Who Is Johnny Damon?
Just in case the Yankees were silly enough to make a run for Johnny Damon, I decided to look at him more closely today. Now, I know that, recently, Damon’s agent (Scott Boras) produced a report that claimed Damon was in the Rickey Henderson class of players. That’s so untrue that it’s 100% comical. Using the Sabermetric Baseball Encyclopedia, I did find a “comp” for Damon: Clyde Milan and Johnny Damon, through age 31, were very much the same type of player. And, Milan, after the season where he was 31, went onto to play for just three more full years – and was basically just league average with the stick in that time. I would not be shocked to see Damon to continue with his Milan-mirror path. Therefore, if the Yankees were to sign Johnny, and it was for more than three years, it would be a huge mistake – in my opinion. And, anyone who gives Damon the seven-year deal that he seeks now is a flat out idiot (if you pardon the pun).
