Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports that the Braves have offered Johnny Damon a one-year contract, while a source also tells Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.com that the Tigers could use an infielder, but are devoted to pursuing Damon.

Bowman notes that the one-year deal that the Braves offered Damon includes deferred money, so if the Tigers offer more guaranteed loot or add another year onto the deal, the former Yankee could wind up in Detroit. Scott Boras has been clamoring for about a week that Damon loves the Red Wings and may wind up in Motown, but the deciding factor will ultimately be which team offers the most money and years.

Damon batted .282 with 24 home runs and scored 107 runs last season, so his offense would be welcome in Atlanta. But if he winds up in the National League, the Braves will have nowhere to hide the disaster Damon calls a left arm. If he goes to Detroit, at least the Tigers could use him as a DH, as well as in an outfield rotation. (Although the mere thought of having Damon and Magglio Ordonez in the same outfield should make most Tiger fans dizzy.)

Boras has been craving this kind of bidding action for Damon and he may have finally got it with these two clubs. Whoever winds up signing him better hope the 36-year-old slap hitter can produce outside of Yankee Stadium. He hit 24 home runs last year, but the new Yankee Stadium is a wind tunnel and he’s liable to hit closer to his career average (13 dingers) away from the park next season.

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