Yankees talk to Nick Johnson
The old geezer
4:46 PM, December 16, 2009 ? By GEORGE A. KING III
The Yankees and Nick Johnson are talking about the sweet-swinging
lefty
and on-base machine replacing Hideki Matsui as the World Champions DH
on a one-year deal.
If a deal is completed, it would be an indication the Yankees will
part
with Johnny Damon, whom they view at least as a part-time DH and dont
want him for more than two years and $20 million. The Post reported
Tuesday that isources say Damon isnt looking to take a pay cut from
the
$13 million he made last year. Agent Scott Boras is hunting for a
three-
or four-year deal.
We have had dialogue, things are moving forward," Johnson's agent Rex
Gary said of the talks with his client, a former Yankees first
baseman. Something could happen to speed things up but it s hard to
predict."
Seattle is interested in the 31-year-old to play first base but the
allure of returning to the Yankees may be the difference for Johnson.
With Matsui an Angel and Johnny Damon looking outside The Bronx for
work, the Yankees DH spot is open. GM Brian Cashman talked recently
of
promoting Juan Miranda, a left-handed hitter, from Scranton/Wilkes-
Barre
(Triple-A) but Johnson has far more experience.
Johnson wouldn t need to sit against lefties; he is a career .292
hitter
against them, .266 versus right-handers.
Johnson, a career .273 hitter with a career on-base percentage of .
402
and an above-average fielder, would have to forget about playing
first
base with switch-hitter Mark Teixeira entrenched there.
Johnson played with the Nationals and Marlins last season and batted
.291 with eight homers and 62 RBIs in 133 games; he had an on-base
percentage of .426.
"He can still hit," an NL talent evaluator said of Johnson, who made
$5.5 million last season, the final leg of a three-year $16.5 million
deal. "He is an on-base percentage guy who will hit some homers in
Yankee Stadium."
Another scout compared Johnson to Damon.
"He will hit like Damon, .280 to .300 with some power and will drive
in
runs," the scout said.
Considering Johnson s injury history, any deal likely would have
incentives for plate appearances.
As a Yankee, he missed the entire 2000 season with a right-hand
injury.
He was limited to 38 games in 2008 with the Nationals due to a
right-wrist problem. A fractured right femur late in the 2006 season
cost Johnson all of 2007. A lumbar strain and a fractured right
cheekbone limited him to 73 games in 2004 as an Expo. As a Yankee in
2003 he missed 61 games due to a stress fracture in his right hand.
Johnson, a third-round pick of the Yankees in the 1996 draft, was
dealt
to the Expos with Juan Rivera and Randy Choate in December 2003 for
Javier Vazquez.
TOG
cat daddy
"The old geezer" <JY...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:0d67acb3-87c0-4ede...@d21g2000yqn.googlegroups.com...
> Yankees talk to Johnson about vacant DH role
"The Yankees and Nick Johnson are moving toward a one-year deal for the
left-handed hitter to be the club's DH, and it could be announced Friday
morning. "
cat daddy
"cat daddy" <furball@.myhouse.com> wrote in message
news:oISdneoiPIOJWrfW...@giganews.com...
"The deal is now near completion, says Davidoff. Pending a physical,
Johnson will agree to a one-year deal with the Yankees worth about $5.5MM."