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Damon is a Yankee :(

Nymr83 Dec 20 2005 10:55 PM

4 years, 52 mil.

Zvon Dec 20 2005 10:58 PM

mmmmmmm. 52? mmmmmmm.

Johnny Dickshot Dec 20 2005 10:58 PM

Good. He's got an ugly swing and his wife has fake yabbos.

Frayed Knot Dec 20 2005 11:00 PM

I'm shocked, SHOCKED, that Boras didn't stick to his original claim of 7 years or bust.

Johnny Dickshot Dec 20 2005 11:03 PM

He also has a shitty arm.

Frayed Knot Dec 20 2005 11:10 PM

He's also not the brightest bulb in the chandelier. The arm is the funny part since a large part of the complaints about Bernie concerned his arm. Damon didn't have a good arm to start with and then if got worse as he didn't seem healthy at the end of this past season. He's still a good leadoff hitter and this deal doesn't look to be too long. Of course he's going to have to chop all that hair/beard off and I'm sure he'll tell anyone who'll listen how happy he is to do it.

cooby Dec 20 2005 11:11 PM

I haven't been this stunned by a baseball transaction in I don't know how long

Edgy DC Dec 20 2005 11:12 PM

He looks to be not far from being another sub-standard centerfielder. Let's see. Boston fans will. Be. Viscious.

Nymr83 Dec 20 2005 11:14 PM

]He's still a good leadoff hitter and this deal doesn't look to be too long. if the yankees lead him off it will be a poor decision. Derek Jeter is a better leadoff hitter

Matt Murdock, Esq. Dec 20 2005 11:29 PM

one of them will bat first, the other second. I think it's immaterial which one hits where, and you could do a thousand simulation studies without finding any discernable distinction in the offensive production of one lineup over the other. At any rate, Yanks overpaid, so i'm happy. I bet Yankoids turn on him faster than you can say "chuck knaubloch"

Zvon Dec 20 2005 11:42 PM

Nymr83 wrote: ]He's still a good leadoff hitter and this deal doesn't look to be too long. if the yankees lead him off it will be a poor decision. Derek Jeter is a better leadoff hitter Jeter struck out 117 times last season. Thats alot for a lead off guy. Johnny Kd 68 times. I cant picture Damon w/o his hair and grubby look.

Frayed Knot Dec 20 2005 11:49 PM

"I think it's immaterial which one hits where, and you could do a thousand simulation studies without finding any discernable distinction in the offensive production of one lineup over the other." Of course it won't matter, but it's amazing how many MFY fans think that moving Jeter to the #2 slot is uber-critical.

Edgy DC Dec 20 2005 11:59 PM

Now playing: Damon Yankees!

Matt Murdock, Esq. Dec 21 2005 12:07 AM

]Of course it won't matter, but it's amazing how many MFY fans think that moving Jeter to the #2 slot is uber-critical. it would only matter if that's what Jeter wanted. But i don't think he gives a ratzass. and nice use of Uber as a prefix, in the context of Von Steingrabber's MFYs.

abogdan Dec 21 2005 12:25 AM

Yeah, it's probably too long and too much, but this move significantly increase the Yankees' chances at winning the AL East by filling a major hole and hurting the Red Sox. Damon doesn't have an arm, but he has much more range than Bernie did and makes the Yankee lineup even more ridiculous than it already was.

Bret Sabermetric Dec 21 2005 07:51 AM

I'm disappointed. For 4 years, the Sox should have re-signed him, even granting that the 4th year is kinda a gamble. An LT contract for someone with Damon's abilities, at Damon's age (as with Piazza or Pedro), the team has to assume that you're getting a quality player for a couple of years, and paying nasally for the privilege (more than the $$$ value you're paying for those first few years) and then beyond year three, it's all a crapshoot. But here there is only the one year beyond year three, so the Sox should have, IMO, coughed up the scratch. This was a great deal (for the Sox) if the Yankees had gone for Boras 7-years-or-bust gambit but they should have gone for a 4 year deal themselves. Damned lousy cheapass Sox.

Johnny Dickshot Dec 21 2005 07:59 AM

F the MFYs and the Red Sox. I mean, good luck to the latter, but know also I've reserved a window seat on the Blue Jays Bandwagon. If that doesn't work out, I am strongly behind the O's. Strongly!

Nymr83 Dec 21 2005 08:21 AM

]Jeter struck out 117 times last season. Thats alot for a lead off guy. Johnny Kd 68 times. strikeouts are no more harmful than other outs, furthermore, even if they were more harmful you'd be better off putting htem in the leadoff spot where there is nobody on base in front of you.

Nymr83 Dec 21 2005 08:22 AM

Bret Sabermetric wrote: Damned lousy cheapass Sox. turnig your back on your 2nd franchise in a year?

Bret Sabermetric Dec 21 2005 08:38 AM

What are you talking about? I've always been a White Sox fan.

vtmet Dec 21 2005 08:58 AM

Between Jeter and Damon, they've scored over 470 runs in the last 2 seasons...that's a lot of runs...With Jeter having decent speed and Damon being a lefty with some pop batting in Yankme Stadium, IMO, it would make more sense for Jeter to leadoff...giving Damon some cheap speed/shortporch induced HRs or giving AROD a lot of 1st and 3rd situations due to a lefty at bat with Giambi the statue holding Jeter and Cano cheating towards the 2B bag...but hopefully, Torre ain't that smart...

seawolf17 Dec 21 2005 09:02 AM

I didn't want to hate Johnny Damon, but I think I can find it in my heart to do so.

Frayed Knot Dec 21 2005 09:43 AM

Reports have Boston drawing the line at 4yrs/$40 -- so it was the money rather than the years that spooked them. Big holes for the Sox at both CF & SS right now, not a good place to be in with many of the big deals having already been made. Hanley Ramirez - the hot prospect dealt in the Josh Beckett deal - was to be their future at one or the other of those positions ... and now he's their future at neither.

seawolf17 Dec 21 2005 09:46 AM

If only we still had Mike Cameron lying around...

Edgy DC Dec 21 2005 09:55 AM

So, the difference is 12 mills. Is 12 out of 52 worth it to you (assuming you're Johnny Damon) to be the heroic hirsute caveman Irish-named hero to whiteys and their children throughout New England --- the one who spit in the face of the robber baron --- rather then just another airbrushed Kool-Aid guzzler in the Bronx? Assuming you can make a little (but not a lot) more, endorsement-wise, as the main face of the Sawx, rather than one of a handful of alternatives to Jeter in the Bronx, assuming you now have to watch out for a betrayed New Englander punching you out upon recognition in every airport you ever go through --- is that worth 12 mills? Does he perhaps think that the Sawx, post-Theo, can't sustain their level of performance, and he's getting out while the getting is good, because who wants to be the face of a team in decline? (See Piazza, Mike, 2001-2005.)

Willets Point Dec 21 2005 10:17 AM

Eh...I'm okay with this. The Yankees are just rewarding Damon for all the good he did for the Red Sox while he goes into decline with them. That is if he doesn't make ... THE SPEECH.

smg58 Dec 21 2005 10:33 AM

It's a coup for the Yankees, and it puts the Red Sox on the ropes in a big way. The Yankees may wind up overpaying a guy past his prime down the road a bit, but when has that stopped them before?

Edgy DC Dec 21 2005 10:35 AM

The real question is "When has it hurt them before?" and the answer might be "More often than we might appreciate." It's sure hurt my team.

Elster88 Dec 21 2005 11:02 AM

Bret Sabermetric wrote: I'm disappointed. For 4 years, the Sox should have re-signed him, even granting that the 4th year is kinda a gamble. An LT contract for someone with Damon's abilities, at Damon's age (as with Piazza or Pedro), the team has to assume that you're getting a quality player for a couple of years, and paying nasally for the privilege (more than the $$$ value you're paying for those first few years) and then beyond year three, it's all a crapshoot. But here there is only the one year beyond year three, so the Sox should have, IMO, coughed up the scratch. This was a great deal (for the Sox) if the Yankees had gone for Boras 7-years-or-bust gambit but they should have gone for a 4 year deal themselves. Damned lousy cheapass Sox. This is a huge change in your stance from "Don't sign veterans on the tail of their career to high priced contracts." Doesn't anyone else think 13 million a year is a huge waste of money for Damon? I guess the Yanks can afford it. I'd much rather have Beltran for the next 6 at his rate (16?) than 4 years of Damon at 13. Even after Beltran had a bad year and Damon had a career year.

Elster88 Dec 21 2005 11:03 AM

seawolf17 wrote: If only we still had Mike Cameron lying around... OUCH! We could really rape the Sox for players if we still had him around.

Bret Sabermetric Dec 21 2005 11:53 AM

Elster88 wrote: This is a huge change in your stance from "Don't sign veterans on the tail of their career to high priced contracts." Doesn't anyone else think 13 million a year is a huge waste of money for Damon? I guess the Yanks can afford it. I'd much rather have Beltran for the next 6 at his rate (16?) than 4 years of Damon at 13. Even after Beltran had a bad year and Damon had a career year. Don't want to turn this thread into a detailed justification of my baseball philosophy, Elster, but two or three exculpating factors need to be noted: 1) There's a difference between a four-year deal with a productive and healthy player and a seven year deal. Damon at 13 mil for 7 years is foolish, 13 mil for 4 years approaches acceptable (as long as you don't expect too much from him in 2008 and 2009.). 2) There's a difference between spending bigbux when your team is a proven contender already and the bigbux represents one final push, and when your team is riddled with problems after the bigbux signing, which you then try to peddle to your deluded fanbase as the final piece in the puzzle. Which starter do the Yankees have now that compares to the Mets holes' last spring at 1B and 2B? and 3) The only problem I ever had with the Mets' signing of Beltran (even now) would have been if they DIDN'T do it.

Elster88 Dec 21 2005 11:56 AM

I was only teasing you Bret. I agree with all three of your points. Well, almost all three. I think 13 mil is too much.

Frayed Knot Dec 21 2005 01:09 PM

Now comes word that the Yanx have re-upped Bernie to a 1-year deal, presumably to be the main DH & occasional OF sub. ]There's a difference between a four-year deal with a productive and healthy player and a seven year deal. Damon looked beat up at the end of last season* and had problems with either one or both shoulders. Maybe that was all temporary, I'm not sure. Shirley the Yanx checked into this and the contract is technically not done yet given the usual "pending a physical" caveat. * (on edit): 2005 Pre A-S Break: 343 / 386 / 473 2005 Post A-S Break: 282 / 343 / 397 2002-2004 Composite: 298 / 364 / 440

silverdsl Dec 21 2005 02:22 PM

Edgy DC wrote: Does he perhaps think that the Sawx, post-Theo, can't sustain their level of performance, and he's getting out while the getting is good, because who wants to be the face of a team in decline? (See Piazza, Mike, 2001-2005.) Well, the Yankees haven't won anything other than the division for a few years so while I definitely wouldn't call that a decline by any means I don't think there are necessarily any guarantees about how long they're going to continue their current level of success. Personally, I think Damon loved the attention he got from the media and fans in Boston and I suspect thoughts of being even more of a media-star were dancing in his head. That and the money. I would have liked to have seen the Yankees get a centerfielder who is better defensively. But Damon is a decent hitter and I think he will be an asset. He's certainly better than the Yankees other options which were Bubba Crosby or Bernie Williams. Someone upthread brought up Knoblauch and the possiblity of Yankee fans turning on Damon like they did Knoblauch and I think that only happens if Damon turns out to develop a mysterious throwing problem that likely stems from him being a headcase, loses his ability to be productive at the plate, turns surly, refuses to talk to the media and is a jerk to fans.

Elster88 Dec 21 2005 02:29 PM

I think it was just the money. It always is. __________________ This post had the designation 94)Rico Brogna

ScarletKnight41 Dec 21 2005 02:53 PM

[url=http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=caple/051221]Caple Thinks Damon Will Regret This[/url]

Elster88 Dec 21 2005 03:01 PM

Caple goes from saying that players don't care as much about winning as the fans, and then in his next few paragraphs says that Damon is ruining his legacy. So players don't care about winning, but care about their legacy? Give me a fucking break. I do this every time a free agent signs, so I deserve a dead horse award: It's about the money, it will always be about the money. Damon will feel just fine as he watches his game checks pile up in his bank account. Now that that is dealt with for the second time in the last three posts, I can move on to my next question: Where do millionaires keep their money? Banks only insure up to one hundred grand right? I guess stocks and bonds and shit.

soupcan Dec 21 2005 03:04 PM

soupcan thinks this will facilitate the Manny to the Mets deal with the Sox management selling it their fans by touting Milledge as the second coming.

Yancy Street Gang Dec 21 2005 03:07 PM

Did Mark Bomback speak of himself in the third person? Or is soupcan talking that way to celebrate Rickey Henderson's circumcision?

soupcan Dec 21 2005 03:33 PM

Yancy Street Gang wrote: Did Mark Bomback speak of himself in the third person? Or is soupcan talking that way to celebrate Rickey Henderson's circumcision? I thought my post would be following Scarlet's 'Jim Caple thinks...' Then it would have made sense. Now I just look like an ass (in keeping with the private parts theme).

cooby Dec 21 2005 03:36 PM

And my coworkers are wondering why I am laughing my ass off. Also in keeping with the private parts theme

metsmarathon Dec 22 2005 08:52 AM

goodness...

ScarletKnight41 Dec 22 2005 08:55 AM

The Queer Eye guys are going to be really pissed off. He wouldn't let them touch his hair.

Johnny Dickshot Dec 22 2005 04:06 PM

Very funny photo essay: [url]http://drop.thesoundofrane.com/viewtopic.php?t=749&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=&sid=2813cc01baf60857d7048dfb5c7d27fb[/url]

Zvon Dec 22 2005 09:20 PM

lmao,..it was JD. OMG! Look at those ears! I thought mine were big. The more you think about it the more the Skanks simply HAD to do this deal. If they went with Bubba Crosby for 2006 while Damon was out there to be had, Skank fans would have went ballistic. And the Mets moves would have been the only big off season stories.

Frayed Knot Dec 23 2005 01:25 PM

There might be worse public speakers than Damon ... but I wouldn't want to have to listen to them.

KC Dec 23 2005 01:50 PM

That hairdresser looks like she was embalmed a week ago.

Nymr83 Dec 23 2005 02:03 PM

Zvon wrote: If they went with Bubba Crosby for 2006 while Damon was out there to be had, Skank fans would have went ballistic. And the Mets moves would have been the only big off season stories. i think if the best remaining Free Agent was Rey Ordonez the yankees would feel the need to sign him and have a huge press conference just so they could have one.

Little Napoleon Dec 24 2005 10:53 AM

Johnny Dickshot wrote: He also has a shitty arm. And thats an understatement. Yankee fans bitch about Bernies arm non-stop. Damons arm is a noodle, the kind of rag you wax your car with.

seawolf17 Dec 24 2005 11:20 AM

You know what's startling? Damon is a moron. Did you listen to any of his interviews? He might be the worst non-language-barrier-based interview in the history of interviews. He can't speak! And MFY fans think he's going to be a media darling?!?! Doubt it. Mariano Rivera -- with apologies to The Shortstop Who Will Not Be Named -- might be the most important part of the MFYs' last ten years. Is he a media darling? No, partially because he can't speak English. Guess what? Neither can Damon. Mike Piazza is a media king. TSWWNBN is a media king. It ain't happening for Johnny Damon.

Edgy DC Dec 24 2005 11:28 AM

It's the beginning of Sampson Syndrome.

ScarletKnight41 Dec 24 2005 11:37 AM

The good part about Damon's inarticulateness is that we didn't have to hear "the speech" yesterday.

mlbaseballtalk Dec 24 2005 12:18 PM

Thing I'm really going to love is to listen to The Michael Kay Show on 1050 ESPN Radio. The two Red Sox Kay and his chronies (well mostly just his board op Joey Salvia) hated upon on that show with such visceral passion were Damon and Pedro And now they are both in New York! And Damon is a MFY! Not to mention Damon was the guy Kay apparantly alluded to being one of "the next to be suspended" for steriods How Kay and Salvia will kiss up to the guy will be quite hillarious. All of a sudden Damon's quips will be just the quotes of a fun-loving lovable MFY instead of coming from an unarticulate moron that is beloved only by legions of New England college frat boys because they think he was "one of us" with the hair and beard This could make for entertaining radio... Kind of like Russo becoming a Barr-iod apologist since Bonds signed with his G-Men back in 93 after hating on him during the Pirate years Steve

Edgy DC Dec 25 2005 06:19 PM

Johnny and Michelle.

Elster88 Dec 25 2005 06:33 PM

]TSWWNBN ?

ScarletKnight41 Dec 25 2005 06:40 PM

BTW, Michelle is Johnny's second wife. He left his first wife and his boy and girl twins for her. The people whom I know from A's sites haven't forgiven him for that yet.

SwitchHitter Dec 25 2005 06:41 PM

I think seawolf means punkin-eater.

mlbaseballtalk Dec 25 2005 06:56 PM

Elster88 wrote: ]TSWWNBN ? Derek Jeter

Edgy DC Dec 25 2005 07:01 PM

His second wife is also a frighteningly plastic-looking apparition. Check out the second post here by yerfatma.

Elster88 Dec 27 2005 07:05 PM

mlbaseballtalk wrote: ="Elster88"] ]TSWWNBN ? Derek Jeter But what does it stand for?

Edgy DC Dec 27 2005 07:07 PM

Earlier in the thread (earlier in the same post, I think, without checking): The Shortstop Who Will Not Be Named.

Elster88 Dec 27 2005 07:25 PM

]earlier in the same post, I think, without checking How embarrassing.

Edgy DC Dec 28 2005 08:43 AM

This guy is beside himself tossing the blame around. I think he's thinking wishfully suggesting that players don't see much endorsement money upon initially coming to New York. Mo Vaughn secured that Mo-Licious thingie in ten minutes.

Elster88 Dec 28 2005 09:15 AM

I can't believe a guy who writes a line like this: ]Let's start with the (dis)organization called the Boston Red Sox. Right now, the management at Fenway is so out of order they are driving the team towards 3rd place. Everyone knows that the Red Sox are run so well that they inspire fans to cross over from other teams.

seawolf17 Dec 28 2005 09:51 AM

Edgy DC wrote: Earlier in the thread (earlier in the same post, I think, without checking): The Shortstop Who Will Not Be Named. Yeah. Sorry. I didn't feel like typing the whole thing out again, and I can't write J-t-r without going into spasms.

Elster88 Dec 28 2005 11:27 AM Edited 2 time(s), most recently on Dec 28 2005 11:42 AM

[url=http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/051223]Simmons[/url] says it all in this line: ]Last season, Damon watched from afar as some Boston fans turned on Millar, Embree, Bellhorn, Foulke and even Schilling -- five key members of the Greatest Comeback In Sports History -- and probably wondered to himself, "Wait, I'm supposed to remain loyal to them?" I don't agree with everything in that column, but that line is perfect. Every asshole-boobird who gets pissed when a free-agent player is a hypocrite of the highest order. Edit: Also this line is a good summary: ]The question remains: If you were Johnny Damon, would you have passed up $12 million to return to a team that didn't really seem to want you back? Didn't think so. He's not Anakin, he's not Judas, he's not the Reverse Earl Hickey. He's just another businessman who followed the money and never looked back. In other words, he's a professional athlete. Edit: I don't think he writes the captions, but most Star Wars references make me laugh: ]The transformation is complete. Damon will now be able to choke Red Sox fans using only his mind.

Elster88 Dec 28 2005 11:29 AM

Hmmmmmm. The term "asshole-boobird" is redundant, no?

Edgy DC Dec 29 2005 12:59 AM

Rick Woodson, talking big for the Rochester Business Journal.

metirish Jan 06 2006 10:27 PM

I love this deal for the MFY's, Damon is nothing more than an average player that was part of the media creation in Boston, the whole "idot" thing making him seem better and more valuable than he really is.

Bret Sabermetric Jan 07 2006 06:31 AM

Elster88 wrote: I can't believe a guy who writes a line like this: ]Let's start with the (dis)organization called the Boston Red Sox. Right now, the management at Fenway is so out of order they are driving the team towards 3rd place. Everyone knows that the Red Sox are run so well that they inspire fans to cross over from other teams. No, he's right about that. Lettting Theo go is totally incompetent. Current top management is looking to Queens for wisdom and foresight. I have no idea what he means by "a former GM who is not on the payroll but is still mysteriously involved in the team’s decisions"--the only thing Theo has done since November, according to my very reliable sources, is sit on a South American beach listening to Pearl Jam.

Frayed Knot Jan 07 2006 08:49 AM

Probably that various rumors have it that Theo is still be contacted in some sort of vague "consulting" role. Whether he was involved in recent the signing of JT Snow to a Maj League deal (and thereby crushing the hopes of their minor leaguers everywhere) is unknown at this time.