INDIANAPOLIS — Contract talks between Johnny Damon and the Yankees haven’t reached the “Now or Never” stage.
But . . .
Though the Yankees want Damon to play left field next to Curtis Granderson and hit behind Derek Jeter, if agent Scott Boras continues to hunt for a three- or four-year deal — something the Yankees are very unlikely to offer — Damon’s four-year stint in The Bronx could be over.
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“They have stuff to do,” said a person with knowledge of the Yankees’ plans, which include adding a starting pitcher and possibly bullpen help. “Damon knows that now.”
According to general manager Brian Cashman, the Yankees haven’t informed Damon it’s crunch time.
“Right now we are holding the fort,” Cashman said before splitting the Winter Meetings yesterday. “We are not doing anything at the moment.”
This being the Yankees, that can change in an instant. The Yankees have interest in outfielders Mike Cameron and Marlon Byrd. Each is a center fielder who, if signed, could nudge Granderson to left.
Damon getting two years in the $20 million range from the Yankees isn’t out of the question, but if they address other needs (starting pitching, DH), that money might dry up.
If Damon isn’t back, the Yankees have several options in left. It could be Granderson or they might shift Melky Cabrera from center to left. Whispers of trading Nick Swisher, who has been working with hitting coach Kevin Long in Arizona, are floating. Nevertheless, Joe Girardi and Cashman love the energy Swisher brings to the clubhouse, and he had a productive 2009 season.
As for Granderson, Long has been handed the challenge of cutting down on the left-handed hitter’s strikeouts (141) and improving the average (.183) against lefties.
“He is going to get tired of taking batting practice against me, Tommy Phelps and Scott Aldred,” Long said of the lefty-throwing trio. “The more he faces lefties the more comfortable he will get. He also has a little bit of a long swing so we will try and shorten that. There could be some concern because he didn’t do well against [lefties], but I am not that concerned.”
As for the strikeouts, Long said that is a Catch-22 situation.
“That’s why he hits homers,” Long said of Granderson’s out-front swing that produced a career-high 30 homers last year. “When you look at 125 to 130 strikeouts that’s OK, but when you get into the 150 range you have to cut down.”
Though it could reduce Granderson’s power, even to right field in Yankee Stadium, going the other way could shrink the whiffs.
“You can work on more going to the opposite field and you do that by letting the ball travel,” Long said.
If being a nice person got you into the Hall of Fame, Granderson would be a first-ballot entry. Yesterday, former Tigers teammate Brandon Inge was the latest to praise Granderson’s personality.
“I remember when he was a rookie and rookies are usually raw, but he jumped into the pockets of the coaches and veterans and wanted to learn and improve, that impressed me,” said Inge. “I can’t remember ever hearing one person say one bad word about him.”
Inge then gave Granderson’s temperament the ultimate compliment.
“He has ice water in his veins. He is almost like [Derek] Jeter that way,” Inge said. “He can go 0-for-4 or 4-for-4 and hit four homers and he is the same guy. I hate to see him go.”