Braves need to make a run at Johnny Damon
How much better would Braves' lineup be with Johnny Damon?
So I listened to Braves general manager Frank Wren on 790 The Zone Wednesday morning, hearing him touch on many of the same themes he said two weeks ago when I spoke to him about the team’s offseason moves, and he concluded, “I think we’re better.”
I don’t agree. Most don’t agree. When a team adds Billy Wagner, Troy Glaus and Melky Cabrera and subtracts Javier Vazquez, Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez, the math doesn’t work out.
If Wren really wants to convince people the Braves will be better this season, here’s an idea: sign Johnny Damon.
Barring any significant move, this team has three significant questions going into the season: Leadoff hitter (Nate McLouth), cleanup hitter (Glaus) and closer (Wagner). McLouth looked average for most of last season. Glaus and Wagner represent medical roulette.
I haven’t written much on Damon in
Loading ...part 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.
Now there’s a concept.
The Braves have not had a legitimate leadoff hitter since Rafael Furcal left town after the 2005 season. That’s also the last season they made the playoffs. Funny how that works out.
When I asked Wren about Damon a couple of weeks ago, he said only, “We like the way our club has come together.”
How can that be with so many questions? Damon is 36. He is not a long-term solution. This is about now. He hit .282 last season with an on-base percentage of .365. He also tied a career-high with 24 homers (granted, aided by the short right field in new Yankee Stadium) and had 82 RBI, third-most in his career. McLouth could still start in center field. Damon could play in left. Jason Heyward: right field. Melky Cabrera? We’ve got your resume, we’ll get back to you.
The Braves have questions, and right now Wren is just counting on too many things going right. Damon eliminates one of the doubts.
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305 comments Add your comment
bry22
January 20th, 2010
11:42 am
Not really a fan of Damon, BUT, just like I thought at my companies national sales meeting last week, “Don’t piss on my back and tell me it’s raining!!” Wren saying we are better is a 100% lie! Everyone knows that he actually does not believe that. Unfortunately he can not tell the truth, he must say what even higher management tells him to say and think. A little truth in the business/sports world would be a novel idea.
smooth
January 20th, 2010
11:43 am
Let’s bring up Jason Heyward for right field, and share time with Melky Cabrera. If you want to add another steady bat just to have around bring back Garrett Anderson, he is cheap. Please forget about Damon, he is to old and expensive. We can win with this team.
Mike
January 20th, 2010
11:45 am
If you are going to spend $4mil on Damon, why wouldnt you send Cabrera ($3mil), and prospects to Florida for Uggla ($7mil). Thats still $4mil on your payroll, and you can put Prado in the OF platoon, the position he plays in winter ball….or Uggla for that matter. Plus Uggla only has a 1-year deal, so you arent on a long term hook with him.
Jeff Schultz
January 20th, 2010
11:46 am
Bill — Thanks. (I’ve been a called a lot of things but yes man is not one of them.)
Morgan Burnett
January 20th, 2010
11:48 am
Caleb King is faster than Johnny Damon – I witnessed that first-hand on King’s UNTOUCHED 75-yard touchdown that gave UGA a 30-24 victory!
Jeff Schultz
January 20th, 2010
11:51 am
Supes — 1) You haven’t addressed the leadoff issue; 2) I didn’t make the Vazquez-for-Melky trade, so “what they have to show” for trade isn’t my concern. Trade him again, if you want. Also, what strong hint do you have about the prime of Melky Cabrera’s career? 3) Never said Damon was a 5-year fix. I’m talking about this season. 4) ..That’s enough.
DCbravosfan
January 20th, 2010
11:51 am
Jeff, thanks for the reply about Jordan. I hope that he bounces back from the surgery. Damon could be a good fit for the bravos but I think his numbers were aided by that Yankees lineup. That said, he is a proven leadoff guy . . . is something better than nothing?
Jeff Schultz
January 20th, 2010
11:51 am
Jon — I know about the arm. Addressed the HRs in a comment above. I do my homework. Damon doesn’t pitch. How’s that?
Hooter Girl
January 20th, 2010
11:53 am
Oh you nattering nabobs of negativity, whatever happened to hope springs eternal? Say hello to Chipper for me.
Dawg Foot
January 20th, 2010
11:56 am
Maybe the Falcons can get Keith “Dumb as a Rock” Brooking back to fire up the Falcons on the sideline.
Marty
January 20th, 2010
11:57 am
Jeff, you’re right. Idiot comment was uncalled for. I still disagree. Mnay other do as well. Including the folks I posted before.
Rob Neyer posted in his blog yesterday that he expects the Braves to be the suprise team in 2010…”if you’d consider them a suprise” in his words.
Chipper
January 20th, 2010
11:57 am
Hi, Hooter Girl. Are we still on for Wednesday?
My bad, “Wingsday.”
Braves Optimist
January 20th, 2010
11:59 am
93 wins, wild card, NL Pennant, win in game 7 of WS in extra innings when Hanson throw 10 scoreless.
copperhead
January 20th, 2010
12:01 pm
Hey Dan, worry about what’s going on in NYC and not us, ya dig?? (rolls eyes at another NYC know-it-all)
DudleyMorris
January 20th, 2010
12:03 pm
Jeff-
This is a rather arrogant game you’re playing. It’s Bobby’s last year. Can he not go out with out you PURPOSELY running him into the ground about how bad this club is?????/
Dudley
studson
January 20th, 2010
12:04 pm
i like the move, if it’s for the right price and only for only a year or 2. i like mclouth moving down in the lineup where he’s more comfortable, and having damon be a true leadoff hitter.
oh, and trade cabrera for some form of prospect. he’s not that bad of a player, really, but just not what we need.
is it crazy to think that a diaz-heyward platoon could work? i mean, i know heyward is the future, but maybe only batting him against righties would help him get acclamated to the bigs. what do you think?
FSUBrad
January 20th, 2010
12:06 pm
Pass on Damon. #’s highly inflated playing in that stadium, batting in front of murderer’s row. only way i see them bringing him in is if they can move mclouth for a couple big prospects. i don’t get the hunch that wren is in love w/ mclouth. as it stands now, this lineup is complete, however there are a ton of ?’s. we more or less know what to except out of chipper, matty-d, mccann & escobar. the other starters & role players are up in the air
TNT
January 20th, 2010
12:06 pm
Jermaine Dye, more power, about the same price…
patrick
January 20th, 2010
12:06 pm
I’m with Marty. It’s like some of you don’t understand baseball at all. And to say you wont go because we didn’t sign a big name means you are not a braves fan.
Extremus
January 20th, 2010
12:06 pm
While some of his decisions have benefited the Braves from a business perspective, Frank Wren’s handling of the ballclub with regard to tactfulness (i.e. how Glavine’s release was handled) and public relations (i.e. endless spin-doctoring) show that quite often he is little more than a mouthpiece for Liberty Media, the Braves’ current (and hated) ownership. You know a big part of what gave the Braves of the 90s the passion to win and eventually bring home a World Series trophy? It was the hands-on, personal touch of a human ownership rather than the impersonal, “business first” approach that has come to represent corporate ownerships and interests. Wren has, to his credit, at times handled personnel transactions shrewdly (such as landing Vasquez last year to give durability and quality innings to the pitching staff) but at least just as often has acted in a manner that clearly shows Liberty Media’s interests are about money, not about fan service or keeping a quality product on the field (i.e. dumping Vasquez and his salary to the Yankees a year later for Melky Cabrera and a couple of prospects). He, like Liberty Media, sometimes seems not to be in tune with fan opinion or player interests when push comes to shove.
Landing Johnny Damon would be a good idea to help give the 2010 Braves some needed depth and top-of-the-order production and speed. But I don’t think it will happen because with corporate ownership, monetary profit will always trump practicality and sensibility.
wawel78
January 20th, 2010
12:10 pm
I would love to have Damon @ 2 yr/ 10-12 mil but I just don’t see the braves making the move. I think Wren has done well with the budget he has been dealt. I would rather have Vazquez right now but that move at this point was obviously $$ driven.
Chris Welter
January 20th, 2010
12:14 pm
I agree 100%. Damon would be a great addition for a lower price and would help this team out immensely. I agree again that it would be “cheap” of Wren to not sign Damon, especially when his asking price is expected to lower. This is a no-brainer and Wren needs to realize this. Seriously.
USCTrojanfan
January 20th, 2010
12:19 pm
I’m sure glad your not in charge of the Braves, Jeff. I would hate to see what the club would look like when you got through with it!
Rod
January 20th, 2010
12:21 pm
Heyward is ready. Let’s stay in budget and see what we got and make mid season trade if things not going well. It’s to late to try to start to make moves now.
bigstack19
January 20th, 2010
12:21 pm
I am ill that Wren thought Glaus was better than trying to resign LaRoche. Even if LaRoche doesn’t hit until July he saves runs with defense. Glaus is a question mark if there ever was one. There is no reason to believe Glaus will be anything more than what Raul Monsesi was when he was the cheap off-season addition. I am very ill they traded Vasquez to the Bankees for a platoon outfielder and unproven prospects in order to free up money to sign…… absolutely nobody. I am really mad that he signed Lowe to a big contract, but maybe he bounces back. Signing Damon would be smart not just for offensive purposes but to show the fans that the team actually wants to win instead of always saying they are restricted by payroll and can only trade off their best players to championship teams while adding washed up over the injury plagued vets to fill holes. Soriano-Gonzalez is better than Saito-Wagner. LaRoche is better than Glaus. At least we don’t have to watch Garrett Anderson loaf around all season in left. This team as it stands is an 80 win team at best.
Nick n Nash
January 20th, 2010
12:26 pm
I would like for Frankie to get Damon, however, I highly doubt he will. The only way would be to trade one of the current OF’s. Think about this, the braves already have Diaz, Cabrera, and McClouth on their MLB roster. If they added Damon, that would give them 4 OF’s (max of what Bobby will carry during the season). Unless they trade one of them now (or later for that matter) that could potentially be a blocker for Heyward to come up in say, June.
I think in the short term, Damon would be a good pickup, but beyond this year i’d rather have the guys we currently are looking at.
SHJ
January 20th, 2010
12:26 pm
Melky is an upgrade on defense but thats all.Go get Damon,Nady,Dye,Uggla or somebody.Make it look like you are trying to improve the team,not just stay under budget.Give us a reason to be optimistic about our chances.Give us an offense that will do justice for our starting pitching.
SLP
January 20th, 2010
12:27 pm
You nailed it, Jeff. But the view from the Wren’s nest is special, so special you gotta be wearing those funny 3-D glasses they hand out in order to watch the newest flick at the movies. And don’t forget that occupying the Wren’s nest is a lonely, singular pursuit and is meant for those who have vision, guts, and glory in mind. But you have to wonder what someone would find if they were audacious enough to enter the Wren nest? My hunch is they would find a VACANT sign!
JMar
January 20th, 2010
12:30 pm
I think Damon can be the difference between a good regular season and a playoff team, and if you can get him to sign a one year deal for $5 mill, or even two for $10, you do it. What no one ever remembers with these kinds of players is how valuable they can be at the trade deadline (if the Braves were seemingly out of contention): teams fall all over themselves to trade for a half season of a good veteran outfielder at a good price. Or if he plays a full season, he could theoretically come away as a Type B player, and we get a draft pick out of it as well. In other words, a player like Damon is likely to have more value than just a sign-and-play.
tomahawkin down 75
January 20th, 2010
12:36 pm
maybe it’s just me… but with the lack of moves and Wren being concrete on his “I like our team” mantra at the moment, I’m thinking they’re planning on Melky and Diaz holding down the corners until June, then Heyward AND Schafer could be getting a call. They’ll give them another 1/2 a season to prove they’re ready, then they’ll be getting their turn. Hinske and Infante back up the outfield, with Melky backing up Center. I ain’t saying i like it, i’m just saying it’s what i see them doing.
Hello, McFly
January 20th, 2010
12:37 pm
G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS
125 371 56 116 18 4 13 58 35 90 12 5 .313 .390 .488 .878
How about a solid (.313) hitter in Left last year, he has career (.310) average.
Matt Diaz……. Why does everyone over look this guy?????
Branch Rickey
January 20th, 2010
12:38 pm
Damon would do ZILCH at Turner Field, compared to new Yankee Stadium where he was surrounded by top notch hitters. I see a Melky/Diaz platoon in left; McLouth in CF & Heyward in RF by June.
pete
January 20th, 2010
12:42 pm
Look at Damons numbers at home versus away. He is a below average hitter away from the band box of Yankee Stadium
Shug
January 20th, 2010
12:43 pm
1. Damon is a career American League guy.
2. Damon is old and slow.
3. Damon is old, slow and injury prone.
4. Damon can NOT field, and especially can NOT throw.
5. Damon is overpriced.
What’s not to like?
PMC
January 20th, 2010
12:44 pm
This edition of the Braves will be better on opening day than they were last year without any further changes. That is an accurate statement from Wren. I just don’t think it will better thier position in the final standings or equate to 90+ wins.
It may just not be worth it for Damon especially if they want Schaffer to play this year. That said, it’s still debateable whether Schaffer can lead off too.
McClouth is plenty capable but I think he’s better when not leading off.
NORRIS
January 20th, 2010
12:45 pm
Johnny Damon would be a great addition. I do not understand for the life of me why we dont make a move on him.
CanHewitt
January 20th, 2010
12:46 pm
Sure, it’s nice to have someone like Damon if he comes cheap. But no way Braves should be spending more than $5 million on him. I don’t think he’ll sign one year deal either. If Braves have that much money, they should wait and address whatever is missing before the trading deadline.
Leadoff is overrated. It’s nice to have a fast onbase machine but you can get by with a decent hitter. Yeah, no playoffs since Furcal left. He’s not the only one that’s left the team though. The bottom line is Braves have better team starting the season in 2010 than 2009. A lot better.
Shug
January 20th, 2010
12:47 pm
Come to think of it, why not just re-sign Keith Lockhart or Robert Fick?
Branch Rickey
January 20th, 2010
12:47 pm
If Matt Diaz were in the American League or another team, he’d be a STAR. As long as Bobby Cox jerks the guy around here with his Mickey Mouse platoon system, he’ll never shine.
Tea
January 20th, 2010
12:53 pm
Because of the obscene cost of beer and very low quality, expensive food I’ve ruled out any trips to the stadium in 2010, just like I did in 2009. But without an additional power bat, I’ll likely be cutting down my tv watching time too. Either baseball needs to fix the absurd discrepancies between team payrolls or Liberty needs to allocate a competitive payroll. Either way – screw you baseball!!
Mayor of Ponce
January 20th, 2010
12:53 pm
I’m undecided until I hear Sonny Clusters take.
Miller Huggins
January 20th, 2010
12:56 pm
Anyone who thinks Damon can play OF didn’t watch the Yankees last year. He cannot throw. And, his power numbers were obviously inflated by the wind-tunnel effect in new Yankee Stadium.
Jared
January 20th, 2010
12:57 pm
good post Marty… this year’s opening day team will be better than last year’s opening day team. Might not be better than the team at the end of last year but its pretty darn close.
For one, I think Vazquez had a career year last year, ERA-wise. We floundered early in the year with a no-hitting Jordan Schafer and a AAA-bound Tommy Hanson. We win 5 more games in April and May last year and we’re the WC.
I also agree that Glaus is not necessarily “injury-prone” as he is coming off of an injury. Either way, a 50% Troy Glaus hits more dingers than a 100% Casey Kotchman.
Lowe, Jurrjens, Hudson, Hanson, Kawakami is still the best rotation in the NL, imo.
The OF is too crowded already without an over-the-hill product of Yankee Stadium like Damon. Whether you guys like it or not, the future is Schafer, heyward, and Freeman at 1B. It would be the epitome of stupid to go spend a bunch of money on someone at one of these positions.
May have to take our lumps again this year… not really sure. The rotation is going to keep us in the games. I actually like our chances with the pop that Glaus, a healthy McLouth, a resurging Chipper (he will be better), and McCann should give.
Cracker Jacket
January 20th, 2010
12:58 pm
Braves need to sign a STAR player! Not a soul is thrilled to see this team play ! Empty seats again like the 70’s and 80’s all over again!
Rick
January 20th, 2010
1:01 pm
Johnny Damon is a poor outfielder. His defense would hurt the Braves more than his offense. His arm is so bad that teams run on him at will. No way should the Braves offer him a dime to come play for them.
siskel_god
January 20th, 2010
1:01 pm
I hear they are waiting for his price to come down to the 1-2 million range, but we just paid over 3 mil to the Melkman? Go figure. Braves fans, follow the organizations lead and BE CHEAP!
Peter
January 20th, 2010
1:02 pm
Johnny Damon has no arm zero arm…… Yes he can hit and run…… so our defense would suffer in my opinion…..what was the point of signing Cabrera if we get Damon ?
Ok we need a lead off guy, but Damon would be too expensive the way we are going.
buy tickets and support the organization
January 20th, 2010
1:05 pm
or at least watch the telecast to drive up ratings
maybe then they’ll have the confidence to spend more than $90 million
mike
January 20th, 2010
1:06 pm
Too much money for somebody that old. Now, enough about Chipper. Sign Johnny.
mike
January 20th, 2010
1:07 pm
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