Quick Bits: Johnson, Damon, Sheets, Holliday
December 18, 2009, 6:30 pm by iYankees · 11 Comments
Here are some quick items on the day:
- Nick Johnson could make more than $5.5M off PA incentives and has a mutual $5.5M option for 2011.
- The Yankees last offer to Johnny Damon was a two-year, $14M deal. He wanted no less than $26M, however.
- After that offer was rejected by Damon, Boras countered with a two-year, $22M deal, but the Yankees said no.
- Ken Davidoff says he does not foresee the Yankees engaging in a messy bidding war for starter Ben Sheets.
- The BoSox offered Matt Holliday an $82.5M contract before signing Lackey. They are no longer in on Holliday.
Back with one more past later today (around 8:30).
Photo by G. Newman Lowrance/Getty Images
I really see no way Sheets gets a “bidding war” started he is a good pitcher but he didn’t even make a team last year no one is going to go to 10 million guaranteed and the best he will be able to do is 7 or 8 million with incentives to reach higher totals. If the money is close usually the tie is broken when one of those teams is the defending champs.
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nick johnson…. :\
wish we’d bring back damon.
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It was Johnson for one year at $5.5M plus incentives with an option for year two versus Damon for two years at $13M each. No reason to drop $13M on a DH just because he can play defense in LF like a merman.
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I don’t see where 45% says he wanted Damon back for 13 million… I assume he means he would rather have Damon for 5.5 over Johnson for 5.5 not sure if I disagree just based on Johnson’s health but I really don’t like Damon and in the end I think it’s better for the team to go with Nick over Johnny.
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what we need to remember is that the yankees might still want damon , but damon does not seem to want the yankees. if he did he’d already be signed for two years at 7 mil a year. maybe that will still happen but it’s more maybe not than maybe. I’d still rather see the yankees sign a good pitcher above anything else at this point . & another thing we should all be thinking about is that even a great pitcher may not have a low ERA in the new yankee stadium
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CC had a 3.37 ERA, Burnett had a 4.04 ERA and Pettitte had a 4.16 which is indicative of their talent level and where they are in there career, I really think a little to much is made of the new park. Home runs died down toward the end of the year and all our pitchers had great success in Yankee stadium Burnett even had a lower ERA at home than on the road (3.51) by half a run. CC had a 3.17 ERA in Yankee Stadium and only Andy of the 3 had a higher ERA (4.59) at home because of his lack of power and the fact he allows a lot of fly balls it should be expected.
If a pitcher is good I think he will do well in almost any park, Ben Sheets should have no problem having success in Yankee stadium because he follows a similar motto to AJ Burnett as far as having a good fastball and a really good curveball.
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“Ken Davidoff says he does not foresee the Yankees engaging in a messy bidding war for starter Ben Sheets.”
Thank Mo! I have zero interest in them giving a guy who didn’t throw one pitch last season, and has never pitched in the AL, $7-$8 of guaranteed money plus incentives just because some fans don’t want to give Hughes and Joba a chance to develop in the rotation.
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I really doubt there would ever be a “bidding war” for Sheets, as you said he didn’t throw a pitch last year so I really see no GM willing to give him anywhere close to 10 million guaranteed but if you could have him for 7 or 8 I wouldn’t mind adding some incentives to that one being innings and the biggest incentive being if he starts a playoff game.
Hughes and Joba both have huge question marks there is nothing wrong with strengthening the rotation ahead of them in order to secure the success of the team no matter what Joba or Hughes do.
Wanting them to do well is one thing but expecting them to be brilliant is another, you should always want them to do well but if you plan for rain and the sun shines what did you lose? Don’t bring an umbrella and it rains and you can’t do anything about it.
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Did someone say something?…
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Suggestion, I think this site should add an ignore function to ignore certain commenters.
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“Nick Johnson could make more than $5.5M off PA incentives and has a mutual $5.5M option for 2011″.
I wonder why they went with the mutual option over the team option? Seems like either way Johnson goes a good season or a bad season it would be better for him to pick up the option and remain on a contending team than get 1 or 2 million dollars for another team with less chances to win.
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