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Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Schultz: Braves need to make a run at Johnny Damon

I haven’t written much on Damon inpart because it was presumed he would simply re-sign with the New York Yankees and, with Scott Boras as his agent, he would ask for an obscene amount of money on the open market. But he’s still out there, with spring training a month away. The asking price — once believed to be in the two-year, $14 million range — almost certainly has come way down.

The Braves are at their self-imposed payroll limit ($90 million). But there’s a difference between being fiscally smart and just plain cheap. Adding Damon makes the Braves better. If they’re better, they win more games and sell more tickets. Maybe they even make the playoffs.

I’ve thought about Damon, but I don’t think there’s anyway the Braves could sign him financially. And I certainly wouldn’t want more than a year or two. Otherwise it might be a pretty good fit.

Latnam's first name is Bob Lemon's middle name. Posted: January 20, 2010 at 08:13 PM | 18 comment(s) | Login to Bookmark
Related News: General, Atlanta, NY Yankees

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1. My Grate Friend, Peason Posted: January 20, 2010 at 08:46 PM (#3442408)

They need to.

2. bunyon Posted: January 20, 2010 at 08:52 PM (#3442417)

Well, would it be worth it to offer him 2 years, 12 mil?

Do teams do this sort of thing and we just don't hear about it?

3. Best Regards, Larry Mahnken (Dewey is a slacker) Posted: January 20, 2010 at 08:53 PM (#3442419)

And I certainly wouldn’t want more than a year or two.

Nobody's offering more than a year or two. He'll sign for two.

4. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: January 20, 2010 at 08:53 PM (#3442421)

Liberty Media needs to test this on a focus group first.

5. channeling my inner STEAGLES Posted: January 20, 2010 at 09:01 PM (#3442426)

he'd be a very good sign for them. the wild card is up in the air, and with the pitching the braves have, damon would have a significant impact for them.

i don't think they need to, though. i'm a believer in jordan schafer, and i think he could put up a league average OPS with excellent CF defense, and the potential to be much more of an offensive force, plus they've got melky, and nate mclouth, matt diaz and, i've gotta think jason heyward will show up at some point this year. so, while they don't need damon, he's an improvement over everyone else they've got, and the difference between him and melky cabrera is probably worth the cost to sign him to a 1 year deal.

6. DL from MN Posted: January 20, 2010 at 09:08 PM (#3442430)

Sign him and dump Melky somewhere else.

7. Juan V is the mustard of your doom! Posted: January 20, 2010 at 09:09 PM (#3442431)

I'm still surprised the Yanks didn't announce a Damon re-signing a couple of days after the Holliday contract.

8. Robert in Manhattan Beach Posted: January 20, 2010 at 10:16 PM (#3442493)

i don't think they need to, though. i'm a believer in jordan schafer, and i think he could put up a league average OPS with excellent CF defense, and the potential to be much more of an offensive force, plus they've got melky, and nate mclouth, matt diaz and, i've gotta think jason heyward will show up at some point this year

Yeah, I don't think they need to go there. McLouth, Melky, Diaz, and Hayward - after a service time suppressing stay in AAA - should be adequate.

Plus, I don't get the impression that their salary ceiling is in any way flexible.

9. RJ not in TO

Posted: January 20, 2010 at 10:18 PM (#3442495)

Why do all the Braves fans on this site hate Melky? He's a perfectly cromulent outfielder.

10. Robert in Manhattan Beach Posted: January 20, 2010 at 10:22 PM (#3442504)

Well, I don't hate him. I sure as hell wouldn't have traded Javy Vasquez for him but I don't hate him. He'll be acceptable, and the Braves haven't exactly been overflowing with acceptable outfielders the last few years.

11. dlf Posted: January 20, 2010 at 10:24 PM (#3442508)

Why do all the Braves fans on this site hate Melky? He's a perfectly cromulent outfielder

Because the team traded a guy who got a CYA vote for a "perfectly cromulent outfielder." Not his fault, but being what was received in a salary dump is held against him.

That and he is a Yankee. Atlanta fans dislike anything related to NY.

12. Der Komminsk-sar Posted: January 20, 2010 at 10:35 PM (#3442516)

I've always hated him - the amount of pub and opportunities he's gotten significantly exceeded his ability to contribute...
Emeigh has mentioned that there are similarities to Melky and -aah!- a young Damon ... and he's got a point ... but I wasn't keen on Damon before the switch flipped for him either (and I liked Johnny a lot more than Melky).

This is not to say that Melky's not perfectly useful.

13. Yankee Redneck is a Pinhead. Posted: January 21, 2010 at 12:34 AM (#3442601)

Because the team traded a guy who got a CYA vote for a "perfectly cromulent outfielder." Not his fault, but being what was received in a salary dump is held against him.

But it wasn't just the cromulent outfield, it was also the high-ceiling pitching prospect who probably ranks in their top-5.. A prospect like Vizcaino significantly embiggens the value of any package.

14. Chipper Jonestown Massacre Posted: January 21, 2010 at 12:45 AM (#3442606)

Atlanta fans dislike anything related to NY.

Hey wait a minute, now...

I'm a native Atlantan - there's like 5 of us - and I love NY (the city).
It's their teams that make me wanna barf...

15. Chipper Jonestown Massacre Posted: January 21, 2010 at 12:48 AM (#3442613)

And oh by the way, hells to the no on Johnny "Jesus" Damon.

16. Chipper Jonestown Massacre Posted: January 21, 2010 at 12:48 AM (#3442614)

17. Teheran's Uranium Enriched Missiles Posted: January 21, 2010 at 12:59 AM (#3442624)

Yea, high ceiling pitching prospect in Low A. Well, who am I to complain? My nick is after a high ceiling pitching prospect in Low A!

But seriously, the Braves are at the trough of their hitting prospect cycle. In the 00s, they didnt push through any significant pitching prospects till Hanson ( the flameout list is Davies, James, Meyer, Capellan, Reyes, Ramirez, Moss, Harrison..). But they also produced McCann, Escobar, Prado, KJ, Furcal. Giles, LaRoche, Salty, Frenchy, Ramirez, Langerhans ( the last 4 hung around in the majors, which as prospects go is a win ), Flowers, with Heyward and Schafer on the cusp.
They also produced Tp Jr, Luis Hernandez, and Thorman but thats better forgotten! Charles Thomas too, after all he netted us Hudson.
Marte was the only 3B prospect in the last decade ( Campbell looked likely but was a major flameout ), and well, he flamed out something spectacular.

18. Sam Hutcheson is the 'saur with the rainbow roar Posted: January 21, 2010 at 02:41 PM (#3443023)

Johnny Damon would make the team better. If you have the budget, you should sign players that will make the team better.

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Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Schultz: Braves need to make a run at Johnny Damon

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