Tigers Sign Damon - 1 yr, 8 mil; NTC

[iamshack]

I take it this was very recently? I checked MLB's player page before posting that and he was still listed as a FA.

Yesterday.

[WCSox]

Besides his terrible 2nd half last year, Dye was certainly one of the better Sox hitters. And who is this average position player he's being replaced with? Rios might be an upgrade, but who knows if he'll bounce back?

 

Dye had a nice 2008, but was hurt throughout a good chunk of 2007 and was equally-worthless at times. I expect that somebody like Rios (who is not a slugger or a high OBP guy) is going to put up about a .790-.820 OPS this year, which is at least equal to and probably better than what JD would've done at his age.

 

I may get blasted for this, but I actually believe that Pierre's overall skill set (speed, base-stealing, contact-hitting, defense) will make him an overall upgrade to what a declining Dye would've contributed as a DH this year (and at almost 1/3 of the price).

 

Edited February 20, 2010 by WCSox

[flavum]

Pierzynski thinks Damon is a no-go.

 

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/...g-with-sox.html

[chw42]

Pierzynski thinks Damon is a no-go.

 

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/...g-with-sox.html

 

Not surprising.

[Springfield Soxfan]

Is this one of the most popular threads of all time, we are all starved for the season to start. This group has made the winter much more bearable, thanks to all.

[gatnom]

Besides his terrible 2nd half last year, Dye was certainly one of the better Sox hitters. And who is this average position player he's being replaced with? Rios might be an upgrade, but who knows if he'll bounce back?

 

 

VV a few days ago. He signed pretty cheap too.

 

Well, if it weren't for that iceberg, the titanic would have been the greatest ship ever.

 

I may get blasted for this, but I actually believe that Pierre's overall skill set (speed, base-stealing, contact-hitting, defense) will make him an overall upgrade to what a declining Dye would've contributed as a DH this year (and at almost 1/3 of the price).

 

That says a lot more about Dye than it does about Pierre.

[southsider2k5]

Pierzynski thinks Damon is a no-go.

 

http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/...g-with-sox.html

 

All in Kenny's dirty plan...

[WCSox]

That says a lot more about Dye than it does about Pierre.

 

I won't argue with that. Pierre is OK, but far from an All Star.

 

[macsandz]

Not surprising.

 

Per Merkin Twitter:

 

"Of course, A.J. made that comment with a smile, and I'm guessing he probably doesn't know the latter point to be true for certain."

 

But, Kenny is not smiling:

 

http://www.freep.com/article/20100220/SPOR...0015/1050/rss15

 

Very likely the Sox are simply not in this thing anymore.

Edited February 20, 2010 by bucket-of-suck

[jphat007]

I hope the players don't have the same attitude about this team that I have. We'd be done before the season even starts. I hope we have some real breakout years.

[southsider2k5]

Per Merkin Twitter:

 

"Of course, A.J. made that comment with a smile, and I'm guessing he probably doesn't know the latter point to be true for certain."

 

Why do I get the feeling the guys read the reactions to this stuff and laugh their asses off.

[macsandz]

I hope the players don't have the same attitude about this team that I have. We'd be done before the season even starts. I hope we have some real breakout years.

 

...and all before they even report to camp. Enjoy the season.

[macsandz]

All in Kenny's dirty plan...

 

---

 

LAKELAND, Fla. -- According to White Sox general manger Kenny Williams, the Tigers have made a higher bid for the free-agent outfielder Johnny Damon than their divisional rivals from the South Side of Chicago.

 

In an e-mail to the Free Press today, Williams explained why he is bowing out of the Damon bidding.

 

“I pulled the offer because it’s clear I can’t match the Detroit offer, much less the requested terms,” Williams wrote.

 

Williams thus indicates that Damon continues to seek more than the Tigers are offering.

 

Although no figures have been confirmed, it’s been widely speculated that the Tigers are offering Damon something around $7 million on a one-year deal and that the White Sox one-year offer didn’t top $6 million.

 

It would also make sense if the Tigers want to defer part of Damon’s salary. Remember, the Tigers are trying to cut some payroll this season. Damon would in effect take the payroll spot of the traded Curtis Granderson, who makes $5.5 million this season on a long-term deal. The Tigers could sign Damon for more than that, but still save money in 2010, if they defer at least a few million dollars of Damon’s salary.

 

Williams suggested Friday he’s leaving the door open a bit for Damon. Today, Williams told the Free Press he made that comment “only because it’s dangerous to completely close the door on anything. It’s kind of like never saying never.”

 

Williams, who’s had a much-acclaimed tenure as the White Sox’s G.M., is a former Tigers outfielder. Is Damon a future one?

--

 

Again, this is Kenny saying I can't go above $6M (which is what Boras is demanding) and the $6M I have is partially deferred (which Boras won't accept) and I won't go more than one year (which Boras insists upon), so the money and the terms are both beyond what the Sox can offer. Add a deadline like Kenny has and this thing looks dead to me.

Edited February 20, 2010 by iamshack

[Dick Allen]

If the "true" market value for Damon is $6M and Boras was going to pump it up to at least $7M via a bidding war with DET, then I agree.

 

Also agree on "the money is there" point. Yeah, they can reach back and go into short-term debt if they want (or borrow it from a bank). But after four years of high spending and inconsistent and mostly-disappointing results, I don't fault them at all for having tighter fists this year. If I'm Kenny and I'm going to put my job on the line, it's not going to be for somebody like AGon, not Damon.

 

How is it you know the budget? Do you work for the Sox? JR and Brooks Boyer said the money is there for an "impact" bat. I assume it means not going into the red as JR has been quoted as saying he will not lose money to win games.

 

Their fists aren't tighter this year. Payroll is up. Seasonticket sales are down, the prices for most season ticket packages was the same. If anything, they are digging a little deeper into their pockets.

 

Gonzalez would be great to have, but remember, he would be a White Sox for 2 seasons and cost the Sox probably all of their good prospects if they could get him at all. Damon just costs money that they have available, and its short term. It wouldn't preclude the White Sox from going after Gonzalez since they would only be adding about $2.3 million to the payroll if the got him at the deadline.

[Dick Allen]

---

 

LAKELAND, Fla. -- According to White Sox general manger Kenny Williams, the Tigers have made a higher bid for the free-agent outfielder Johnny Damon than their divisional rivals from the South Side of Chicago.

 

In an e-mail to the Free Press today, Williams explained why he is bowing out of the Damon bidding.

 

“I pulled the offer because it’s clear I can’t match the Detroit offer, much less the requested terms,” Williams wrote.

 

Williams thus indicates that Damon continues to seek more than the Tigers are offering.

 

Although no figures have been confirmed, it’s been widely speculated that the Tigers are offering Damon something around $7 million on a one-year deal and that the White Sox one-year offer didn’t top $6 million.

 

It would also make sense if the Tigers want to defer part of Damon’s salary. Remember, the Tigers are trying to cut some payroll this season. Damon would in effect take the payroll spot of the traded Curtis Granderson, who makes $5.5 million this season on a long-term deal. The Tigers could sign Damon for more than that, but still save money in 2010, if they defer at least a few million dollars of Damon’s salary.

 

Williams suggested Friday he’s leaving the door open a bit for Damon. Today, Williams told the Free Press he made that comment “only because it’s dangerous to completely close the door on anything. It’s kind of like never saying never.”

 

Williams, who’s had a much-acclaimed tenure as the White Sox’s G.M., is a former Tigers outfielder. Is Damon a future one?

 

--

 

Again, this is Kenny saying I can't go above $6M (which is what Boras is demanding) and the $6M I have is partially deferred (which Boras won't accept) and I won't go more than one year (which Boras insists upon), so the money and the terms are both beyond what the Sox can offer. Add a deadline like Kenny has and this thing looks dead to me.

 

 

It does appear dead, but as I stated before, if Damon had Boras call KW next Thursday and tell him he would take their last offer, is there any chance KW says no, he missed the deadline?

[macsandz]

It does appear dead, but as I stated before, if Damon had Boras call KW next Thursday and tell him he would take their last offer, is there any chance KW says no, he missed the deadline?

 

Nope. Kenny would jump on that but he's not gonna have to wait that long...

 

UPDATE: So now it's being reported (WXYT -Detroit radio) that the Tigers have given Johnny a Sunday deadline as well. Obviously DET isn't gonna bid against themselves so this is no suprise.

They simply followed Kenny and protected themselves. I'm not sure this changes anything other than expedite a Tigers signing.

[southsider2k5]

Well this should be over soon, hopefully.

[Princess Dye]

From the Tigers perspective theyre calling Damon's bluff which is probably "I will go to the White Sox if the difference is this little"

[Dick Allen]

I wonder if Damon had any other agent but Boras if the Yankees wouldn't have just gone ahead and given him $20 million for 2 years. I know they had some hard feelings after the ARod fiasco.

[jphat007]

...and all before they even report to camp. Enjoy the season.

 

I haven't felt this bad about the team in 10+ yeras. I don't even know that it is rational. Maybe it's just because I feel like this is the Twins best team in awhile. I just don't have a good feeling.

[macsandz]

I haven't felt this bad about the team in 10+ yeras. I don't even know that it is rational. Maybe it's just because I feel like this is the Twins best team in awhile. I just don't have a good feeling.

 

Don't sweat it. This Sox team is positioned to have a pretty good season.

 

Step back and really look at each roster. The Sox have better pitching, defense and speed than the Twins.

[Princess Dye]

I haven't felt this bad about the team in 10+ yeras. I don't even know that it is rational. Maybe it's just because I feel like this is the Twins best team in awhile. I just don't have a good feeling.

 

 

Twins pitching has a lot to prove, as does our OBP. It should not be a runaway year for any of the big three in the division.

[WCSox]

How is it you know the budget? Do you work for the Sox?

 

I'm pretty sure that I never claimed that I'm privy to that information.

 

JR and Brooks Boyer said the money is there for an "impact" bat. I assume it means not going into the red as JR has been quoted as saying he will not lose money to win games.

 

Sure, and there are also salaries coming off the books next year, and more the year after that. Would they be the first organization to go into the red for a year or two?

 

And why are you taking JR and Brooks Boyer's comments at face value? What incentive do they have to tell you the truth? Maybe they have another $10M+ sitting around for an "impact bat" and maybe they don't. It seems to me that it's probably a better idea for them to say what they did rather than, "Sorry, guys, we're out of money. Don't expect anything exciting this year."

 

I have no idea how much disposable income the Sox currently have, but I believe that if they really had a shot at a stud bat, they'd find a way to make it work. So, in that sense, I sort of believe JR and Boyer.

 

Their fists aren't tighter this year. Payroll is up. Seasonticket sales are down, the prices for most season ticket packages was the same. If anything, they are digging a little deeper into their pockets.

 

That's pretty much what I've been saying, though I think that they're going to be more picky this year (as current events have suggested).

 

Gonzalez would be great to have, but remember, he would be a White Sox for 2 seasons and cost the Sox probably all of their good prospects if they could get him at all. Damon just costs money that they have available, and its short term. It wouldn't preclude the White Sox from going after Gonzalez since they would only be adding about $2.3 million to the payroll if the got him at the deadline.

 

Agreed that Gonzalez is a pipe dream, due to the reasons that you outlined. I think it's more likely that they sign somebody like Blalock and go after Crawford in June if they're in contention. Then again, I still can't figure out why they let Thome and Branyan (who cost nothing) slip by. They're obviously looking. At the very least, it seems to me that the "impact bat" that JR and Boyer speak of is somebody more impactful than Damon.

Edited February 20, 2010 by WCSox

[WCSox]

I haven't felt this bad about the team in 10+ yeras. I don't even know that it is rational. Maybe it's just because I feel like this is the Twins best team in awhile. I just don't have a good feeling.

 

I felt a lot worse about this team in 2001-2002, when our rotation was garbage, our catchers were awful, CF was a mess, Frank got hurt, Borchard was on the roster, etc. This team is infinitely better.

 

[iamshack]

Agreed that Gonzalez is a pipe dream, due to the reasons that you outlined. I think it's more likely that they sign somebody like Blalock and go after Crawford in June if they're in contention. Then again, I still can't figure out why they let Thome and Branyan (who cost nothing) slip by. They're obviously looking. At the very least, it seems to me that the "impact bat" that JR and Boyer speak of is somebody more impactful than Damon.

Blalock is a Boras client. It would be interesting to see if the two parties could work together after the failed Damon Negotiations. Kenny did mention that he and Boras had some good discussions which might lead to inroads in the future.

 

I see the Crawford idea, but I think it would be pretty difficult to trade Crawford midseason considering Friedman thinks this team is their best in team history.