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.

Posted under mlb

The New York Yankees are still looking to unload starting pitcher A.J. Burnett, which would create some financial breathing room to sign a DH along with Eric Chavez. The word has been that the candidates for the DH spot have been free agents Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Raul Ibanez. Well, throw another name into the hat. It isn't clear how much interest the Yanks have, but 37-year-old Vladimir Guerrero, who spent last season batting .290 and hitting 13 homers for the Baltimore Orioles, "has made it known to the Yankees that he wants their DH spot ," according to ESPN. The way the site sees it, though, Ibanez is "still the frontrunner" for the position. Ibanez batted .245 with 20 homers while playing left field for the Philadelphia Phillies last season.   Let the rumors come to you. Follow Scoop du Jour on Twitter or Facebook .

Posted under mlb

Reports are indicating that the New York Yankees, my favorite baseball team, want to add a left-handed bat for the upcoming 2012 season. Reportedly the Yankees are considering signing one of three lefty free agents from Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui or Raul Ibanez.

Posted under mlb

Reports are indicating that the New York Yankees, my favorite baseball team, want to add a left-handed bat for the upcoming 2012 season. Reportedly the Yankees are considering signing one of three lefty free agents from Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui or Raul Ibanez.

Posted under mlb

The Pittsburgh Pirates made offers to pitchers Roy Oswalt and Edwin Jackson this winter, but both of them spurned the idea of moving to western Pennsylvania. Now the Pirates may have found their man. Fox Sports reports that the team has had discussions with the New York Yankees about A.J. Burnett, who led the American League in strikeouts back in 2008 when he was with the Toronto Blue Jays. Since then, though, he's been a bit of a disappointment to many Yankee fans. Last season, he went 11-11 with a 5.15 ERA. Fox notes, though, that the discussions " failed to progress and perhaps qualified only as due diligence ." However, the Yanks may have more incentive to ditch the 35-year-old Burnett as spring training gets closer; the team could use a little financial wiggle room to add Eric Chavez and whatever left-handed bat (Raul Ibanez, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui) they choose to sign, Fox notes. Burnett has two years and $33 million left on his deal. The Pirates, no doubt, would expect the Yanks to pay a big chunk of that if a deal were made. Follow Scoop du Jour on Twitter or Facebook .

Posted under mlb

Left fielder Raul Ibanez joined the Philadelphia Phillies three seasons ago, just after the team won the 2008 World Series. While he didn't get a championship ring during his time in the City of Brotherly Love, he did get his first invite to the All-Star game in 2009. It appears that the 39-year-old may get another shot at that championship with another team. The New York Daily News reports that the New York Yankees "appear to be zeroing in on" Ibanez to be "the extra bat" that manager Joe Girardi has been asking for. Former Yanks Eric Chavez, Hideki Matsui and Johnny Damon have also been on the team's list, the paper notes, but the Yanks like Ibanez because he can still play the outfield effectively while "the Yanks are unsure if Matsui or Damon can." The decision may come down to whether the team wants an extra infielder in Chavez or outfielder in Ibanez, who "is believed to have received higher offers" than the one the Yanks want to give him, but he "would prefer to play for a contender in what could be the final season of his career," the Daily News notes. Ibanez batted .245 with 20 home runs and 32 doubles last year for the Phils. Find out before your friends. Follow Scoop du Jour on Twitter or Facebook .

Posted under mlb

The New York Yankees will soon have a spot open on their roster for a designated hitter once the Jesus Montero trade to the Seattle Mariners becomes official. Rumor has had it that the team could fill it with some former employees, such as Johnny Damon or Hideki Matsui, but Newsday reports that a few other veteran batsmen are interested in the job as well. "The representatives for Vladimir Guerrero and Raul Ibañez have reached out to the Yankees," the paper reports Once the trade becomes official, the Yanks will figure out how much money they want to spend on a DH, Newsday reports. The Detroit Tigers are also looking for a bat as well due to the loss of Victor Martinez for the season. Ibanez batted .245 with 20 homers and 84 RBIs last season in 144 games for the Philadelphia Phillies. Guerrero spent the season with the Baltimore Orioles and batted .290 with 13 homers and 63 RBIs in 145 games. Let the rumors come to you. Follow Scoop du Jour on Twitter or Facebook .

Posted under mlb

Now that the New York Yankees have traded away young DH/catcher Jesus Montero, the team is looking for alternatives to stick out there offensively. Monday's rumor mill had Johnny Damon as a likely man to fill the job. Tuesday brings … Continue reading →

Posted under mlb

Hideki Matsui or no Hideki Matsui, Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin is looking forward to opening the 2012 Major League Baseball season in Japan. The Athletics and Seattle Mariners open the regular season with a two-game series at Tokyo Dome on March 28 and 29. Many hoped the series would feature a showdown between Matsui and countryman Ichiro Suzuki but Melvin said the A's likely wont be...

Posted under mlb

As I watched the New York Yankees at Minnesota Twins broadcast on Sunday, August 21, I heard Yankee announcer Michael Kaye inform viewers that left-hand-hitting outfielders/designated hitters Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui have cleared waivers from their respective teams - Damon...

Posted under mlb