If Damon plays very well next year at $5 million somewhere else, again, it won’t be Cashman’s fault, it will be Damon’s for not taking the guaranteed 2 years and the extra $2 million in the first year.

I hope everyone here, despite disappointment, blames Damon and not the Yankees for this outcome.

I’d also like to give a shout out to Angell in the New Yorker who said pretty strongly right after the serious that neither Matsui nor Damon would be back on the team despite their extraordinary season and post-season contributions.

Still, assuming NJ will be hurt for three months shows your bias. He’s the DH most days. Any injury is likely to be much less severe short of separating tendons from bones or tearing ligaments while running the bases. Besides, even if that were to happen, DHs can be had very cheaply.

[45] Like most things Sox, no one cares to probe the negatives very deeply. Pedroia, outside of the Green Bandbox, is a very different hitter. On the road in his career he’s a .756 OPS hitter vs. a .896 OPS at home. That split is insane. He’s a pull hitter with very little pop. The difference is weak flies in other parks become doubles in Fenway.

The same goes for Ellsbury – he gets 100 points in offense simply by where he plays (Home = .818 OPS vs. Away = .715 OPS).

The picture of their system, and its impact, changes pretty dramatically once you see Pedroia and Ellsbury as the .720 to .760 OPS hitters they really are.

I’m pretty sure I don’t get this signing, other than the desire to have a “proven veteran”. I’m really surprised that a more creative solution ould not be found, or barring that, just stand pat. Randy Winn’s can be gotten anytime if need be, no?

Let’s hear it for that awesome-O Red Sox farm system and scouting department! After all, you just can’t win TWO World Series championships without drafting such awesome players as Manny Ramirez, Curt Schilling, Josh Beckett, Johnny Damon, David Ortiz, Dice-K, Captain Varitek, J.D.Drew, Pedro Martinez and Keith Foulke!

(However, ESPN redeemed themselves with the Hot Stove U article about WAR, very interesting.)

That said, from my Bay Area perspective, if you ignore the fact that he’s been vastly overpaid, I’ve always liked watching him. He’s solid–not great or horrible at anything. Seems like a decent guy. For a 4th or 5th outfielder, a solid guy like that is not a bad thing to have. The only question is if he’s getting too old.

Winn is underwhelming. Look for a midseason trade.

“Please stop rubbing my thigh, John.”

Winn may well be DFAd by Diane’s birthday.

They also point out that his UZR the last few years has been excellent, even with the decline in his bat in 2009.

As for Winn’s bat, while he did play in the weaker league, he also played his home games in a park that kills offense, and in a division with Petco, an insane pitcher’s park, and Dodger Stadium, a strong pitcher’s park. That’s over 60% of his games in strong-or-better pitchers’ parks. Setting age aside, I’d be willing to give Winn a mulligan on his batting line from last year.

Worst comes to worst and he’s toast, its just $2M. Its easy to cut him loose and find someone else to platoon with Gardner.

Something very weird has happened in the economics of the game (Sheets gets 10 and Damon has no job, and will likely get less than half of that?).

And, all respect to hyperbole, didn’t see ‘every runner in the AL scoring’ on sharp hits to left. It has been dealt with here that that particular stat works out to a fairly trivial one over a season.

Still, I do see that Cashman’s serious about the money here … at 200 million, mind you. And until the trade deadline.

Is Jeter going to get 4 years at 15 million plus now? Jorge + This is a funny sport.