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Monday, February 25, 2013

Johnny Damon says he would return to Yankees if Brian Cashman called

Johnny Damon would welcome a return to New York. He just isn’t sure the Yankees are eager for such a reunion.

Damon, 39, hasn’t officially retired, though he didn’t garner much interest as a free agent this winter. With Curtis Granderson slated to miss the next 10 weeks with a fractured right forearm, Damon sees himself as an ideal candidate to fill the void.

“I don’t expect to hear from them,” Damon told the Daily News by telephone. “If they call, if they want me, I’ll go. They are one of the only teams I would do that for. We’ll see what happens in the future. If someone calls, I could definitely get ready.”

...Damon had a subpar season with the Tigers in 2010, but he bounced back with a solid 2011 in Tampa Bay, belting 16 homers with 73 RBI.

“I can still hit,” Damon said. “I still know I’m better than 70-80 percent of the guys out there. I know if I played every day, I’d be really good.”

Thanks to Butch.

Repoz Posted: February 25, 2013 at 07:19 PM | 31 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: yankees

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1. Ray (RDP)

Posted: February 25, 2013 at 07:54 PM (#4375967)

I am hereby announcing that I will date Hayden Panettiere if only she will call.

2. Lassus Posted: February 25, 2013 at 08:16 PM (#4375983)

I am available to conduct the NY Philharmonic, as well.

3. Greg (U)K Posted: February 25, 2013 at 08:17 PM (#4375984)

Is that the Heroes one, or the Gossip Girl one? Or the people "Neither" option.

4. Walt Davis Posted: February 25, 2013 at 08:20 PM (#4375986)

The question is whether he will return to the Yankees if Andrew Friedman calls.

5. dr. scott Posted: February 25, 2013 at 08:37 PM (#4375990)

I'm afraid i would not play for the yankees if cashman called, as i refuse to shave my beard.

Because I'm sure just after i shaved, they would figure out I have no talent and fire me, then i would have no job or beard. It could not end well.

I might play for the Astros though...

6. RMc and His Roster of Rubbish Posted: February 25, 2013 at 08:37 PM (#4375991)

"Sure, I'd listen if (name of team) called," said somebody who has absolutely no chance of being called by the team in question.

7. Gonfalon Bubble Posted: February 25, 2013 at 08:41 PM (#4375993)

Re-tweeting my own old BTF wisecrack: Curtis Pride would not listen if the Yankees called.

8. AT-AT at bat@AT&T Posted: February 25, 2013 at 08:50 PM (#4376000)

then again, imagine this !

coming up for the yankees : ichiro, youkilis, teixeira, (damon)...
a feast for the stance, batting dynamics eyes ! the big apple (of the eye) !

9. Bruce Markusen Posted: February 25, 2013 at 09:16 PM (#4376006)

That would be the Heroes one.

10. Jolly Old St. Nick Done Jumped The Ship

Posted: February 25, 2013 at 09:18 PM (#4376008)

“I can still hit,” Damon said. “I still know I’m better than 70-80 percent of the guys out there."

That's sure as hell not saying much these days.

11. Ray (RDP)

Posted: February 25, 2013 at 09:20 PM (#4376010)

2013 projections according to BP:

Ichiro: .253 EqA, 633 PA, 1.6 WARP

Damon: .262 EqA, 295 PA, 0.9 WARP

As near-worthless as everyone thinks Damon is now that he's come to the end of the line, according to these projections hilariously the Yankees would be slightly better off with Damon in left than Ichiro. At best, it's a fair fight.

12. RB in NYC (Now Semi-Retired from BBTF) Posted: February 25, 2013 at 09:34 PM (#4376017)

2013 projections according to BP:

Does PECOTA still have its thing where Ichiro just gives it fits? This is less about Damon vs. Ichiro and more that I'm just curious.

13. The District Attorney Posted: February 25, 2013 at 10:00 PM (#4376029)

It's sure not the craziest thing I've heard today. I mean, is Damon worse than Juan Rivera? Because that's the current alternative. (Like many of us, I'd move Nunez out there, but there's no indication that that's happening.)

14. Select Storage Device -- Baseball Historian Posted: February 25, 2013 at 11:23 PM (#4376047)

I am hereby announcing that I will date Hayden Panettiere if only she will call.

H: What are you doing next week? The gang is going to a sit-in in the swamps of Louisiana to protest the destruction of the creole-tapeworm. We figure it will take a week for them to remove us from our fortified mud pit.

You: Sounds... great!

15. jyjjy Posted: February 25, 2013 at 11:26 PM (#4376051)

I'll bet Ricky is sure Ricky would listen if Cashman called. As a Yankees fan I actually sincerely would like them to do this, it would be worth it.

16. John Northey Posted: February 26, 2013 at 12:02 AM (#4376058)

Now that would be fun! The return of Rickey Henderson in CF for the Yankees. Dang, I'd have to cheer on a Yankee for a few weeks. It would be fun to see a HOF'er play in the majors - the NHL has had that happen a few times but never the majors - closest was Jim Palmer I think...he started a comeback with the Orioles years ago, shortly after being voted in, during spring training iirc but quit a few days into it.

17. Dan Posted: February 26, 2013 at 12:18 AM (#4376066)

It's sure not the craziest thing I've heard today. I mean, is Damon worse than Juan Rivera? Because that's the current alternative. (Like many of us, I'd move Nunez out there, but there's no indication that that's happening.)

Cashman already stated that they don't view Nuñez as an option in LF. I agree that they should try him out there, but the team doesn't.

Giving Damon a shot, at least in ST, doesn't really seem like a crazy idea. He was solid for the Rays in 2011, and he'd come cheaply.

18. Walt Davis Posted: February 26, 2013 at 12:41 AM (#4376079)

It's true, were I the Yanks I'd bring in Damon, Abreu, see if Geoff Jenkins is busy or JD Drew wants to give it a go. And I'm only stopping there because I'm not certain Roy White is still alive. Heck, call up one of the crappy networks and see if they want to run a reality show where the winner gets to be the LH side of an OF platoon. Five weeks of Juan Rivera may make Marquis Grissom 2005 look like Barry Bonds.

19. Ray (RDP)

Posted: February 26, 2013 at 02:07 AM (#4376102)

Cashman already stated that they don't view Nuñez as an option in LF. I agree that they should try him out there, but the team doesn't.

Nunez can't hit. I mean, neither can Ichiro, but at least Ichiro can field.

I remain perplexed as to where this love affair with Nunez is coming from. Why do people think he can hit?

20. Russlan is fond of Dillon Gee Posted: February 26, 2013 at 02:25 AM (#4376106)

Nunez can't hit. I mean, neither can Ichiro, but at least Ichiro can field.

The projections don't love Ichiro and that's not surprising considering his age and that he didn't hit for most of the last two years. But I think Ichiro is going to hit for the Yankees. I think he'll do well in Yankee stadium and I think he'll be more like the hitter he was for the Yankees than he was for the Mariners last year.

21. Jim Wisinski

Posted: February 26, 2013 at 03:40 AM (#4376116)

If they call, if they want me, I’ll go. They are one of the only teams I would do that for.

Ha! Damon would jump at the call from any team in the majors at this point.

22. Jack Carter, calling Beleaguered Castle Posted: February 26, 2013 at 03:52 AM (#4376119)

Damon seems to know where he is wrt the Hall. I wonder if it's too humbling to have his agent put out the word that he'll play for the minimum.

I am hereby announcing that I will date Hayden Panettiere if only she will call.

An extraordinarily attractive woman for whom I can't generate any feelings of lust at all. Her squarish face has something to do with it.

23. RMc and His Roster of Rubbish Posted: February 26, 2013 at 05:42 AM (#4376126)

I am hereby announcing that I will date Hayden Panettiere if only she will call.

An extraordinarily attractive woman for whom I can't generate any feelings of lust at all. Her squarish face has something to do with it.

Looks like your standard-issue blonde to me. Wouldn't kick her outa bed for eating crackers, tho.

24. JE (Jason Epstein)

Posted: February 26, 2013 at 09:40 AM (#4376170)

Rejected headline: "Johnny Damon says he would return to Yankees if Brian Cashman called, but only if he could play shortstop."

25. Yeaarrgghhhh Posted: February 26, 2013 at 10:00 AM (#4376178)

Yeah, she doesn't do anything for me.

26. DL from MN Posted: February 26, 2013 at 10:55 AM (#4376211)

I still know I’m better than 70-80 percent of the guys out there

Unfortunately for Damon only the top 10% of the guys make a roster.

27. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: February 26, 2013 at 11:05 AM (#4376221)

I am hereby announcing that I will date Hayden Panettiere if only she will call.

She's pretty, but I also hear that she's into some really creepy stuff.

28. SoSH U at work Posted: February 26, 2013 at 11:07 AM (#4376223)

She's pretty, but I also hear that she's into some really creepy stuff.

Hey, maybe Ray's got a chance. (-:

29. SG Posted: February 26, 2013 at 11:27 AM (#4376239)

It's sure not the craziest thing I've heard today. I mean, is Damon worse than Juan Rivera? Because that's the current alternative.

You have to figure at the very least Damon would be better than Rivera or Diaz vs. RHP which would make him more useful. Here's how I have them projected in terms of wOBA platoon splits.

Player: vs L / vs R
Damon: .313 / .335
Rivera: .325 / .303
Diaz: .319 / .287

None are going to play particularly good defense, so yeah, I don't see why they wouldn't at least consider Damon.

30. Bitter Mouse is a genre addict Posted: February 26, 2013 at 01:52 PM (#4376356)

She's pretty, but I also hear that she's into some really creepy stuff.

The things you hear while surfing. Like what (if a PG version is possible)?

31. Ron J2 Posted: February 26, 2013 at 02:23 PM (#4376380)

#18 Speaking of which, I think Bonds is pretty likely to out-hit Rivera, White and company.

And he really might be in the best shape of his life.

A perfect move to bolster their claims in the "Evil Empire" saga.

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Monday, February 25, 2013

Johnny Damon says he would return to Yankees if Brian Cashman called

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