Tigers Sign Damon - 1 yr, 8 mil; NTC

[witesoxfan]

Damon is not the superior fielder? I know Quentin has the better arm (obviously), but aren't we still worried about Quentin's plantar injury and reducing the stress he puts on it seems like a good idea.

 

Damon is a terrible fielder and has an arm comparable to Juan Pierre. Paul Konerko would be able to go from 1st to 3rd if Damon played right field.

[chw42]

Damon is not the superior fielder? I know Quentin has the better arm (obviously), but aren't we still worried about Quentin's plantar injury and reducing the stress he puts on it seems like a good idea.

 

Not really.

 

If we somehow do get Damon, which is a stretch, he'd split time at DH, LF, and RF.

[SoxAce]

Not really.

 

If we somehow do get Damon, which is a stretch, he'd split time at DH, LF, and RF.

 

I will personally put Ozzie on death watch if I see Damon in CF, yet alone RF for us. Same goes for Pierre, though I can stomach him playing CF for a few games this season if our LF/RF outfielders (who are playing that day) are solid. (I'm sure Ozzie will do that) Pierre can be the LF/CF/some DH and Damon can be the DH/LF. Rios can play anywhere in the OF he wants (though I'm sure it'll be CF/RF/some DH) and Quentin can do RF/DH. (Quentin and Damon can rotate the most at the DH spot and Pierre and Rios can play the OF the most) Kotsay can handle 1B/DH/some OF and we'll see how Andruw and/or Nix do depending on ST and position Ozzie sees fit (either could be gone or in Andruw's case, release outright for all we know). I better not ever see Vizquel at the DH spot as he should always play the field with his defense. (though I'm sure he'll be at the DH spot knowing Ozzie, just hope our overall D and O that day are good) Damon is actually very underrated as a LF though. (minus the arm)

 

Alright let me stop my rambling since we don't have this guy. (yet)

Edited February 12, 2010 by SoxAce

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

Damon is a terrible fielder and has an arm comparable to Juan Pierre. Paul Konerko would be able to go from 1st to 3rd if Damon played right field.

 

Well according to UZR, Damon had a -9.2 in LF, while Quentin had a -15. Also, Damon's UZR/150 was -12.1, while Quentin's was a staggering -25.4. Damon also had a better RngR as well.

 

I think they are both pretty bad in the OF. Now it seems the question is do the want to superior arm in RF while risking more injury to your best power hitter who has struggled with a foot problem all last season? I suspect Ozzie will throw Q in RF and just cross his fingers he does not hurt himself.

Edited February 12, 2010 by JoeCoolMan24

[SoxAce]

Well according to UZR, Damon had a -9.2 in LF, while Quentin had a -15. Also, Damon's UZR/150 was -12.1, while Quentin's was a staggering -25.4. Damon also had a better RngR as well.

 

I think they are both pretty bad in the OF. Now it seems the question is do the want to superior arm in RF while risking more injury to your best power hitter who has struggled with a foot problem all last season? I suspect Ozzie will throw Q in RF and just cross his fingers he does not hurt himself.

 

I'll speak for wite since his black ass isn't around right now. (ya I used a Cartman reference) Damon is a decent defender, minus the arm (pretty much why I said underrated). It’s true that his 2009 UZR is not good, but his total UZR over the last three years in LF is a +5. You have to remember larger sample sizes are needed when evaluating defense. Every player can have an off year on defense just like any hitter can have an off year with the bat. As far as Quentin, he was a RF defensive standout (also with the bat too of course) at Stanford and throughout the minors, not to mention his short time (though 966 innings played in RF) with the D-Backs. RF is his natural position, so I expect a good defensive year for Quentin as he has said it'll be like riding a bike again in ST to get his instincts back in RF. (hopefully he'll be good at crashing into walls to rob hits again, post shoulder injury) I don't know if Quentin can be the +12.3 overall in RF like he once was a couple years back, (before the shoulder, wrist [though thats fine now] and foot) but I expect a + defensive rating for him.

[GreatScott82]

I was just thinking this morning. Adding Johnny Damon to a 1 year deal would be a perfect situation for our DH slot because:

A) He adds more speed and contact hitting to our lineup.

B. With all the talk of Adrian Gonzalez staying in SD until the winter, it likely wouldn't mess with our chances of still aqcuirering him in the future, meaning we still have 1 full season of our prospects to increase their value. Guys like Mitchell, Danks, Viciedo and Flowers come to mind.

C) It would give Ozzie the flexibility to do an alternating R,L,R,L. . . type lineup on a daily basis.

For Example:

1. Pierre LF (L)

2. Beckham 2B ®

3. Damon DH (L)

4. Quentin RF ®

5. Konerko 1B ®

6. Pierzynski C (L)

7. Rios CF ®

8. Teahen 3B (L)

9. Ramirez SS ®

 

D) Damon is a proven winner. He's a clutch hitter and would provide an excellent clubhouse presence to a team that already has a bunch of awesome characters!

 

Get it done KW!

Edited February 12, 2010 by GreatScott82

[scotty22hotty]

To pass Detroit's 14M/2 deal, KW would have to offer at least 9M/1. (maybe 7M base, 2M incentive)

Detroit would be getting a LF, the Sox would mainly be getting a DH...

 

While Damon improves this team greatly, I cant see KW offering anything past 6M total.

 

 

[Knackattack]

FWIW, Merkin says the Sox have about 4M to throw at him.

[DBAHO]

Sox could offer 4M for 2010, with some deferred money down the line, and perhaps a mutual option at about 8M for 2011.

 

FWIW, I think Damon would take less from the Sox than he would from Detroit, but with Bora$$ being his agent and all, I don't see that happening.

[Dick Allen]

FWIW, Merkin says the Sox have about 4M to throw at him.

I'd love to know how he came up with that figure. I seem to recall that had zero to work with, in fact might have been over budget last year then got Peavy and Rios. The White Sox aren't going to tell anyone how much they have to spend. At this point, I think we could probably come to the conclusion Boras is playing with at least one team regarding finances. I just wonder which one it is.

Edited February 12, 2010 by Dick Allen

[Kyyle23]

I'd love to know how he came up with that figure. I seem to recall that had zero to work with, in fact might have been over budget last year then got Peavy and Rios. The White Sox aren't going to tell anyone how much they have to spend. At this point, I think we could probably come to the conclusion Boras is playing with at least one team regarding finances. I just wonder which one it is.

 

Except when it was said that they could add payroll if the right player came along.

[southsider2k5]

Cowley finally caught up and reported the Sox interest 5 mins ago.

 

I'll bet money he read it here.

[southsider2k5]

It just seems to me kind of odd, the best Damon could do yesterday was a one year contract for $4 million with half of it deferred, and now today he's at over $14 million for 2 years. Something, somewhere doesn't add up. Either he doesn't have that particular offer on the table or Boras scammed someone into believing that another team had made a similar offer. I can't see 2 teams all of a sudden going that high. For one year and $7 million, maybe $8 million, yes, but not 2 years. Maybe the Sox are offering him 1 year at $5-6 million with some incentives. At least then if he gets paid, he's put up some numbers.

 

Either that or Illitch got it in his head that he could win the division, and he knows that they only way to keep him from losing assloads of money on the Tigers this year is for them to be in contention.

[Kyyle23]

The Tigers ended up having to excercise Magglios option didnt they? If so, that hurt them pretty bad

[southsider2k5]

Sox could offer 4M for 2010, with some deferred money down the line, and perhaps a mutual option at about 8M for 2011.

 

FWIW, I think Damon would take less from the Sox than he would from Detroit, but with Bora$$ being his agent and all, I don't see that happening.

 

I make the offer, even if it is all that we have, and test Boras to see if the 2/14 number is crap.

[Dick Allen]

Except when it was said that they could add payroll if the right player came along.

I've read quotes from JR that he won't lose money to win games, but he will bust the budget if said player(s) guarantee a championship. If the White Sox spend money, it means it was available.

[southsider2k5]

The Tigers ended up having to excercise Magglios option didnt they? If so, that hurt them pretty bad

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/09/magg...tion-vests.html

 

Magglio Ordonez has made his third plate appearance of the night in Detroit against the Royals, reaching base on an Alex Gordon error. The at-bat means his 2010 option has vested, as expected. Making his 1080th plate appearance in 2008 and 2009 combined, Ordonez reached the minimum number of PA required to guarantee his $18MM option.

[DBAHO]

I've read quotes from JR that he won't lose money to win games, but he will bust the budget if said player(s) guarantee a championship. If the White Sox spend money, it means it was available.

Signing Damon obviously doesn't guarantee a championship. However with the division likely to be a real close race again, he could possibly make the difference. The Sox weren't just going to splash 4M out on some average relievers, like say an Ed Wade would, it'd have to be an impact guy, and Damon obviously provides that.

 

FWIW, I think the Sox could have been better served by not trading for Pierre, and just signing Damon and using him at LF/DH as a leadoff hitter, Rios at CF, Quentin at RF, and Jones as the 4th OF/DH.

 

They would have had more money available to do that anyways.

[maggsmaggs]

My worry is that Boras will be in the ear of Damon too much and sway him to the Tigers because of the money. If the Sox really are $3 million short here, you gotta bump the number up. I think $3 million is worth keeping him away from Detroit and he is a popular player who will bring people to the park. Also, we really need to answer the Twins who have made some pretty smart moves the past month.

[dyuen]

Signing Damon obviously doesn't guarantee a championship. However with the division likely to be a real close race again, he could possibly make the difference. The Sox weren't just going to splash 4M out on some average relievers, like say an Ed Wade would, it'd have to be an impact guy, and Damon obviously provides that.

 

FWIW, I think the Sox could have been better served by not trading for Pierre, and just signing Damon and using him at LF/DH as a leadoff hitter, Rios at CF, Quentin at RF, and Jones as the 4th OF/DH.

 

They would have had more money available to do that anyways.

 

This is probably correct but if Pierre is batting 9th and Damon leading off I like Juan a whole lot more. I just don't want him at the top of the order.

[chetkincaid]

I don't believe that the tigers are really offering 2 yrs 14 mil to Damon. I think this is just a big game of poker between KW, the tigers and boras. I think the tigers might even be intentionally bumping up the price for Damon just so the Sox have to pay more for him - and I wouldn't be surprised if KW is doing the same thing. This is all playing into Boras's hands.

[BigSqwert]

I wonder who would have the more annoying presence on the team, Swisher when he was with us or Damon if we were to sign him? I really don't like either personally although I wouldn't mind Damon's bat this year since our offense looks so lackluster on paper.

[whitesoxfan101]

I've read quotes from JR that he won't lose money to win games, but he will bust the budget if said player(s) guarantee a championship. If the White Sox spend money, it means it was available.

 

I don't think some people realize how much having a legitimate, mid 800's OPS type left handed bat at DH who can also play LF at times like Johnny Damon will upgrade this team over rotating 4 guys who cannot hit at the DH spot. I really think a move like this fits into the idea that we'll overspend a bit for one more guy if we feel it makes us a lot better.

Edited February 12, 2010 by whitesoxfan101

[NorthSideSox72]

I don't think some people realize how much having a legitimate, mid 800's OPS type left handed bat at DH who can also play LF at times like Johnny Damon will upgrade this team over rotating 4 guys who cannot hit at the DH spot. I really think a move like this fits into the idea that we'll overspend a bit for one more guy if we feel it makes us a lot better.

I like the idea of rotating Damon and Jones at DH, and giving Damon further at bats by playing in the OF. I still think Jones will have a good year. But if you sign Damon, you should try to get him 400+ at bats, most at DH.

 

[South Side Fireworks Man]

Who DH'es with Damon here? Quentin?

I'd split time between Damon and Pierre with Damon getting 60% time at DH and 40% in LF. This keeps both Pierre and Damon's legs fresh which should help their running games.