Given the way the economy has gone the past several months, you may have seen one of your favorite restaurants go out of business.

Others adjusted, offered lunch and dinner specials, and survived.

Scott Boras, of course, wouldn’t even consider adjusting in Johnny Damon’s case and cost the outfielder – short on defense, but still strong on intangibles – millions of dollars in the twilight of his career.

My hope is Damon and the Yankees still come to an agreement on an incentive-laden package. As a part-time outfielder and designated hitter, in the new Yankee Stadium, there would be nobody better.

As I have mention before, the story of Damon, the Yankees and Boras’ totally high-handed and inept handling of a great guy’s situation is the saddest story of the winter in my books.  Use common sense,  Scott, if a client wants to play for a certain team, don’t be an obstacle.

If the Yankees can’t come to an agreement with Damon, the choice of an option growing on me is Reed Johnson, who played with the Cubs in 2009.  I always liked Johnson when he played for Toronto and always considered him a pesty type of player.

He would seem to get the key hit, get on base any way he could and do what was needed in the outfield. His problem has been injuries. A balky back and other issues have kept him from reaching his full potential.

Johnson, a product of the top-drawer program at Cal-Fullerton, just turned 33 last December. He is not seen as a full-time player at this stage of his career, but would certainly complement Brett Gardner as part of a left-field Yankees platoon.

He doesn’t have Damon’s power – the most home runs he ever hit was 12 with Toronto in 2006, the most RBIs he ever had was 61 in 2004.  As a player who could appear in 80-100 games with the Yankees and perhaps bat 350 times, he would contribute.

What Boras failed to understand is the Yankees don’t need a $12 million player in left field, just someone who can catch and make some decent throws.

The agent also didn’t credit the fact Brett Gardner is a good player who contributes with his slap-hitting and speed both offensively and defensively.

Nor do the Yankees need a declining Jermaine Dye.

What they do need to platoon with Gardner is Damon, at the right price for the job that is open to him.  If not, they need the closest thing to him that is available, which appears to be Johnson.

Agents can get in the way in many situations. Boras has seemed to do it better than anyone lately. And, whether you realize it or not, it affects the game in adverse fashion.

Meanwhile, Tigers manager Jim Leyland stated over the weekend that former Yankees prospect Austin Jackson will get the first shot at replacing newly arrived Yankee Curtis Granderson in the Detroit leadoff spot.

Jed spent 35 years in the newspaper business working as both a writer and editor, in both sports and news under tight deadline pressure. As both sports editor at the Indiana (Pa.) Gazette and a copy editor/columnist at The Times of Trenton, he made daily decisions on overall coverage and designed and produced thousands of pages and special sections. Since accepting a buyout from The Times, he has concentrated on broadening his writing and editing horizons to the medical, academic and business fields. Anyone is welcome to Google Jed to see the different places in print, on the Web and in front of the camera his professional expertise has spread to.

Jed Weisberger

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Tags: Austin Jackson, Detroit Tigers, Jim Leyland, Johnny Damon, New York Yankees, Reed Johnson, Scott Boras