With position players set to hit spring training next week, Johnny Damon still finds himself among a group of aging stars who don't have gigs for 2012. And unlike Vladimir Guerrero or Hideki Matsui, the shape of his aging body isn't the main concern. Rather, it's said that Damon's close proximity to 3,000 career hits is part of what's scaring teams away from what would otherwise be a valuable piece for depth: A veteran left-handed presence who can steal an occasional base and still play the outfield. In a Wednesday morning column , Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes that Damon's decreased plate discipline as he swings away in an attempt to collect 277 more hits is scaring away potential suitors, including the New York Yankees. Executives from three teams that had interest in Damon expressed concerns a fixation with 3,000 has diminished an attribute that greatly contributed to the perception of Damon as a winning player: patient, tough at-bats. And statistics appear to confirm the criticism. Damon's batting average dropped 10 points from 2010 to 2011, but his on-base average fell a more dramatic 29 points to .326 from .355, his career average entering last year. His walk percentage fell to 7.9 per 100 plate appearances after he had averaged 10.7 over the previous five years, never falling below 10.0. Sherman's take is far from a mid-February tabloid fodder fueled by the observations of one anonymous scout. DRaysBay was on Damon's newfound impatience as early as late last July and Damon's plate discipline page on Fangraphs backs it all up.

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The New York Yankees have made additions to their bench from both sides of the plate as they signed left-handed slugger Russell Branyan and right-handed hitting Bill Hall. Both players received Minor League contracts and invitations to Spring Training, and both will have fair...

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Russell Branyan has agreed to a minor league contract with the New York Yankees and will try to win a bench job as a corner infielder during spring training. The Yankees announced the deal Wednesday. He would get a $750,000, one-year contract if added to the 40-man roster. Branyan hit .197 with five homers and 14 RBIs in 127 at-bats last season for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Angels,...

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The New York Yankees aren't taking any chances with rookie catcher Jesus Montero, barring the 21-year-old from playing winter baseball as a safety precaution, the New York Post reports. "He wanted to, but he doesn't need the at-bats and with a catcher, you want to...

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Mark Teixeira took a well-timed swing and sent a line drive whistling toward shallow right field. Base hit off the bat, except for this: That's exactly where the Tigers' second baseman was standing. The infield shift is on in October, and teams are leaning right. Looking to make life difficult for those pull-happy sluggers, playoff opponents keep clogging one side of the diamond when the...

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By MIKE FITZPATRICK AP Sports Writer

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Home runs by Nick Swisher (15), Andruw Jones (8) and Mark Teixeira (33) anchored the New York Yankees' 15-hit attack in an 8-4 win over the Minnesota Twins Thursday night at Target Field. They also provided CC Sabathia (W, 17-7) with enough run support to end the lefty's...

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New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez participated in a simulated game on Sunday in Florida, and there is a possibility he may return to the Yankees lineup as early as Thursday, ESPNNewYork.com reported. Rodriguez had four hits in his 13 simulated at-bats, and he struck out...

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New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez homered and doubled in his first two at-bats and went 2-for-3 as the designated hitter for Class A Tampa on Friday night as he started a rehab from July 11 surgery for a torn meniscus in his right knee.

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New York Yankees star Derek Jeter moved within two hits of 3,000 with a line-drive double to lead off the bottom of the first inning on Thursday night at Yankee Stadium. However, he went hitless in his other four at-bats against the Tampa Bay Rays in the Yankees' 5-1 loss,...

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