12/18: Davidoff: Yankees, Johnson Close on a Deal, Pending Physical
Posted by: Patrick
Ken Davidoff reports that the Yankees are close on a one year deal with free agent first baseman Nick Johnson worth $5.5 million and that it's pending a physical.
Tyler Kepner of the Times writes about what this means, suggesting one of the reasons the Yankees went with the combination of Curtis Granderson and Johnson over Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui was to save money to use next offseason, when the free agent market is set to include Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford, Cliff Lee, Joe Mauer, Brandon Webb and Jayson Werth.
Assuming the Yankees would have had to sign Damon for $13 million per for 2 seasons, Granderson saves them $12.25 million during that two year span. And the Johnson deal is worth a million less than the one Matsui received from the Angels. If anything, it gives the team more to play with this year as they try to finish up the roster.
Still, it can be hard to stomach that the difference between Johnson and Matsui, both primary designated hitters with health concerns, was only one million after Godzilla's World Series heroics. Feinsand says that it was all about Matsui's knees - not the money. Still, is Johnson any more likely to stay healthy?
It looks like this is the end for Johnny Damon's time in pinstripes. Mark Feinsaid writes about this with quotes from Damon. "I'm not quite sure what I’m going to do," Damon told him. "I know there are some teams interested, but the Yankees are the best organization I've been a part of so far in my career. I wish them all the best."
Tyler Kepner of the Times writes about what this means, suggesting one of the reasons the Yankees went with the combination of Curtis Granderson and Johnson over Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui was to save money to use next offseason, when the free agent market is set to include Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford, Cliff Lee, Joe Mauer, Brandon Webb and Jayson Werth.
Assuming the Yankees would have had to sign Damon for $13 million per for 2 seasons, Granderson saves them $12.25 million during that two year span. And the Johnson deal is worth a million less than the one Matsui received from the Angels. If anything, it gives the team more to play with this year as they try to finish up the roster.
Still, it can be hard to stomach that the difference between Johnson and Matsui, both primary designated hitters with health concerns, was only one million after Godzilla's World Series heroics. Feinsand says that it was all about Matsui's knees - not the money. Still, is Johnson any more likely to stay healthy?
It looks like this is the end for Johnny Damon's time in pinstripes. Mark Feinsaid writes about this with quotes from Damon. "I'm not quite sure what I’m going to do," Damon told him. "I know there are some teams interested, but the Yankees are the best organization I've been a part of so far in my career. I wish them all the best."
