As if Red Sox fans needed another reason to hate Johnny Damon.

The New York Daily News reported today that Damon did a heavy selling job on A.J. Burnett in attempting to convince the free-agent pitcher to join the Yankees. As part of his sales pitch, he reportedly compared New York with Boston, which was also pursuing Burnett . ... and it doesn't sound as if he said many kind things about the Red Sox.

The Daily News quoted a Yankee official as saying: "Johnny talked to A.J. about New York, the differences between New York and Boston, how he views it. Johnny couldn't be happier here, and he communicated those thoughts to A.J."

Alex Rodriguez also helped recruit Burnett to New York.

Lucchino staying

Red Sox president/CEO Larry Lucchino told the San Diego Union-Tribune he has no intention of putting together a group to attempt to purchase the Padres.

"No," he said. "I have a full-time job [as CEO of the Red Sox]. I don't have time to do something like that. It's a major undertaking . . . I have a wife and kids and I'm comfortably ensconced in Boston. I'm gainfully employed and my situation is very attractive. I don't think you'll see me in the hunt. My plan is to stay here."

Lucchino still maintains a home in La Jolla, Calif., near San Diego.

Here and there

MLB.com reports the Red Sox have an interest in reliever Joe Nelson, who was non-tendered by the Marlins. He was 3-1 with a 2.00 ERA in 59 games for Florida . ... The Braves are in the hunt for Japanese pitcher Kenshin Kawakami, in whom the Sox have expressed interest . ... Barry Axelrod, the agent for Padres ace Jake Peavy, said the Red Sox are a potential landing spot for his client, who, contrary to published reports, has not ruled out a trade to the American League. "If Jake's ever going to accept anything to the American League -- and I don't want this to be taken wrong -- I can safely say that it's going to be the Yankees or Red Sox, or maybe the Angels," Axelrod told the San Diego Union-Tribune.