Johnny Damon's Situation Similar to Bobby Abreu's Previous Offseason

It's almost the end of January, and Johnny Damon still doesn't have a contract or a team for 2010.

He can thank Scott Boras for that, as the mega agent has all but messed up Damon's offseason plans.

Boras thought he could get Damon a three-year deal originally, which at 36, nobody was biting at.

Even a two-year deal for the 36-year-old was pushing it, but it was manageable.

Damon even said he would sign back with the Yankees for a two-year, $20 million dollar deal, but the Yankees countered with a two-year, $14 million dollar deal, which was spurned and led to the signing of Nick Johnson. Many thought that was the end of Damon's tenure in the Bronx.

But not really though.

All the teams interested in him filled their needs and backed off Damon.

The Giants used their money to sign Bengie Molina, Mark DeRosa, Aubrey Huff, and Juan Uribe.

The Braves traded for Melky Cabrera and signed Troy Glaus and Eric Hinske.

The Cardinals re-signed Matt Holliday.

The Mets signed Jason Bay and traded for Gary Matthews, Jr.

The Tigers traded away Curtis Granderson to free up cap space and are going with a younger outfield, which will include former Yankees prospect Austin Jackson.

So really, Damon is stuck.

He's definitely at a point where he may have no other choice but to take a severe pay cut.

It's not the first time this has happened to players. In fact, one of Damon's former teammates went through this similar situation.

After the 2008 season, Bobby Abreu was a free agent and originally wanted to re-sign with the Yankees, but not at the $16 million per season he was looking to get.

It was rumored that the Cubs and Mets were interested in Abreu's services, but the Cubs foolishly gave Milton Bradley a three-year deal over Abreu, and the Mets decided to stick with Daniel Murphy and Ryan Church at the time, which again didn't work out like planned.

By the end of January in 2009, Abreu was still without a team, just like Damon is now in 2010.

It wasn't until February 12, 2009 that the Angels gave Abreu a one-year deal for $5 million. Abreu's contract turned out to be one of the biggest bargains that winter since he hit .293 with 15 home runs and 103 RBI.

Abreu's reward for 2009 was a two-year, $19 million dollar deal with the Angels.

It could be possible that Damon may have to wait longer, maybe as long as Abreu did in 2008 and into 2009, depending on who is interested in his services.

Speaking of which, according to Sports Illustrated and MLB Network's Jon Heyman, the Yankees and Damon have talked recently, which is a good start in the right direction if Damon is to possibly re-sign.

Heyman said that he's still not sure whether the Yankees are interested or not, but they at least have been in contact with each other.

Heyman also feels that it will definitely take more than the two million that the Yankees are rumored to have left in their budget.

Ah yes, the Yankees budget. The same budget that Brian Cashman once said was placated with the CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett signings in December of 2008, but two days before Christmas of 2008, he scooped in and also got Mark Teixeira, after the Red Sox screwed up in the negotiations with him.

This is also the Yankees budget which they had to re-structure their money around after re-signing Pettitte to a $5.5 million dollar deal with incentives, even though supposedly they were not interested in Andy Pettitte before 2009.

Many have wondered if Damon would accept an incentive-laden contract for 2010 with the Yankees that could lead to more money and a spot on the roster for most of the year if he plays well.

Also in the news was former Yankees infielder/outfielder Jerry Hairston, Jr., who went on record saying that the Yankees didn't offer him a contract after it was reported that they were in "serious talks" together because the Yankees were waiting for Damon's price to drop.

Cashman shot down the rumors, but he must have wanted to keep things quiet, which is just a strategy. But Hairston wouldn't just go and blab that out for no reason unless he really meant it, and maybe it's actually how the Yankees front office really feels.

On Bleacher Report, many feel that Damon will re-sign with the Yankees, just like I have written about many times.

Many MLB executives feel like the Yankees and Damon will eventually come to terms as well.

We're getting closer to February, which is the month when pitchers and catchers report before Spring Training.

Damon and Boras have a lot of thinking to do.

It's quite clear what has to be done now. Abreu did it before 2009. Damon's going to have to do it in 2010.

If Damon wants to play baseball, especially in New York, a pay cut is coming.

It's not the worst thing, and with the Yankees, it still gives Damon another chance to to win a championship.

It's not just the smartest move to make, right now. It's looking like the best and only option for Damon.

Just take the pay cut and come back to the Yankees, Johnny. Follow in Abreu's footsteps.

It's OK, Yankees Universe wants you back to begin with, whatever contract you end up taking.