Commentary: Royals Should Let Damon Go

The Royals have decided to table contract talks with outfielder Johnny Damon until after the season. Frankly, they should table those talks for good. Damon has become a fan favorite in Kansas City. For several seasons, he was the only recognizable player. He plays hard, plays good defense, and is a solid leadoff man. But he’s not a bargain, and the Royals should let him go if they can’t trade him first. Unless or until baseball institutes some meaningful revenue sharing, the Royals can not afford any wasted dollars. And spending six million dollars a year on Johnny Damon is not sensible. The Royals have two budding superstars in Jermaine Dye and Mike Sweeney, both far better hitters than Damon, and that’s where the millions should go. They have two outfield prospects in Mark Quinn and Dee Brown, who will cost a lot less than Damon, which makes it worthwhile to suffer through their shortcomings. If the Royals can trade Damon and get more young prospects for him, they should, and if they can’t, then let him walk after next season. They need to spend that money on pitching, not more offense.