Report: Johnny Damon Claimed By Unknown Team
by Steve Slowinski on Aug 23, 2010 2:38 PM EDT
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PrintJohnny Damon was placed on waivers on Thursday and per MLB Trade Rumors, has finally been claimed by a team. Considering the Rays have the second-best record in the American League at the moment, they'd be the second to last team that would have a chance to claim him before he became available to the National League.
What are the odds that the Rays are the team that claimed Damon? It's unlikely, but I'm not going to discount the idea. If Damon fell to the Rays, he'd make an intriguing addition to the team; he'd be an upgrade in the DH position, providing moderate pop and good contact skills. R.J. Anderson covered him recently on The Process Report:
He would not carry the heavy stick of a Jim Thome at the DH spot, however, Damon's gap power and above-average on-base skills would certainly upgrade the position for the Rays. After all, that is all the Rays are looking for. They don't need Damon to hit like he did in a Yankee uniform; just be better than the present options available to the team.
Damon projects to be a .345 wOBA batter, basically making him slightly above league-average. The Rays have gotten abysmal production out of the DH slot so far this year, though, and he'd definitely be an improvement in that respect. Damon walks at a high rate (11.5%), hits for a good average (.270), and can provide some moderate extra base pop (.139 ISO). Also, if the Rays did claim him, he'd only add an additional $2M to the payroll.
Out of all the teams in the American League, the only others I can see being interested in Damon would be the Red Sox and Yankees. The Red Sox have multiple players injured and could use another bat to help them make a late season push, and the Yankees' Lance Berkman is now on the DL with an ankle injury. The Rays would get a stab at Damon before the Yankees but not the Red Sox.
File this under the "Possible, but not likely" list and we'll see what ends up being revealed.
Update: Per Jon Heyman, the Red Sox are the team that claimed Damon. Oh sugar.
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He's an upgrade to the DH spot...
Just not the leadoff spot if you look at current wOBA compared to Zobrist and Upton
Yeah, I went back and forth about how definite to be.
I thought it was worth an article, though, because I think there’s a decent chance it is us.
I love Casey Fossum. Now try and take me seriously.
by Steve Slowinski on Aug 23, 2010 3:07 PM EDT up reply actions
Too late, you already got my hopes up.
Does anyone know if any player has 3 WS rings with 3 different teams in the same division since the divisions began? I know Lonnie Smith has the most with different teams (4 with 4 different teams: PHI, STL, ATL, and KC), so it seems plausible that Damon might be the first to do it with three different teams in the same division….
Actually, that's 4 appearances, only 3 rings
ATL lost in ’91.
It looks like Jack Morris is the closest.
He won 2 with DET and MIN from the same division, but his WS ring with TOR was in the other division (same league, though). I don’t think there’s anyone else.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/leaders_most_rings.shtml
That’s where I started. Then I got rid of anyone who retired before 1971 (divisional setup began in 1969 so you’d have to win in 69, 70, 71 and then retire). Then looked for guys to have played in WS for at least 3 teams in the same league. He was the only one.
Cool, thanks for looking it up.
I wasn’t sure to go and couldn’t find what I was looking for.
Hinske has Yanks and Sox rings, while being there with us, if that helps
If we consider ourselves a master team then we have to act like a master team, not degenerates.
Follow me: @SandyKazmir, read me @ Dockoftherays.com, feel me whenever you want.
by Sandy Kazmir on Aug 23, 2010 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions
4/20/69
I'll have a bloody mary and a steak sandwich...and a steak sandwich.
by Passionate Apathy on Aug 23, 2010 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions
speaking of when we will know
who was the PTBNL we sent for Qualls?
balls
Regressing to the mean streets of St. Pete
by stpetelawyer on Aug 23, 2010 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions
Smart move.
If John Jaso somehow strikes out, it means you didn’t do your job right as an umpire.
by raysrule44 on Jul 9, 2010 8:37 PM CDT
Screw them they aren't going anywhere
love it love it love it
i hate one person more than Pap smear—his name is bin laden
by sternfan1 on Aug 12, 2010 3:33 PM EDT
Christ, that's just the grit power they needed.
i'll tweet that prick right now
follow me on twitter @sternfan10
by sternfan1 on Aug 21, 2010 8:42 PM PDT up reply actions
Is there a reason why the Sux wouldn’t do the exact same thing with Manny? I see zero chance of him making it to us.
by Jeffrey Borbas on Aug 23, 2010 9:03 PM EDT up reply actions
We need to counter this move by trading for Edwin.
i'll tweet that prick right now
follow me on twitter @sternfan10
by sternfan1 on Aug 21, 2010 8:42 PM PDT up reply actions
Johnny Damon has no business wearing a Red Sox jersey ever again.
PERIOD.
"Does not make the team worse in the process" means nothing to me in regards to Judas.
Galactus does as he pleases. Because Galactus is drunk.
@#$%ing Twit: @blogtard
by Bloggy on Aug 23, 2010 12:50 PM PDT up reply actions
i'll tweet that prick right now
follow me on twitter @sternfan10
by sternfan1 on Aug 21, 2010 8:42 PM PDT up reply actions
Blogtard: Galactus does as he pleases. Because Galactus is drunk.
The caller said the boy, after removing the bulb from its socket, left the building and threw the bulb on the ground. When the bulb broke, the caller said the boy screamed "Free the slaves at traffic stops from false arrest and jury fixing"
by Top Gun Numba 1 on Aug 23, 2010 5:59 PM EDT up reply actions
Happy Feet Damon for the Rays?
I’m sorry but he’s a bit overrated nowadays.
If Boston took him back, does that mean Damon is regrowing the beard?
Witty's 2010 Draft review is full of meaty goodness. What you mean, you're vegan?! Sigh. Just read it.
MLBTR
Damon told Ed Price of AOL FanHouse he’s not inclined to go back to Bosto
If John Jaso somehow strikes out, it means you didn’t do your job right as an umpire.
by raysrule44 on Jul 9, 2010 8:37 PM CDT
or Boston, for that matter.
If John Jaso somehow strikes out, it means you didn’t do your job right as an umpire.
by raysrule44 on Jul 9, 2010 8:37 PM CDT
Damon can uphold his no trade claus, which so far he says he will
follow me on twitter @sternfan10
But he can be "given" away
But I don’t see that happening
PIZZA?!?
by Transplanted on Aug 23, 2010 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Is there a list of guys who have been waiver'd?
PIZZA?!?
by Transplanted on Aug 23, 2010 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions
I haven't seen one.
Generally it seems they’re leaked from the league office or by the team’s but I’m not sure.
Damon
If he raises his no-trade and blocks a trade to Boston, does that mean that he can pick and choose and then waive as to other teams (like Rays)? I guess not, huh?
I think if the Tigers take Damon off the wire
They have to keep him for the rest of the season? Am I completely wrong on this?
That's how it works
Looks like he’s a no-go, unfortunately.
Nicknames for Benoit-Soriano? How about ‘one and done’ describing the length of time they’re likely to be Rays
by sternfan1 on Jul 25, 2010 4:01 AM PDT
Nope, they can put him back on, but if someone claims him, then they have to hand him over for nothing.
But Boston could claim him again and he’d block again, so he’s not falling to the Rays.
I love Casey Fossum. Now try and take me seriously.
by Steve Slowinski on Aug 23, 2010 11:40 PM EDT up reply actions
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