Detroit offers Damon two years, $14 million (UPDATED)
Scott Boras reaffirms he is king among agents.
You can curse Scott Boras all you want and blame him (and his ilk) for baseball salaries spiraling out of control. But we just found out again why he’s the best agent in baseball.
According to FoxSports.com, Boras has coaxed a two-year, $14 million offer out of the Detroit Tigers for free agent outfielder Johnny Damon. If the report is accurate, you can forget about the Braves landing Damon for left field and, more important, the leadoff spot in their batting order.
Johnny Damon hit .282 and a career-high 24 homers in 2009.
The Braves’ offer reportedly was for one year for somewhere between $4 million and $5 million, including deferred payments, according to our David O’Brien.
After not extending an offer the entire offseason, general manager Frank Wren clearly was eager for Damon to sign, even having Chipper Jones make a recruiting phone call to the player in hopes of luring him to Atlanta.
But it’s doubtful the Braves would add a second year to their offer, especially with Damon being 36 years old. Part of the Braves’ pitch was that their spring training home in Orlando is near Damon’s offseason home, but the Tigers also train in nearby Lakeland.
FoxSports reported that Tigers owner Mike Ilitch authorized the two-year, $14 million offer, doubling Detroit’s previous offer of one year for $7 million. Damon has spent his entire career in the American League (Kansas City, Oakland, Boston New York).
Bottom line: It was a nice effort, even if belated, by Wren to improve the lineup. But he can’t be faulted if the Braves don’t match Detroit’s offer.
UPDATE: There’s no comment yet from the Tigers on their reported offer to Damon. But here’s a link to an interesting story from a long-time pal of mine, John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press. It seems when Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski was asked four weeks ago if he was interested in Damon, the answer was no. Things apparently changed only after owner Mike Ilitch got involved. That would jibe with the Fox report that Boras, “seemingly has succeeded in reaching out to Ilitch, who previously signed several of the agent’s other high-profile clients, including catcher Ivan Rodriguez, right fielder Magglio Ordonez and pitcher Kenny Rogers.”
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221 comments Add your comment
rooty
February 11th, 2010
6:43 pm
GO Johnny GO!
I wish you were a Yankee, but want the best for you! Thanks for the title in NY in ‘09!
I know I shouldn't
February 11th, 2010
6:44 pm
It’s because CEOs make that regardless of performance
ugaaccountant
February 11th, 2010
6:50 pm
MiaBchBravesFan – Way to drink the obama kool aid. The definition of a bonus in the corporate setting is absolutely not what Obama and friends try to portray it as.
shane
February 11th, 2010
6:56 pm
Way to drink the obama kool aid
Tastes better than Bush Aid you guys were drinking. Man did that guy almost ruin this country or what. Pretty big hole to climb out of hopefully Obama is up to it. 1 year is not enough time to undo 8 years of incompetence.
KnightInATL
February 11th, 2010
7:03 pm
The bottom line is that the government hasn’t had to “BAIL OUT” a baseball team. Until the government starts paying ballplayer salaries, its none of Obama’s business what ballplayers make.
If the market will bear it, there is no reason why ballplayers shouldn’t get paid what they’re making. And in the NFL and MLB….the market certainly bears it.
ernisTbass
February 11th, 2010
7:07 pm
Reminds me more of Boras and Andruw Jones than Furcal, Damon will be more like any pitcher that had a good year anywhere else then went to Colorado and showed how much he missed his old ballpark. Damon will play somewhere else next year at Detroit’s expense. Boras did his job, he is good at it.
BIOMASS
February 11th, 2010
7:15 pm
What about the “I have the play for the greatest manager of all time, Bobby Cox?”
Not the Damon said that, but that’s what every signee is obliged to say.
One more stinking year of this idiot. Another wasted year.
Bob in SF
February 11th, 2010
7:16 pm
Thank goodness Dave Dumbreski has stepped in and save Frank Wrong from signing another washed up American Leaguer out machine.
BBrown
February 11th, 2010
7:18 pm
Remember the one intangible here in the favor of the Braves – We are talking about Detroit. Not Chicago, not LA, not Philly, but Detroit. Then again for additional $7 million, I could live in Detroit during the season and elsewhere in the offseason.
juvenal
February 11th, 2010
7:21 pm
so how come dooleydawgs post appeared after above mine-good thing i don’t care, but to those it does, don’t forget the vagaries of computers-don’t care where anyone else lives(wish more of you DID NOT want to live where i do!), just sayin’ tha dif tween 4.5 really meaningless IF you know how to spend money(see:”cheetah” woods”), know a lot of folks from midwest, dad was from MW,when i lived there knew NOBODY that moved there,at some point not waking up in a blue state rust-belt in 20′ of snow, well, living here should be especially important to folks who can live anywhere they want(like me-save lives for a living, not hitting hardballs, not as many $ but it’s ok…)
jim
February 11th, 2010
7:21 pm
Just looked at the Detroit sports blogs. The majority seem to think Atlanta got the best of this deal. 36 yrs. old and weak arm folks. We do not need this guy. Let the Tigers pay out the wazoo for Damon.
Braves Gone
February 11th, 2010
7:34 pm
$7 mil per year for an over the hill J. Damon?????? Are you serious? They must be smoking some good stuff up there—he’s not worth $4 mil per year.
jc_dawgs
February 11th, 2010
7:37 pm
Assuming Heyward wins the start at right field……our worst bat would be Diaz/Cabrera in left.
Combine that with a very good starting 5 and this Braves team looks pretty good. And without Damon….the defense will be better….that I can guarantee you.
juvenal
February 11th, 2010
7:42 pm
just to match the vernacular-less bats against the Cardinals, GO REDBIRDS!
Robby
February 11th, 2010
7:43 pm
Hey Schultz, how come we aren’t hearing how embarrassing this is for the Braves and how they just got someone else a raise like the UGA Def Cord. search? The Braves got played, just like they did when they signed Lowe to a ridiculous contract that was over $15 million more then anyone in baseball was offering.
Bottom line is that the Braves will be run in the ground just like the Orioles were when Wren was in charge there. The Braves lack any explosiveness on Offense! The Pitching Rotation is just one arm going down away from really being in trouble and if Wagner doesn’t pan out, then what? Wager threw back to back days only ONCE last year? What does that tell you.
Braves will again be a .500 team and finish at best 3rd in the Division.
Joe Fan
February 11th, 2010
7:51 pm
Thank you Detroit…Once again Wren is saved from himself.
heywood jablomey
February 11th, 2010
7:51 pm
more b/c i like u, less b/c i have the time…
here’s another freebie, sir.
buenos noches…
SHANE is an idiot
February 11th, 2010
7:52 pm
find another blog u freak
BIOMASS
February 11th, 2010
8:03 pm
This team looks like crap, waddautalkin about?
Another absolutely punchless lineup. Glaus at 1B? Hoping for a Chipper rebound? The OF??? Forchrissakes, hoping for rookie miracle?
Hudson is coming off surgery. He looked less than stellar BEFORE surgery. Jair is solid. Hanson, probably. The Japanese guys? Lowe????
Yeah, someone guaranteed the Braves won’t win 86 wins. Wow, go out on a limb there, Mr. Risky. This team is just a product. A product to pull in as many suckers as it can to make enough to pay executives. NOT TO WIN ANYTHING.
1eyedJack
February 11th, 2010
8:10 pm
Deja Vu all over again.
juvenal
February 11th, 2010
8:11 pm
can Tebow play baseball?
bob
February 11th, 2010
8:19 pm
He can buy the Silverdome for $50k to use for BP on a snowy day.
Pucks n Snot
February 11th, 2010
8:22 pm
Hilarious. Yesterday all you read in here is how excited everyone is that the Braves might get Damon. Then they lose out and all of a sudden Damon’s washed up and Detroit sucks for signing him. News flash, Atlanta: YOU SUCK. All those great teams in the 90’s and you win ONE World Series……which really doesn’t count because it was after a strike shortened season in 1995. Other than that what does Atlanta have for sports? The Thrashers? A HA HA HA HAAAA!
BTW, to the moron who said the Braves won 14 pennants in a row: You are a typical Atlanta sports fan…..in that you know NOTHING about sports and yet you talk anyway just to hear yourself. NEVER POST AGAIN!
Tell it like it is.
February 11th, 2010
8:31 pm
The Braves may not look like a discount team but our GM gives us away.
boots
February 11th, 2010
8:31 pm
What is Otis Nixon up to these days, Jeff?
Javy Lopez/Vasquez
February 11th, 2010
8:31 pm
Damons fielding would have been on par with Garrets, he needed to stay in the AL so he can DH, if he wants to be close to home why not sign with Tampa, theyre a good team with playoff possibilities, & he can stay home? We need more of a big bopper than Damon anywho!
juvenal
February 11th, 2010
8:33 pm
at least baseball is as boring as golf..
Roundabout
February 11th, 2010
8:34 pm
Empty seats…..Third Place finish (at best)…….Mr Wrong Way Wren ran the team in the ground same kinda of GM as Naradelli was for Home Depot…..that is your 2010 Atlanta Braves!!! Glad I live up close to Rome…..maybe I can go see Vizcaino the only bright spot in that disasterous trade for Vasquez…..Melky???? What a joke!
heywood jablomey
February 11th, 2010
8:56 pm
slow-pickins…
Jesse Stone
February 11th, 2010
9:02 pm
People Wren should thank: Rafael Furcal, Jake Peavy, Ken Griffey, Jr, Dave DUMBrowski. DUMBrowski gives us Jurrjens, then he “steals” Damon away. Too bad DUMBroski doesn’t work for the Pistons, he could “steal” Paul Hewitt as well.
Steve
February 11th, 2010
9:03 pm
Thank goodness. Now this nonsense about Johnny frickin Damon being the Braves savior will be over and done with.
The writers here on AJC have gone nuts for this guy for no reason at all. WHO COULDN’T BAT LEADOFF SUCCESSFULLY in that Yankees lineup and in that park?? Hmmm? His OBP was less than Diaz and roughly the same as this Nate McLouth guy here in Atlanta that the same sports writers are dissing. You know, the guy who actually can play some defense (though maybe not as good as his gold glove would suggest).
Now we can open up the OF competition again. Mind you, I have no problem going into the season with Diaz, Melky, Nate, and a couple of kids patrolling the OF. No problems at all. It’s better than throwing away money at an overpriced vet. Damon for $4 million and one year .. sure. Damon for 2 years and $14 million … bwa ha ha ha. Have fun with that one Detroit.
steve
February 11th, 2010
9:08 pm
what he said.
FUZZUP
February 11th, 2010
9:12 pm
133st
Mekons
February 11th, 2010
9:18 pm
Wren did due diligence and made an offer, but he was not going to overpay for a lousy defensive player. Detroit and Chicago can use him as a DH, LF and backup 1B and get him 500 ABs. He’s far more valuable to them than to us. This lets both Heyward and Schafer to make the team at some point this year. I would have liked Damen at a decent price, but $14 million for two years is not even close.
The Tiggers panicked. They lost their CF and their new one is probably going to bat 8th or 9th. They needed a lead-off hitter way more than we did. So they overpaid. He’s still costing half of Granderson. He does the same thing or better as Curtis at the plate, and Jackson can do the defensive part almost as well. And Detroit ends up with several prospects for free.
We were just kicking the tires. We had no intention of going after Damen hardcore. We were just putting a bid in and hoping no one else was interested. That was never going to happen. I doubt the White Sox are going to be real players. Their OF defense is terrible and they do not need an even worse option.
I’d guess that Detroit is a lock if the report is true.
Braves
February 11th, 2010
9:30 pm
Jeff
The Thrashers offered 100 mil to a neg 84 winger ( i know a big goal scorer but there isn’t a DH rule in hockey) while the braves offered 4 mil to a 2 time world champion who made a significant contribution and is arguably one of the games most prolific lead off hitters. Moreso, when it is all said and done JD will be paid well beyond the Braves offer. So, with that being said, you call the Thrashers organization inept and cheap but applaud the Braves for “at least trying”. Please explain.
Chris
February 11th, 2010
9:38 pm
Once again, the greatest evil in baseball – Scott Boras strikes. He adds no value, does no community service and has made the game unaffordable to the average family. While it’s a shame the Braves lost the chance to improve but it’s good that Braves did not get into a bidding war with the devil.
Yes, Scott Boras is king among the agents, he is also the bottom of the garbage pail respect with to the stewardship he owes the game.
jake
February 11th, 2010
9:50 pm
Great news. The Braves don’t need another one-year rental, even if there’s no player exchange involved. It’s time for the young guys to “Cowboy up” if you’ll pardon a slightly passe American League phrase….
And by the way, whatever happened to Garrett Anderson?
Jeff Schultz
February 11th, 2010
9:50 pm
Boots — I think he’s up to hitching a ride on the Braves’ caravan.
Jeff Schultz
February 11th, 2010
9:52 pm
Braves — You just possibly possibly the lamest comparsion possible: Ilya Kovalchuk/player in prime/1 of top 10 players in his sport vs. Johnny Damon/36/at tail end of his career. How can I possibly debate you?
Navigator
February 11th, 2010
10:09 pm
Thank him for his time and tell him good buy. He might have two years or he may not have one, but the Braves have a bad record giving big money to has beens.
Poorbrave
February 11th, 2010
10:16 pm
Shane keep your political agendas of this blog. This is a baseball blog.
Sometimes the best deal is no deal..Play ball Braves.
Mad Hungarian
February 11th, 2010
10:23 pm
Is Gary Matthews, SR available ?
Boog
February 11th, 2010
10:35 pm
Damage Control
Reid Adair
February 11th, 2010
11:22 pm
What a surprise. I can’t wait to hear Frank Wren try to tell everyone that the Braves’ offer to Johnny Damon was very similar to what the Tigers offered.
BRAVES
February 11th, 2010
11:35 pm
Jeff
Your response does not capture the issue.
The thrashers offer Kovy 10 mil for 10 years which puts him well into his mid 30s at the end of the contract and of course he asking for 11.3 at the age of 38. Now the Braves are offering a lame 4 mill for a guy who is still producing which is a reality while Lovy is still a hope. But somehow, again you cheer the Braves for trying….yet you do not give the Thrashers credit for trying to sign a guy who has not fully proven himself as an NHL winner (1-3 so far with NJ I might add). The real reality is that he should have never been offered 100 mil by the organization. Again, please explain….
Kyle
February 11th, 2010
11:53 pm
Having Chipper to make these calls to try and land free agents seems to be along the same lines as when Obama goes to throw his support behind someone a day or two before a vote. Loving America and hating Democrats as I do I hope they keep sending Obama out but the Braves might want to find someone else to make the calls and see if they can get this team above average.
Pago Pago Trojan
February 11th, 2010
11:55 pm
$14 million….this is a slap in the face. But, the stupid fan$ will pay and pay for this. Pretty funny…
Herschel Talker
February 12th, 2010
12:28 am
Schultzie – you the man!
I’m all for Damon joining the Bravos, but I am with you on this one. If some fool of a GM wants to overpay, then so be it. No sense chasing this one.
Mike McDonald
February 12th, 2010
12:50 am
Boras has snookered them all with help from the savvy Brian Cashman. Johnny Damon will be in pin stripes in 2010 at $10 million+ for two plus years. The NY Yankees play hardball. The bush leaguers like Atlanta and Detroit help set the salary floor and the Bronx Bombers swoop in with a mezzanine price clincher that teaches everyone involved a lesson. What in the world could the departing Chipper Jones have said that was credible to Damon? “I’m making $15 million, y’all come for four mill for a year and you’ll have a short commute home during spring training?”
As George Carlin was wont yo say: “It’s bull sh*t and it’s not good for you”.
MCook
February 12th, 2010
1:26 am
No suprise… no big deal….whats new??
At this point, who gives a crap.