Today’s update is powered by a Super Bowl QB, and Pampers . . . its a somewhat bizarre, long-form “commercial”:

• Jay Jaffe wonders where Johnny Damon will end up:

Where does that leave Damon?  . . . Even for Abreu money at $5 million per year, say, he may be too rich for some of these teams’ blood, and other obstacles may lie in his path. For reference, Damon’s park-neutral projection calls for him to hit .274/.353/.425 with 17 homers and 17 steals in 587 plate appearances, not to mention a +3 FRAA in left field (our system has been considerably more optimistic about his defense than other systems), which would be all good for a .271 EqA and 2.4 WARP, half of what he was worth last year. PECOTA simply doesn’t love ballplayers over the age of 35.

. . .  the Mariners and Braves seem to have the most flexibility, in that adding Damon wouldn’t put an established full-time player out of a job. If I had to put my nickel down, it would be on either of those two, with a slight edge for Seattle due to the ability to DH him occasionally. But their interest in him is no given, and I suspect whoever lands him will have to surprise us with another move in order to do so.

• Buster Olney reflects on the Damon/Boras miscalculation:

He didn’t want to take a cut in pay, but it appears that the Yankees’ two offers — the two-year, $14 million concept discussed after the Johnson signing, and last week’s $6 million package — might be about the same or even better than what other teams offered. Several prominent teams that needed outfielders eventually decided to pass because of concern that Damon would not be so good in their respective parks, given that his OPS was 120 points lower outside of Yankee Stadium in 2009. The market for Damon has never really developed.

This just in: The Yankees are not required to pay him what he wants, just as Damon is not required to take what the Yankees offer. They are not required to pay him above and beyond what his value is on the open market. They might have, if they hadn’t been rebuffed time after time in December by Damon and Boras.

But Damon and Boras seemed to assume that the Yankees would break their budget to keep him and pay him far over market value, and that was their mistake.

• Some of the Yanks are gonna miss Damon, but understand the business.
• Joe Girardi is happy with the roster as it stands now.
• Joba the fifth?:

Joba Chamberlain’s eyes are set squarely on the fifth spot in the Yankees’ rotation.

The right-handed pitcher told The Post last night that he will arrive in Tampa next week — well before pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report for spring training — with the idea he’s a starting pitcher for 2010. Team brass has told him to have that mindset.

But Chamberlain also said he isn’t taking anything for granted knowing that Phil Hughes and Alfredo Aceves, among others, are chasing the same carrot.

“I’m going to go in and understand a lot of guys are fighting for that spot,” Chamberlain said after an autograph signing in New Rochelle in conjunction with Steiner Sports. “Nothing is guaranteed.”

• CC Sabathia does a good deed for the community where he played his Little League ball.
• Erick Almonte, Jeter’s replacement during the first month of the 2003 season (when Jeter was DL’ed with a shoulder injury), turns 32.
• Happy 50th birthday to Cecilio Guante (reliever on ’87 and ’88 squads).
• Paul Blair, an excellent CFer and part of the ’77 and ’78 championship teams, turns 66.

Back on Thursday.