Johnny Damon Rumors: Orioles Unlikely to Sign Damon

Wednesday it was reported that the Baltimore Orioles hadn’t ruled out signing veteran free agent Johnny Damon.  It took all of a day for the O’s to shoot down these reports, as general manager Dan Duquette actually laughed when asked of his club’s interest in Damon.

When asked by Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com if the Orioles were going to sign Damon, Duquette laughed and said “I don’t think so”.  After he composed himself, Duquette went on to add that he “already signed Johnny Damon when he was 28”, referring to his time spent as GM of the Boston Red Sox.

Wednesday wasn’t the first time the O’s have been tied to Damon this offseason.  Still, since the original rumors surfaced Baltimore has signed free agent Wilson Betemit, who is expected to receive a significant portion of playing time as the club’s designated hitter.  With the addition of Betemit, there is no clear-cut fit for Damon in Baltimore.

With another potential suitor off the table, it’s hard to say where Damon will wind up this season.  The veteran clearly wants to continue playing, and Damon’s agent, Scott Boras, believes interest in his client will pick up as the spring continues.

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