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It is very hard to see Damon getting significant playing time unless other moves are made, and I doubt he'll be happy playing little. To tie up so much money in a bench player is unwise, too, if it means shortchanging other needs.

So long as Giambi is on the team, he'll get the bulk of ABs at DH. Damon can play left only when Matsui is the DH, and that cannot happen often with Giambi around. So for the remainder of this year (if Giambi returns) and for next year, the DH is largely taken. Only if the team rids itself of Giambi -- no small task -- does this arrangment (Damon/Matsui as LF/DH) work.

If Abreu leaves after this year, which is certainly possible, RF opens up. But Damon cannot play right; his arm is a joke. Moving Cabrera to right, though certainly an option, would weaken the team defensively in center and weaken the line-up in terms of power.

All things considered, the question may come down to this: after 2007, would it be easier to move Giambi (who, I believe, has one year left on his contract) or Damon?

I'd rather have Damon than Giambi any day of the week. Giambi, when healthy, provides more thump. But it looks like Giambi breaks down more often, and more severly, than Damon does. And, given the fact that Giambi can't field, run, or throw, he's not giving the Yanks much bang for their considerable investment.

Find a way to get Giambi to accept a buyout or call up Billy Beane and send Giambi and cash for a couple of position players for the minor leagues. Given how the Piazza investment didn't work in Oakland, maybe Beane wants Giambi back to fill that role.

MJ:

I do not disagree with your analysis or conclusion, but I believe moving either player will be a challenge. There won't be many takers. Still, it has to be attempted in the off-season.

Scout - I agree that finding trading partners will be difficult but I figure that Giambi has one less year on his contract which makes him an easier move. Plus, if the Yanks eat money on any deal, it makes any trade more likely.

If this is Damon's way of saying he would be open to being traded, then great. With Damon unable to play the field now, he and Giambi are redundant (high-paid DHs who can't stay healthy). Since Giambi has NO trade value at his price, you move Damon if you can. I can't see it happening this year, but maybe in the coming off-season. When there's a big free agent on the market (in this case Torii Hunter) and a bunch of teams are gunning for him, someone always looks for the cheaper alternative. If we're lucky, Damon is the cheaper-alternative centerfielder to Hunter next year for someone and we can move him there.

Damon provides great personality for the clubhouse, but he's kind of useless with Melky around.

I'd still rather see the Yanks buy Giambi out or send him and cash someplace else. I feel like he's got a lot less utility to the Yanks than Damon does. Giambi's utterly useless since he can only DH and he's not been healthy enough to do even that. Damon's range may be diminishing and his arm isn't very good but you can put him out in the field once or twice a week and it won't kill you.

Damon can still run and play small ball too. I'd much rather see him stay than Giam-hurt-again. We'll have to eat a great big chunk of money to move Gio - more than Damon, but it may be worth it, and he might waive to go to the A's again.