Let’s Get Older!
November 30, 2010 at 11:57 am | Posted in Jason Varitek, Johnny Damon | 43 CommentsBefore you look at this, it’s really important to note that it’s just a rumor from a “source”. 99% of these never turn into anything at all, and that’s why I don’t always want to post them. But then I realize that people are going to want to 
discuss them, so I might as well provide a forum for that. I just ask that you not completely destroy the front office over this until it, you know, actually happens.
Two older free agents – outfielder Johnny Damon, 37, and catcher Jason Varitek, 38 – are among the players on the Dodgers’ radar, according to major-league sources.
In fact, the Dodgers are in contact with virtually every free-agent catcher – Rod Barajas, A.J. Pierzynski, Miguel Olivo – as they try to determine their next step with Russell Martin.
Martin, 27, is at least a week away from running, sources say, and perhaps six weeks away from resuming baseball activities. He would be returning to the most physically demanding position on the field. And his offensive performance is in decline – he posted on-base slugging percentages of .680 and .679 the past two seasons, though he did not play after Aug. 3 last season due to his injury.
Damon seemingly would be a better fit in the American League – more than 75 percent of his plate appearances for the Tigers last season were as a DH. But with the Dodgers, he could replace free agent Scott Podsednik and hit second behind Rafael Furcal.
The Dodgers likely would want assurances that Damon was in good enough shape to play the outfield. But the team’s current left fielder, Jay Gibbon, also is below-average defensively, and Damon would carry added value as a positive influence for the club’s younger players.
Damon is all but unplayable in the outfield and had a .756 OPS last year. Varitek hasn’t been worth more than 1.0 fWAR since 2007.
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Oh freaking joy! This is what you’re relegated to when you spend $7 million on a below-average 2B who is basically a career middle infielder.
Also, I’d almost rather have the Dodgers pay Martin $6-$7 million in arbitration rather than see A.J. Pierzynski in Dodger Blue.
Comment by Dustin Nosler— November 30, 2010 #
George made a good point on the other page of coaxing Bengie Molina out of his exile and into a one year deal. You can get him, I’m sure, for $2.5 million. It would be a mistake, at this point, to make a commitment to Russell Martin given that’s there’s no finite information on not only when he can come back but if he can even catch. That broken hip is a bad injury for any player, especially a catcher. Jason Varitek would be nothing more then a back-up and you’d have to sign him for $700 0r $800-thou to even consider such a move. Damon should remain in the AL where he could DH and possibly inch closer to 3000 hits and a possible Hall of Fame trophy on his mantle. Of course, Damon couldn’t add that to any M.V.P. hardware as he hasn’t won any so his fireplace doesn’t have to be deluxe. Damon for the Dodgers is exactly what they don’t need, a weak-armed LF who 538 at bats with Detroit last year, hit 8 homers, or 16 less then the career high 24 that Uribe hit. I think it’s more agents posturing at this point in time before the Winter Meetings. If Damon does sign with the team, the fans will long for those warm and fuzzy days when Juan Pierre was patrolling LF for the club!
Comment by Abner Clarke— November 30, 2010 #
“It would be a mistake, at this point, to make a commitment to Russell Martin given that’s there’s no finite information on not only when he can come back but if he can even catch.”
I was speaking in jest (kind of). I just really don’t want to see Pierzynski catching for the Dodgers.
Comment by Dustin Nosler— November 30, 2010 #
If the choice is Varitek and AJ Asshat, I will take the jerk everytime. The thing is, Ned has painted the team into a corner and now he is just trying to appease his boss by bringing in any old Red Sox player he can find. At least McCourt isn’t an old time Pirate fan. The thought of Ian Snell on the hill and Jack Wilson at short is enough to drive one to drink.
Comment by grabarkewitz— November 30, 2010 #
I’ll take A.J. Ellis.
Comment by Dustin Nosler— November 30, 2010 #
I’m all for Bengie Molina or any Molina, for that matter. B. Molina is a great handler of the staff and a clutch hitter in his own right. Although, right now, I’m sure that Sandy Koufax could beat him in a foot race. Matt Cain gave Molina a lot of credit with the way that his career has turned around and Lincecum had nothing but praise for Molina in there times together. And there’s nothing closer then that pitcher-catcher dynamic. Just something else to throw in there!
Comment by Eddie Kurpiel— November 30, 2010 #
1) Molina had a such a bad relationship with Barry Zito, they Giants toyed with keeping Sandoval catching as Zito’s person caddy. He was further lambasted for his poor relationship with the other members of the staff and his arm isn’t what it used to be.
2) Martin is, clearly, the superior game caller and superior defensive player.
3) Molina is basically Rod Barajas. Another guy with an OBP hovering around .300. That is absolute shit. At least Martin has sustained his ability to not make outs.
4) Molina has had his own injury problems, and being obese doesn’t help that. Martin has showed a commitment to fitness.
Comment by Alireza— November 30, 2010 #
No, no, no, dear god, please, no. **curled in the fetal position on the floor**
Ugh
Comment by Mickey Hatcher— November 30, 2010 #
Well, at least they’re not Giants.
Why, oh why, can’t we have a GM with an IQ over room temperature.
Comment by Bill Grabarkewitz— November 30, 2010 #
Anyone still think it was a good idea spending 21 million on a scrub from the Giants?
And how much will we have left to take care of the players who really need to be protected, like Kershaw?
Comment by jeff— November 30, 2010 #
I dunno, did anyone think it was a good idea in the first place?
Comment by Mike Scioscia's tragic illness— November 30, 2010 #
Yeah, a lot of people wrote on your blog how it was a good idea. Is there also a mad rush to sign aging outfielders like there was apparently with Uribe to throw down 3/21?
Comment by jeff— November 30, 2010 #
Did they? I think he improves the team for 2011, but the 3/$21m is ridiculous. I think that’s what most people said.
Comment by Mike Scioscia's tragic illness— November 30, 2010 #
Some disagreed with the terms, but there were plenty of happy people with Uribe’s signing. The point is, Ned keeps digging us deeper and deeper with overpriced and over the hill vets and we still dont have a catcher, left fielder and oh by the way, got a bunch of proven talent like Ethier and Kershaw who will get big raises coming up.
Comment by jeff— November 30, 2010 #
Ethier being a career 2.5 WAR player isn’t worth more than 10 million a year. 3 years at 30 million is a fair market value deal. If were lucky we can get him at that rate. But I wouldn’t entertain trying to sign him for more than that rate. 10 million is certainly a raise, but its not a crippling contract like what the Rockies are giving Tulo.
Comment by Dusto— November 30, 2010 #
We definitely should have locked up Kershaw last offseason for the going rate of 30 million over 6 years!
Comment by Dusto— November 30, 2010 #
agreed, we should be celebreating the departure of tootblan, instead of complaining.
Comment by format— November 30, 2010 #
What…no dan uggla comments?
Comment by scott— December 1, 2010 #
I’ve kinda had a feeling about Damon and AJ for a while now. I presume that AJ would platoon with Barajas or Martin, and Damon would play left. Not that this is the preferred option for the team. Damon fits the Colletti mold as a defensive liability and speed threat on the basepaths. AJ fits a Colletti mold as well, him being a teammate of Uribe when they won a world series together in Chicago and AJ played in SF that one year… I’d almost rather have Corey Patterson in center than Damon in left. UGH!
Comment by Dusto— November 30, 2010 #
when Damon throws, it’s like a limp piece of spaghetti. his throws are like 30 foot rainbows.
Comment by ghost of ortizii past— November 30, 2010 #
I’d be absolutely shocked to see Varitek signed. He only headlines the article because he’s from the Red Sox, and everyone loves the Red Sox, right? Right? The article says the Dodgers are talking to EVERY free agent catcher. And they should – there’s no one that screams “SIGN ME!”
Talking to Damon worries me a lot more….
Comment by Dave— November 30, 2010 #
Hey Ned, why don’t you see if Derek Jeter wants to sign with us as well? He fits your mold: old, over rated and expensive. Of course we will fall all over ourselves to have scrubs from past world series champs like we do Uribe and (maybe) Damon and Varitek. To the detrement of this blog, we could coax Scioscia out of retirement to catch. And Rickey Henderson, heck he’s only like 50 and already in the hall, but think of the publicity!!!!
I know I’m bitching and not offering solutions…but I’ll be listening, watching and cheering every night. THINK BLUE
Comment by jeff— November 30, 2010 #
I actually think it would be pretty funny to sign Jeter. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t actually want him playing for the Dodgers – I just want to piss off the Yankees.
Comment by jeffreydm— November 30, 2010 #
you missed the best part…THERIOT IS GOING TO THE CARDS…
Comment by Davey Lopes Afro— November 30, 2010 #
Damn, I was hoping he was going to the Padres. There is something seemingly perverse about a double play combination of Theriot to Eckstein. The Padres will have cornered the market in grit.
Comment by grabarkewitz— November 30, 2010 #
Is it weird that whenever I see the word “gritty” used to describe a baseball player I usually replace it in my head with “lacking in baseball ability and skin pigmentation?”
Comment by Dave— November 30, 2010 #
I would call that “accurate,” not “weird.” :-)
Comment by jeffreydm— November 30, 2010 #
I understand the Uribe signing (in terms of how it helps the team, not in terms of money and contract length).
These supposed moves make no sense at all. I mean I’d rather have Pods than Damon….and that’s sad.
Comment by Jon#7#22— November 30, 2010 #
Ned needs to bring in veterans who can show the young guys(Kemp) how the game is supposed to be played…
Comment by Vince— November 30, 2010 #
I’m pretty sure Kemp knows how to play the game.
Comment by dusto— December 1, 2010 #
Anyone else want to see Jay Gibbons and Johnny Damon chasing the ball all over the outfield in left? There is your Sports Center moment, watching each play a single into an inside the park home run.
Comment by grabarkewitz— November 30, 2010 #
Rosenthal is running with the Damon to the Dodgers and the Midget had better have another one wrong. I can’t believe Colletti still has a love for these no power, no arm outfielders after blowing money and prospects on the likes of Pierre and POdSednik.
Comment by SamAdams— November 30, 2010 #
Varitek would be OK paired with Martin or Ellis.
Damon is another lefthanded outfielder ugh.
Comment by Table— November 30, 2010 #
I don’t understand why Johnny Damon is being considered. Aside from all the other reasons already mentioned, our current viable options for left field right now are all lefties: Gibbons, Paul, Oeltjen, and Podsenik, so there’s only half of a possible platoon. So why would we be interested in Johnny Damon, another lefty??? Grrr…
Comment by nsxtasy— November 30, 2010 #
Hahaha, Table and I posted about the same thing at the same time…
Comment by nsxtasy— November 30, 2010 #
I’ll take Olivo any day over Bengie Molina. He wouldn’t be much more expensive and he’s a much better hitter.
Comment by The Dude Abides— November 30, 2010 #
Damon actually isn’t nearly as bad defensively as people are making him out to be. His arm, which was once decent, is basically late career Luis Gonzalez or prime Juan Pierre, but he still has plenty of range and actually grades out at least average, if not better than average in LF. The question is whether he can put up a wOBA of around .350-.370 in Dodger Stadium, because Comerica Park cut his power way down. Perhaps hooking homers down the line and over the short porch will help. I really don’t mind Damon on a cheap, single year signing like the Dodgers should have done in 2007 with Kenny Lofton (instead of overpaying Juan Pierre).
Varitek on the other hand…yuck. He can’t hit and he can’t field anymore.
I seriously think Martin set way too high a bar, and Dodger fans have no clue how to value him anymore. Almost every other team and fan base in baseball is salivating at the thought of him being non-tendered.
Comment by Alireza— November 30, 2010 #
I dunno. none of these options are really necessary. why shell out the money for imperfect solutions when you can get like 90% of that geriatric crap out of your ellises, ojetlens, gibbons, etc.? we have started the offseason really fast and we can afford to sit back and look around for a while, maybe even expecting to trade for extra pieces during the season.
Comment by ghost of ortizii past— December 1, 2010 #
I don’t know, maybe we ought to take a look at Barry Bonds (Bobby is dead, right?) and Carlton Fisk.
Comment by dutchbubba— December 1, 2010 #
ok – i hate/bash ned as much as, well, as much as i need to to stay sane…. but uribe, while dubious on many levels, isn’t the worst thing ned has done. (the bar for that being in a santana-for-blake level of incompetence that should have had the man fired years ago)…. but signing molina for a year wouldn’t kill us. same for a.j. asshat (if non-douche-ness is a requirement to play then 80 percent of MLB will have to retire). an aging catcher who can squeeze out another 100 games of decent defense and borderline offense (if martin isn’t up to the job) isn’t a horrible outcome.
the preferred way to go is to nut up the checkbook, sign adam dunn, and trade loney for a catcher who could job share with martin.
but i’m pretty sure that’s not on the table…
Comment by immouch— December 1, 2010 #
It looks like Ned isn’t going to go out and get a real bat for LF, so given the available cheap-o options, I don’t think Johnny Damon is that bad. If they get him and platoon him with a righty that can hit lefties at around an .800 OPS, i don’t think that would be too bad. Of course, none of this would be relevant if we had saved money at 2b and sprung for an actual hitter…
ok. begin the hate.
Comment by ben— December 1, 2010 #
[...] team’s needs, but which would then almost certainly be the end of Xavier Paul‘s Dodger career. November 30, 2010: Damon is all but unplayable in the outfield and had a .756 OPS last year. Varitek hasn’t been [...]
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