It does smack of desperation that agent Scott Boras has deemed it necessary to sell Johnny Damon like a mop salesman. Although he has been a very good player for a long time, Damon doesn't fit the profile of a club itching for contracts of such aging veteran players to expire. His defense - especially his arm - is awful. Not good for spacious Comerica Park. As a hitter, he is at the age (36) when it's very difficult to know when he'll hit the wall. If I were in Dave Dombrowski's shoes (and be thankful I'm not), I would offer Damon a two-year, $4 million deal. That's because, honestly, it's what his true value is on this market at this point.

Random Thoughts

- It's understood Joe Mauer is a good cut above Curtis Granderson as a player, and he was raised in the Twin Cities, but it has to be discouraging to Tiger fans nonetheless that the Twins chose to keep one of their own, while the Tigers cut Granderson loose to baseball's ultimate big market team - the Yankees.

- A perfect storm for a disaster: Mike Martz as the offensive coordinator in Chicago. We''re talking a big town here. Third-largest in the nation. Still not sure there is enough room to control Matz's ego. Remember the Lions' game at Arizona when he steadfastly refused to run the ball? Remember the home game against Green Bay when, after being criticized by fans and media for not getting the ball to Calvin Johnson enough, all he did was throw Calvin Johnson the ball? It didn't go well for Martz in Detroit nor San Francisco as OC. Why would Chicago be any better?

My column in Tuesday's Oakland Press on Justin Verlander's contract situation: http://tinyurl.com/yec3ey4