Mike Myers is not a client of Scott Boras, but maybe he should be. On a conference call with reporters to announce his two-year, $2.4 million contract with the Yankees yesterday, Myers stated that Johnny Damon, who is represented by the ambitious Boras, would love to be a Yankee.
"He is definitely interested in playing there," said Myers, a left-handed reliever who played with Damon in Boston the past two years. "I've talked to him, and he does have strong interest in playing there. Hopefully, contract-wise, everything will work out and he and I will be teammates again."
The presence of the Yankees would only seem to drive up the price for Damon, or, at least, cost the Boston Red Sox more to re-sign him. The Yankees have strong interest in Damon to play center field, but only if he agrees to a three- or four-year contract. Boras has insisted on a seven-year deal.
Boras typically leaves his clients on the market longer than most agents, waiting for bidding wars as teams scramble to fill their needs. He has told teams that Damon has a six-year contract offer in hand, but it is unclear what team has made it.
The Los Angeles Dodgers, the Los Angeles Angels and, most recently, the Baltimore Orioles have come up as possibilities, but Myers said he thought Damon would be a perfect fit for the Yankees.