want to start Hudson's arb clock unless he's making starts, or is at least a 7th inning guy.

[tonyho7476]

I'd love to see Pierre, Damon, Beckham heading up the top of our lineup. That's a nice 1-2-3.

[WCSox]

An 11 man staff gives you this bullpen:

 

Jenks

Thornton

Putz

Linebrink

Pena

Williams/Threets

 

No Hudson, no long reliever. Not saying that's such a bad thing, but, that's what you'd get.

 

Yeah, pretty much. And I realize that you can't carry an 11-man pitching staff on every team (e.g., it would've been impossible on the 2007 squad). But I think that this rotation may be proficient enough and, at the very least, eat enough innings to allow for one less bullpen arm. Time will tell.

 

Unless Ozzie or Kenny have indicated otherwise, I don't see Hudson starting the season in the bullpen. If he's going to occupy the 5th spot in the rotation next year, it would make a lot more sense to get him conditioned with as many innings as possible in the minors.