We had previously posted about Damon’s value this off season. His numbers definitely will not improve this year playing at Comerica Park.  Damon’s defense is already not much to write home about and he will be moving to a larger park. Damon’s home run totals are bound to go down as well without being able to take advantage of the short porch in right field that the new Yankee Stadium provides.

I see this as a fan friendly move and as nothing beyond one season.  The Tigers are in a transitional phase at the moment. They don’t have a very well rounded team and they potentially have many bloated contracts that they will be shedding next year with the likes of Nate Robertson, Magglio Ordonez and Jeremy Bonderman to name a couple.  I think Damon is just looking to make the most money and then try to catch on with another team next year.

Frankly I don’t see why the Mets are so upset about the situation. Beltran’s knee was bothering him enough that he felt the surgery was necessary and the Doctor recommended. From the way it sound the surgery was inevitable so why not get it out of the way. The Mets can’t afford to lose a significant amount of time from star players again this season. Yes, Beltran should have probably given the Mets more time and information but what’s done is done and delaying the surgery would only have delayed Beltran’s start to the season.

Look for Beltran to be bumped down even farther in your fantasy baseball draft then he was originally being taken. He could be quite a steal this year much like Alex Rodriguez was in 2009.

How would you have handled the situation if you were in Omar Minaya’s place. Would you have made the displeasure known so publicly?

The most exciting time in the baseball offseason is upon us with next week’s annual Winter Meetings (December 7-10, Indianapolis, IN). The Winter Meetings is where we start to see teams shape their rosters for the upcoming season. The meetings are filled with plenty of rumors as general managers and agents from all of baseball convene and discuss free agents and trade possibilities.

Last year’s meetings were rather slow compared to previous years. The biggest talk of last year’s meetings was the near trade of San Diego Padres pitcher Jake Peavy (currently of the Chicago White Sox) to the Chicago Cubs. The state of our economy played a big role in teams not being as aggressive at last year’s meetings, which led to many notable free agent signings later in the offseason, such as outfielder Bobby Abreu with the Los Angeles Angels.

This year’s meetings should provide plenty of rumors and interesting story lines. Several general managers, including Chicago Cubs’ GM Jim Hendry, feel that this offseason’s trade market will be filled with plenty of possibilities. Some players and teams that are sure to be discussed at next week’s meetings include:

Roy Halladay (Toronto Blue Jays) – Halladay is the biggest name on the trade market. Halladay is an elite pitcher who most consider to be one of the best in all of baseball. He has heard his name in trade discussions since last year and has let the Blue Jays know he is unlikely to resign with them after he becomes a free agent after the 2010 season. The Blue Jays are sure to command a large return in exchange for Halladay’s services.  The Red Sox’s pursuit of Halladay has been discussed this offseason.

Milton Bradley (Chicago Cubs) – It’s no secret that the Cubs-Bradley marriage is headed for a quick divorce. Bradley had a disappointing  season for the Cubs that was filled with plenty of antics. Bradley was suspended by the Cubs for the final two weeks of the season for conduct detrimental to the team. Bradley got off to slow start with the Cubs and never seemed to fit in with his teammates. Plenty of players were outspoken in not wanting Bradley to return to the Cubs next season. Unfortunately for the Cubs, Bradley was signed last off season to a 3 year deal worth 30 million dollars, which makes the market for him very limited. The Cubs are expected to eat most of Bradley’s contract in any possible trade. The biggest rumor going around is a swap of bad contracts in the form of a Bradley for Pat Burrell trade with the Tampa Bay Rays. Bradley’s name will come up several times next week.

Jason Bay (Boston Red Sox) & Matt Holliday (St. Louis Cardinals) – Bay and Holliday have been linked to each other in many discussions this off season. Both are viewed as the prized hitters in the free agent market and ironically both play the left field position. Bay has rejected the Red Sox’s initial offer and his time in Boston long term is questioned. The Red Sox are said to be interested in Holliday should they fail to resign Bay.  Holliday is super agent Scott Boras biggest client this offseason and the price tag for Holliday is sure to be high. Both players are sure to receive plenty of interest with the picture becoming a little more clear on their potential landing spots at next week’s meetings.

Detroit Tigers - Are the Detroit Tigers having a fire sale? That is the question being asked in Detroit. The current economy is especially hitting the city hard and that has expanded to its baseball franchise as well. The Tigers have plenty of interesting names that are sure to command the eye of several GM’s if the Tigers are truly willing to trade. Players such as Curtis Granderson (CF) and Edwin Jackson (RHP) have been the most discussed this off season. Miguel Cabrera (1B) has even been discussed as possibly being available for the right price. The Tigers will be an interesting team to watch next week.

Those are just a few of the things to watch at next week’s meetings. The Hot Stove is sure to be on fire next week, but like last year, I expect to see quite a few quality players available after the meetings as general managers try to look for bargains. Jerry Crasnick of espn.com gives us an idea of who some of those players may be.

What do you guys think? Will this year’s meetings be full of activity? Which of these players or teams are bound to make the most noise next week?

Johnny has also stated that he isn’t interested in a pay cut. While his offensive numbers are good, his age and poor defense work against him. He also has Scott Boras as his agent which limits the number of teams that will even show interest in Damon. Boras is rumored to be asking for a four year deal. Damon’s preference is to stay with the Yankees and it seems to be a mutual interest. He has also indicated that he would take a shorter deal with the Yankees then he would from another team but he would want a higher yearly salary.

Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News quotes Damon: “I want to continue to be on a team that can win and to play in front of great fans – and we know that the Yankees fill both of those,” Damon said. “I think everyone knows my desire to come back. Still, every time I’ve been a free agent, I’ve ended up switching teams. It’s the nature of the beast. If people are interested, I’m going to listen.” This non committal comment is par for the course with every free agent so you shouldn’t read too much into it. I think Damon is at a point where he needs the Yankees more then the Yankees need him. Bobby Abreu signed a 2 year deal for $9 million a year. I can’t see any team offering Damon more then that. Damon is probably going to get a rude awakening this off season if he expects $13 million per year like he received last year.

However nothing is going to be settled until the Yankees find out if they can swing a deal for Roy Halladay. According to the New York Post, “Brian Cashman and the Yankees will have a better understanding of how much money they have to spend this winter on free agents and mollifying Roy Halladay with a contract extension — think five years and $100 million — if they can swing a deal for Toronto’s stud right-hander whom the Blue Jays know won’t re-sign with them after next season.”