It's official (Yanks/Sox related)

[BeanoNYC]

Damon Goes to the Yanks

Now, Red Sox Fans, I have one question. Are you as pissed as Damon as you were at Clemens?

 

[thetrailboss]

I'm feeling...rather...sick right now uke:

That's HORRIBLE. Well, his long hair is gone now.

:roll:

I'd heard that the Diamondbacks were in the lead for him...

 

[skibum1321]

He looks like an a**hole with short hair. Fitting since he's now a Yankee.

 

[smitty77]

All about the money.

I have a feeling Mrs. Damon had a lot to do with is decision. IMHO, she looks like a gold digger. The opinion is not based on anything but my gut instinct.

Smitty

 

[kickstand]

Damon Goes to the Yanks

Now, Red Sox Fans, I have one question. Are you as pissed as Damon as you were at Clemens?

no, and here's why - everyone around here thought Clemens was mailing it in after he signed he last contract in Boston (1992, I think it was). No one will EVER think Damon mailed anything in. He's a tough SOB. He plays hurt. No one questions his toughness.

The only similarity is that both guys said one thing and did something completely contrary to their prior statements.

 

[skibum1321]

I blame both sides for this one. There was no need for Damon to abandon ship, especially to the Yankees. Is that extra 3 million dollars a year really going to make a difference to him? I couldn't use that much money if I tried. Just another example of greed over loyalty.

As for the Sox, they should have made a stronger effort to resign him. They dropped the ball on this one.

 

[JimG.]

Is that extra 3 million dollars a year really going to make a difference to him? I couldn't use that much money if I tried.

Really now...you must be kidding me! Who on Earth would pass up an extra 3 million a year?

Loyalty? In pro sports? Again, you must be kidding me.

Pro sports is a meat market, the highest bidder gets the nicest cuts.

FWIW, I don't think Damon is worth it, but if the Sox did they ought to have done what the Yankees did in the late 90's with Bernie Williams. When he was about to jump to the Sox, the Yankees made him an offer he couldn't refuse.

 

[shenty]

I was more upset with the sox until I heard Damon's quote and read Dan Shaughnessy Column in the Globe. He said:

"Our policy with the Yankees is to go out and win, and we're going to try to bring another championship to them. They haven't had a championship since Chuck Knoblauch was there when they had a great leadoff hitter so I think the leadoff role has been underappreciated. A good leadoff hitter is tough to find and I think New York just found the best leadoff hitter in the game."

I yelled at the Radio (good thing the kids weren't in the car) :angry:

So now I'm mad at Damon. The first Boston/Yankees game at Fenway should be very interesting...

 

[skibum1321]

I was more upset with the sox until I heard Damon's quote and read Dan Shaughnessy Column in the Globe. He said:

"Our policy with the Yankees is to go out and win, and we're going to try to bring another championship to them. They haven't had a championship since Chuck Knoblauch was there when they had a great leadoff hitter so I think the leadoff role has been underappreciated. A good leadoff hitter is tough to find and I think New York just found the best leadoff hitter in the game."

I yelled at the Radio (good thing the kids weren't in the car) :angry:

So now I'm mad at Damon. The first Boston/Yankees game at Fenway should be very interesting...

Yeah, when I read that I did a double take. He's a good player, but that's just plain cocky.

Really now...you must be kidding me! Who on Earth would pass up an extra 3 million a year?

I'm just saying that he already would be making 10 million a year, does that extra 3 million really make a difference? I would not pass up 3 million a year since I don't have that kind of money, but for him that's not a huge deal. If he really wanted to stay here, he wouldn't have thought twice about passing up 3 million a year. And I know there is no loyalty in sports, which is just another thing that irritates me. Greedy bastards - Damon sold his soul to the Devil (Yankees) for 3 million a year. I hope he's happy. :angry:

 

[JimG.]

Really now...you must be kidding me! Who on Earth would pass up an extra 3 million a year?

I'm just saying that he already would be making 10 million a year, does that extra 3 million really make a difference? I would not pass up 3 million a year since I don't have that kind of money, but for him that's not a huge deal. If he really wanted to stay here, he wouldn't have thought twice about passing up 3 million a year. And I know there is no loyalty in sports, which is just another thing that irritates me. Greedy bastards - Damon sold his soul to the Devil (Yankees) for 3 million a year. I hope he's happy. :angry:

A 30% pay raise is a 30% pay raise no matter who it is or how much they made before. I know you're not naive enough to think that a pro athlete will pass up more money to be "loyal" (there are rare exceptions).

The devil reference is funny, but I doubt you Bosox fans will have to worry about any "curse of the Damonbino" thing or the like.

 

[Paul]

It just means NY is replacing a noodle-armed CF, with a retarded noodle-armed CF.



So long retarded cave-man, don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya!


Now...about that guy named after a breakfast cereal....

 

[Mike P.]

It will take a couple of years to see if I'm mad or not.

2006 - The $13m, the Yankess spent will be worth it
2009 - The $13m the Red Sox did not spend on a 2nd rate Bernie Williams wannabe was a good decision.

Bernie is a class act, would Bernie talk about himself as being the best lead-off hitter or best center fielder? No he went out & for years did his job & that told you what kind of player Bernie was.
The Yankee's left fielder is the same way, heck Damon went from being possibly the best outfielder in Boston to being the worst starter in the Bronx.

Boston's new 2nd baseman has a better OBP than Damon, If they keep Graffinino, he is another 300 hitter who would not embarrass you hitting first.

Yes, we missed Pedo this year, what kind of pitcher will he be in year four?

Only Dan D. thought Clemens was done, since then how many years was he a dominant pitcher in Toronto, NY & Houston. If Damon plays as long as Franco, that might be similar. By then instead of a Giambi or Ortiz Shift your 2nd basemen will have to play short center for the Damon shift.

IMO the Sox need to make some moves still. Is that Wells for Dave Roberts? Would Red sox fans embrace him, you bet. Rocco B maybe? Reggie Sanders from St. Louis is a free agent too.

Damon's wife can hang out with Benson's wife. I think after the announcement is over, Joe & Jeter are going to have a little talk with their new centerfielder & tell him to keep his mouth shut. Jeter is the face & captain of the Yankees & no on needs a lose mouth. It was tolerated in Boston, I can't see it flying in the Evil Empire.

Pavano, a 42 year old RJ, Mussina a year older & who? Wright, Chacon. is Sturtze & Farnwaorth coming in the 5th inning?

 

[skibum1321]

I don't think you need a 30% raise when you're making that much money. At some point quality of life has to come into the picture. I hope that money isn't the only thing that played into it, but I'm sure it is. Another fine example of the greed in American sports. Maybe he'll give that money to charity :lol: .

IMO the Sox need to make some moves still. Is that Wells for Dave Roberts? Would Red sox fans embrace him, you bet. Rocco B maybe? Reggie Sanders from St. Louis is a free agent too.

No doubt, they need to do alot. I don't see a Baldelli trade happening although that would be a nice homecoming for a kid from Warwick, RI. I personally would like to see them get Crisp, although the Indians might want too much since they know they have the Sox by the balls now.

 

[ChileMass]

It's just like when Pedro left - it's a coin flip as to whether it's better to keep him or let him go. Will he become Bernie Williams II in a year? Johnny was pretty busted up in the second half last season.

Johnny's numbers for Aug/Sept 2005:

August: (played in 25 out of 27 games)

2B - 2
HR - 1
RBI - 16
Avg - .252
OBP - .333
SLG - .320
OPS - .654

Sept - (played in 23 out of 29 games)

2B - 4
HR - 1
RBI - 9
Avg - .290
OBP - .337
SLG - .366
OPS - .702

My mistake - he's already Bernie Williams......

 

[noski]

Fenway Greeting

At the first NY/Sox game when Damon takes the field, all the Sox fans should quietly stand up and turn around- turn their back on Damon like he did to us/them.

 

[Mike P.]

Bernie without class you mean. I'm a sox fan but Jeter, Matsui & Bernie are class acts. Route against them you bet, but it's hard to hope they get hit by a bus crossing the street

Thankfully with A-Rod, Sheffield, Randy Johnson & now Johnny there are plenty of people to boo & route against in NY. (Okay I don't really want to see thses guys get hit by a bus either but if they never get a hit after the 6th inning, I'd be thrilled :beer: )

Would I want those guys in my line-up, probably

 

[BeanoNYC]

I honestly don't think that Damon is in it for the money. He's in it for the wins!

 

[RossiSkier]

Don't be fooled by the theater of the Redsox front office. They wanted him to leave. They gave Damon arbritration to get a draft pick from the team that signs him. They've been courting young center fielders for a couple of months now. The shock and dismay by the FO that he's left is all an act. They're going to trade for somebody ten years younger and full of potential, i.e., Reed from Seattle.

Our new 2nd baseman, Lowell, has a higher on-base percentage and will make a fantastic lead-off man. Damon tanked it after the allstar break last year. His numbers have been going down down in linear fashion. He's an egomaniac - totally full of himself. That's not the kind of person we need on the Sox. Good riddands!

 

[Mike P.]

RossiSkier is almost right

Loretta the new 2nd baseman has a better OBP than Damon & hits .300. A huge upgrade from Bellhorn & Cora offensively, about the same as Graffinino.

Lowell, the new 3rd baseman should be as good as Bill M. defensively (a Gold Glove winner) & while he had a down year last year offensively, he is a right handed pull hitter that should tattoo the wall & has the ability to hit over it, something Bill has not done too much since the A-Rod Vs. Varitek fight.

Reed & Crisp are better fielders than Damon, so if offensively you are replacing Loretta for Damon your center fielder only has to replace Bellhorn's numbers, minus the strikeouts.

Shortstop is a concern, can replace 30 errors but Renteria in a down year still hit .270 with a fair amount of RBI's

Pavano & Wright with RJ & Mussina both a year older don't scare me. Farnsworth, wasn't that Warren Beatty's character in Heaven can wait.

Until A-Rod hits after the 6th inning in a close game & without Sierra (an old but clutch hitting DH), Matsui, Sheffield & Jeter are the only guys I worry about late in a game when it matters. Two classy guys & one good angry hitter.

Toronto may be the sleeper, runs are going to be a tough thing to get against them, they keep getting good pitchers.

 

[pedxing]

I'm wondering how much all the other re-shuffling at the Sox affected Damon's decision. The Sox have let a lot of the people who made the 2004 season go and haven't showed that much loyalty. It sounds like he reacted partly to the enthusiasm the Yankees showed for him.

I'm begining to wonder if part of why Theo Epstein left was because of the vision for the future of the team. I've got no evidence for it, but I do keep wondering how he would feel about the other BoSox personnel moves.