He's Sheriff, if He Pulls Trigger on Damon Deal

By ROSS NEWHAN

Jan. 7, 2001 12 AM PT

Return of the lawman?

Absolutely.

If Kevin Malone can acquire Johnny Damon for a package that includes the still- unproven Eric Gagne and the inconsistent Antonio Osuna, the Dodger general manager deserves that sheriff’s badge after all. There are risks, but it’s this simple:

The Kansas City Royal center fielder matured into baseball’s best leadoff hitter--and more--last year.

Not only did he lead the American League in runs (136) and stolen bases (46) while batting .327 with 214 hits, 42 doubles and an on-base percentage of .382 (second among regular AL leadoff men to Darin Erstad’s .409), Damon ranked among the league’s top clutch hitters.

He batted .342 with runners in scoring position, .667 with the bases loaded and .357 against left-handed pitchers, even though he hits left-handed.

At 27, a confident and swaggering presence, Damon is entering his prime.

Some in the Dodger organization point to the struggle of Shawn Green in switching leagues, but Green carried the additional burden of coming home.

Some are also concerned that, with the departure of Gagne, a rebuilding farm system would be lacking replacements if Ramon Martinez can’t fill the No. 5 rotation void or one of the top four starters is injured.

The only options would be Carlos Perez or Luke Prokopec.

However, if Dodger fate in 2001 hinges on a No. 5 starter, then why will Kevin Brown, Chan Ho Park, Darren Dreifort and Andy Ashby make up one of the highest-priced rotations without adding in the No. 5’s salary?

Besides, since when does a No. 5 starter equate to the magnitude of the 159-game contributions that Damon provided on offense and defense last year?

A more legitimate concern might be that agent Scott Boras is taking the same route with Damon that he did with Alex Rodriguez. Damon is eligible for free agency after the 2001 season, and the impression is that he will not sign until he tests the market.

In other words, the Dodgers could be giving up their top young pitching prospect--a distinction Gagne holds almost by default--for a one-year rental and a full-blown shot at a division title.

So be it.

With Perez and Devon White’s contracts expiring after the 2001 season, the Dodgers will be in position to make a serious offer to Damon and they have a solid relationship with Boras since six of his clients will open the season with the club.

Should Damon become the seventh and leave after one year, where’s the harm? The real damage would be in not making the bid, in not keeping the phone lines to Kansas City buzzing.

The Royals, unwilling to get only draft choices as compensation if Damon leaves as a free agent, are certain to trade him before April. Call it a shot at redemption for the self-proclaimed sheriff.

JOINING THE TRIBE

Juan Gonzalez appears headed to Cleveland with a one-year, $12-million contract--nothing comparable to the six-year, $140-million Detroit offer he rejected last season but a tolerable lifeline considering the lack of interest in the American League’s most valuable player of 1996 and ’98.

An injury-riddled season in spacious Comerica Park impacted Gonzalez’s normally booming stats--he hit 22 home runs and drove in 67 runs--and left clubs wary of his fitness and focus. Some also questioned his thinking. He not only rejected the $140-million offer after being traded to Detroit, but he rejected the midseason opportunity to join the New York Yankees because he didn’t want to commit to a contract extension and the Yankees--who then traded for David Justice--didn’t want to merely rent Gonzalez for the remainder of the year.

The Indians, who recently signed Ellis Burks, are still looking to replace the Justice/Manny Ramirez offensive void, and Gonzalez should find Jacobs Field a better fit. His 12 homers and 36 runs batted in there are the most by an opposing player.

HALO HOLES

After raising ticket prices 5.6%, the Angels can’t possibly believe they can sell fans on the signings of Ismael Valdes, Pat Rapp and Tim Belcher as the veteran answers to their young and uncertain rotation.

Valdes, Rapp and Belcher, a combined 15-24 last year with an earned-run average in the high 5s (not to be confused with a congratulatory handshake), merely represent a continuation of Disney’s economically motivated approach and the organization’s historic pattern of signing aging and/or physically fragile pitchers.

Mike Hampton and Mike Mussina may not have wanted to come west, but the Angels’ absence from the second-tier market of Dreifort, Ashby, Kevin Appier, Steve Trachsel, Rick Reed and Pat Hentgen seems to confirm that the ledger comes before the standings.

In his bargain pursuit of pitching, General Manager Bill Stoneman shopped the third tier, and there is no truth to speculation that his approach was motivated by concern that the Angels will have to return revenue from stadium naming rights to help in the Edison bailout.

SCOUTING THE SCOUTS

Longtime scouts Dick Bogard (Oakland A’s), Ray Boone (Boston Red Sox) and Spider Jorgensen (Chicago Cubs) were honored by peers with distinguished- service awards at Friday night’s dinner of the Professional Baseball Scouts of Southern California at Edison Field.

Boone’s son, Bob, middle man in the family’s three-generation major league legacy and new manager of the Cincinnati Reds, was the featured speaker and noted how he got a firsthand glimpse into a scout’s often hectic routine while serving in that capacity for the Reds after being fired as Kansas City’s manager.

“I learned that some of the most important things about scouting are to wear soft shoes, eat fast food on the run, read a map while driving the freeway and be able to talk your way into any ballpark,” Boone said.

“I think one of the reasons the Reds made me their manager was to get me out of the scouting department so that they could get back to signing good players.”

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Johnny Be Good

Johnny Damon finished in the top five in the American League in the following categories:

AT-BATS

Darin Erstad, Angels: 676

Johnny Damon, Kansas City: 655

Garret Anderson, Angels: 647

Gerald Williams, Tampa Bay: 632

Chris Guzman, Minnesota: 631

HITS

Erstad: 240

Damon: 214