According to Yahoo! Sports’ Tim Brown, the Chicago Cubs have signed former Yankee, Xavier Nady, to a one-year deal. He will likely serve as outfield insurance but will also be a right-handed platoon option, spelling Kosuke Fukudome against left-handers.
How does this affect the Yankees’ pursuit of a right-handed bat? Well, the Yankees really wanted Nady, however, he priced himself out of the team’s budget. Jon Heyman says the deal is for $3.3M, but there are an additional $2M in incentives that could be obtained based on games played. If that’s the case, I can see why the Yankees chose to avoid Nady as he could cost over $5M. However, if Nady gets $3.3M guaranteed, there is no way Damon will settle for $2M from the Yankees, especially since Nady and Damon share the same agent in Scott Boras. The Yankees would have to offer at least $5M, plus incentives, in order to keep Damon around.
The good news is that with Nady on board, the Cubbies won’t be re-signing Reed Johnson, making him a bigger target for Brian Cashman to pursue (assuming Damon is too pricey).
In addition to Nady being removed from the free agent market, the Oakland Athletics have signed Ben Sheets to a one-year, $10 million deal. Oakland likely overpaid to get him – $10 million is a lot for a pitcher who hasn’t thrown in a game since 2008 – but it’s a good signing since they had money to spend. This move, like the Nady deal, affects the Yankees’ outfield search in that the A’s may no longer be interested in Johnny Damon. Buster Olney writes that the “Oakland-Damon dialogue is continuing,” even after the addition of Sheets for $10 million, however, it just doesn’t seem like a fit given Oakland’s current roster and spending limitations.
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4 Responses to Cubs sign Nady, A's sign Sheets
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TIQ IQ
Patience everyone… Damon to Oakland makes no sense. His OPS at Yankee Stadium was over .900 while on the road was just over .700. He also had 17 of his 24 HR at the Stadium. Factor in the collection of OF, the depth of DH, and the size of the ground a LF needs to cover in Oakland, and I just don’t see it. Also, I don’t know why everyone assumes the Yankees will only give Damon 2 million. First, I think they would feel insulted even making that offer. Second, they never said what their budget is. Third, the “2 MM offer” has been created by the media.
I think Chris is right on point here when he says Nady getting 3.2 makes Damon laugh at 2. However, Damon at 5 is still Abreu money from last year. I still think he signs with the Yankees for 5 million, possibly as early as tonight.
I,m so happy nady is gone…DL waiting to happen, NL player just like holliday. good luck X man
I kinda feel bad for Damon at this point, I mean he had a great year last season on the offensive side of the ball (not looking closely at home-road splits that is). However he seems to have taken far too long and if the Yankees really did once offer him a 2 year 19 million dollar contract he must be kicking himself now for not taking it. The market says he is as good as Abreu and should at least get the deal he got, but now he’ll be lucky to get money close to what Ankiel and Nady got, one of which who was terrible last year and the other who barely played.
I think any other season the Yankees would have given Johnny a one year 8-10 million, but not now with budget Cashman is supposedly facing. Where ever he lands I hope he at least gets close to market value, because there is no reason he should be making less than Rick Ankiel. Just goes to show you how important defense has become in MLB.
boras caused this,he could of gotten 8 9 mil for 2 years, but said don’t call unless 13 for 3..so they get grandy.. then they still wait, boras stays in denial… they sign johnson .. now the positions and money are filled.. so they out smarted them selves.. the market must know something about damon they just do not like..look at the guys with teams..no body wants damon..not even the mets… that is a real insult..he is a half a player whon on his good half hit .280..18 of his 24 HRs were at the stadium.. he needs the yanks more than they need him..don’t feel sorry for a guy who made 52 mil in 4 years with us..and 10s of mil more before..3 WS rings… like feeling sorry for the banks and aig.. damon is now belly up..hmmmm. can’t say that for boras..maybe damon could be his golf caddy.. so long johnny.