Major League Baseball

Sources: White Sox still in Damon hunt

Published Feb. 16, 2010 12:00 a.m. ET

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Ken Rosenthal

Johnny Damon to the White Sox? The idea certainly is not dead. The question is how alive it might be.

The White Sox's one-year offer to Damon includes heavy deferrals and has a present-day value in the $4.5 million range, according to major-league sources.

Damon played golf Monday with White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski and broadcaster Ken “Hawk” Harrelson, according to major-league sources.

Pierzynski lobbied Damon to sign with the White Sox, and neither Damon, nor his wife, Michelle, want any part of Detroit, multiple sources say.

But whether Damon will sign with the White Sox remains in question.

White Sox officials are mindful that Damon's agent, Scott Boras, might be using them in an attempt to persuade the Tigers to increase their offer. Others in the industry speculate that Boras is using the Tigers to elicit a higher bid from the White Sox.

The White Sox have not budged from their offer to Damon, according to a high-ranking team official.

That offer is seemingly not competitive with the Tigers’ reported proposals to Damon -- one year, $7 million or two years, $14 million.

Some with the White Sox, however, are confident that a deal with Damon could happen, and believe it might even be close.

Clearly, the White Sox are discussing Damon at length internally and remain in contact with Boras.

The Braves, who also made an offer to Damon, have not been in recent contact with Boras, a source said.

Damon would be a good fit for the White Sox, who are looking for both a leadoff man and left-handed hitter. Chicago’s U.S. Cellular Field is far more hitter-friendly than Detroit’s Comerica Park. If Damon put up big numbers in Chicago on a one-year deal, he could re-enter the market in a strong position next season.

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