According to various reports, free agent outfielder Johnny Damon(notes) has received a one-year offer from the Atlanta Braves, and Chipper Jones(notes) has been actively wooing him.
However, the Tigers are also reportedly interested in adding Damon to their kick-ass 2004 fantasy roster otherwise unimpressive lineup, perhaps for two years. Detroit is clearly the destination that we in the fantasy community should be pulling for.
It’s not that Damon would be significantly more valuable with the Tigers – last year’s power was a Yankee Stadium fluke, not to be repeated elsewhere. But in Atlanta, Damon could complicate Jason Heyward’s path to 2010 fantasy relevance. That would be most unwelcome.
The 20-year-old Heyward was Baseball America’s 2009 Minor League Player of the Year, and he’ll almost certainly be the Braves’ right fielder for many, many seasons. He’s thus far been exceptional at every minor league level – he hit .352/.446/.611 in 195 plate appearances at Double-A last year – and he’s inflated himself during the offseason. This via Ken Rosenthal:
Heyward is 6-foot-4, one inch taller than [Fred] McGriff, who also batted left-handed. He has gained 20 pounds this offseason — “all muscle,” Braves general manager Frank Wren says — and now weighs 245.
Heyward has drawn frequent comparisons to McGriff, although at his current dimensions he’s entering Dave Parker territory. Either way, we’re comparing him to MVP-quality left-handed sluggers with animal nicknames. That’s awesome
Without Damon cluttering the outfield in left, Heyward would presumably need only to decisively outperform either Matt Diaz(notes) or Melky Cabrera(notes) in order to emerge as Atlanta’s Opening Day right fielder. Jordan Schafer(notes) is little more than a wildcard. All the usual financial incentives exist to for the Braves to keep Heyward in the high minors into June, but you’ll recall that Atlanta has aggressively advanced young prospects in the past. Bobby Cox recently declared that Heyward has a legit shot to make the April lineup:
“He’s virtually skipping Triple-A if he makes the team,” manager Bobby Cox said of Heyward, who played in three late-season games at Triple-A Gwinnett and has only 50 games and 173 at-bats above Class A.
“That doesn’t happen often. But in his case we just feel that he should, if he’s going to come to spring training, be given a crack at it,” Cox said.
Let’s make this thing happen. And make the Damon thing not happen. Frank Wren, please sign on the line which is dotted. (OK, so it’s not dotted. But please sign).
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Photo via AP Images