Really he may be Scott Boras’ only hope, as outlined by Morosi in his latest FOX column. After recounting the well-known story about how Boras failed to accurately read the market for Damon, Morosi traced Boras’ steps:
Boras retreated to a bunker in his Newport Beach lair and broke the emergency glass over a seldom-used manual: How to create a market for stars using duct tape and chicken wire ... two weeks before spring training.
It’s been some time since Boras has delved this deep into his playbook. He didn’t need to go to extraordinary lengths at this time last year, when it was widely assumed that Manny Ramirez was going to be a Dodger. This is different. Boras is trying to find a new lead suitor at a time when many teams are finalizing their rosters for the year ahead.
So, he’s doing for Damon what he did for Ivan Rodriguez in 2004 and Magglio Ordonez one year later. In each case, the handbook prescribed the same first step. Get Tigers owner Mike Ilitch on the phone.
I’m kind of torn about it. On the one hand, I kind of like Johnny Damon as a player, I hate seeing him twist like this, and I think that at his current price -- which I figure is going to be a year and maybe $5 million -- he’d be a nice addition to the Tigers. On the other hand, I really would like to see Scott Boras get burned in spectacular fashion once in a while because, well, just because.
I try to limit my schadenfreude intake as much as possible, however, so I suppose I’ll root for the former outcome and hope that Damon and the Tigers hook up soon. And then we can all get on with our lives.