ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!!!

Yes, yes I am. As word came down today that the lockout was over one could practically hear all of America breathe sighs of relief. The players association is very close to voting to end the lockout, start free agency, and get back to football as opposed to the legal drama that seemed like it would never end over the course of the last 130 plus days. Football is back, teams will soon be signing free agents and the world can get back to focusing on football, rather then focusing about what was going on in a conference room in Washington D.C.

As the terms of the lockout come to light, fans have seen happiness from both sides that the deal was done, but frankly from a fans perspective, I would rather this be totally behind everyone, today. I don't want to hear about when the NFL PA is going to vote, all I want to know is when free agency will start, when teams will report and when the season will start. Of course we will be inundated with useless chatter for the next day or so about how both sides are happy with the terms of the deal, and how Goodell and Smith are pure geniuses for putting together a deal that worked out for both sides, and I suppose, to some extent fans should be thankful to the guys who made the deal an actuality.

However the effort spent talking even more about the lockout is a waste, at this point, with the season on the brink of delay, one can't help but crave the useless football chatter of yesteryear. What with all this lockout chatter you forgot? You know, the endless speculation about which players will end up where, how your teams going to do this year, the quarterback battles and all the real football drama that makes the NFL pre season enticing for fans. For know we can go back to trash talking friends, making fantasy teams, and returning to the real NFL we all know and love. Are you ready for free agency, training camp, practices, a Rex Ryan super bowl guarantee, days spent in the bar, in the living room, or in the stadium parking lot? Are you ready for an end to the legal drama and a start to the gridiron drama? Are you ready for some Football? IT'S ABOUT TIME!!!

Looking Ahead To Free Agency: Johnny Damon

We started the "Looking Ahead To Free Agency" series yesterday with Andy Pettitte (though there's also the added wrinkle, rumored by Jayson Stark, that maybe he'd think of going to pitch for his old buddy, Joe Torre, in Los Angeles after the Yankees lowballed him this past winter). Today we'll look at a man who is "simply Damon-ic": Johnny Damon.

Background: Johnny Damon arrived from Boston in 2006 to much hoopla. He was called all sorts of names in Boston and welcome by most with open arms to the Bronx. Even his pre-introduction haircut was a big deal. But despite the fact that he's lost any type of range he had in the field, with the bat "Johnny be good". Trivia question: who is the only player in baseball to have at least 90 runs, 10 HR, and 10 SB in the past 4 seasons? It's not Derek Jeter or Hanley Ramirez or Chase Utley or David Wright or A-Rod; according to Play Index, it's Johnny Damon himself, who has amassed that total in the past 4 years in the Bronx. The past three years he's hit .286/.362/.448 and averaged 101 runs, 17 HR and 27 SB a year.

What he's done so far this year: The New Yankees Stadium is made for Johnny Damon. So far he's hit .286/.368/.505 with 100 runs scored and matched his career high of 24 HRs. His 127 OPS+ is the highest of his career. When the Yankees got hot in May and August, Johnny was his best with a .920 OPS in May and a .994 OPS in August. His stolen bases are down, but he's turned out to be perfectly suited for the #2 hole in that lineup. He's also perfectly suited for the New Yankees Stadium: he is .297/.391/.577 with 17 HR there so far in 2009.

So do we bring him back in 2010? At the beginning of this season I would have said that was no circumstances how they could, but now I don't see how they can't if the price is right. For the past two years, according to FanGraphs, he's been worth more than $13 million so I think that he's definitely earned his dollars and will continue to for at least another year or two. If Damon is open to either accepting arbitration/signing a one-year offer or negotiating a deal for about 2 year/$13 million, I'd bring him back. The problem is that, coming off a career year, Damon may ask for a lot more money/a lot more years. Another team may give it to him (the Mets?), but I think the Yankees can't go past two years for this guy, especially since he should be relegated to mostly DH at this point.

What others are saying:

• From Buster Olney: "The Yankees could make one lucrative one-year offer to Damon and Matsui and tell them "Hey, we love both of you guys, but we can't keep both -- and we'll keep whoever takes our offer first." They will probably be in a position of good leverage."
• Johnny told the Daily News at the end of August he wanted to stay in the Bronx
• From Ken Rosenthal: "One Yankees official says that it is "very likely" the team will re-sign left fielder Johnny Damon — provided that Damon is willing to accept a paycut from his current $13 million salary as a free agent."
• From Jon Heyman:
  

  The Yankees intend to try to bring back Johnny Damon, probably for about $6-8 million a year (that'll be the first offer, anyway), and might be willing to give him a second year. Damon's been saying in the papers all year that he wants to be back, which is quite a departure from the usual free-agent script and could mean he's that rare player amenable to a below-market contract. Yankees management loves Damon personally, too, and that doesn't hurt. With Hideki Matsui also a free agent (not to mention Xavier Nady), the Yankees could use Damon, who's having a fine offensive season, especially for power (.286, 22 HRs, 68 RBIs and 87 runs)...Damon's making $13 million now, but the Yankees appear to view this case in much the same way they looked at Andy Pettitte, who took a pay cut to $5 million guaranteed to return last winter. Damon shopped himself last time when he felt he wasn't getting the respect he deserved from the Red Sox. But this appears to be a different case.

• MLBTradeRumors points out that Damon will be a Type A free agent which may make him an appealing arbritration offer candidate regardless (though the Yankees could only cut him 20% of his $13 million deal)
• From Jayson Stark: "While the Yankees don't see their top outfield prospect, Austin Jackson, as being ready to move into a regular gig next April, they also don't want to throw a big-buck free agent in his path for the next few seasons. So if you're wondering why you're suddenly hearing so much talk about their interest in bringing back Johnny Damon on a short-term deal, that would explain it."
• Also from MLBTradeRumors: "Earlier in the year, Damon said he'd prefer to get a two-year deal, but said he'd settle for a one year deal with a vesting option if need be. He also said back in May he didn't expect to be brought back in pinstripes"

Looking Ahead To Free Agency: Andy Pettitte

I wanted to start a series here called "Looking Ahead To Free Agency" where we'll look at the Yankees potential free agents and whether they'll bring them back or not. The first one on the list is Andy Pettitte.

Background: Andy has been dandy for the Yankees for a while, but he turns 38 next season. Last season he pitched horribly in the second half, something that has been attributed to arm troubles. In the off-season the Yankees first offered Andy a take-it-or-leave-it $16 million option. He turned it down to think about it more and ended up settling for a base of about one third of that with incentives.

What he's done so far this year: Well he came back healthy this season and is one of the Yankees best starters. Since the beginning of August, the Yankees are 7-0 when Pettitte starts. In that span he's 5-0 with a 2.96 ERA, holding opponents to a .204/.276/.309 split and striking out 42 in 45.2 innings. Overall, he's 13-6 with a 4.10 ERA. His 8.8 H/9 is his lowest in the American League since 1997 and his 7.0 SO/9 is his best K-rate in the AL since 2003. And Peter Abraham pointed out that Pettitte, despite taking what he thought was a below-market contract, will end up hitting all those incentives and get a way-above-market final price of about $11 million.

So do we bring him back in 2010? The concern with Andy is the strain on his arm. The Yankees let him go after the 2003 season because they were worried about how his arm would hold up and he missed more than half the 2004 season. He's thrown over 2,900 innings in the regular season and 218.1 in the playoffs (basically the equivalent of another whole season). That being said, another incentive-laden deal would make sense for Andy. He almost pitched a perfect game the other day and seems to be rolling right along. The Yankees have CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes lined up for their 2010 rotation. Andy Pettitte would seem to be a nice 5th pitcher to round out that group.

What others are saying:

• From MLBTradeRumors: "Andy Pettitte tells Christian Red of the New York Daily News that he knows he wants to avoid drawn-out contract negotiations after the season. Pettitte, who says he's focused on winning now, admits he decided to return to the Yankees "no matter what" last winter."
• Buster Olney on Pettitte's great second half: "Andy Pettitte has never been a big strikeout guy, but in the second half of this season he has 62 strikeouts in 59 2/3 innings. An AL talent evaluator had these observations on Pettitte's improvement during this season: 'He has much better command of his fastball to both sides of the plate now. He gets ahead and doesn't pitch around the strike zone. When he does fall behind he goes to his changeup, especially to right-handed hitters. He throws very few pitches above the belt; he pitches down almost all the time.'"
• Andy told Jon Heyman he wasn't sure if he would return next season and also wrote that he would decide after consulting with his family after the season.
• River Avenue Blues gives the thumbs up to a 2010 Pettitte return
• From Joel Sherman: "As the Yanks move toward another meaningful October, here is Pettitte again filling the role of Old Reliable."
• The New York Daily News points out how he's moving past Lefty Gomez up the Yankees' all-time wins list
  
• I don't think he'll sign anyplace else anyways, but MLBTradeRumors points out that Pettitte will be a Type A free agent. So arbitration is a no-brainer in this case