Since it's inception, baseball free agency has been providing players, teams, and fans more heart attacks, more heart murmers, and more strokes neccessary in a single baseball offseason. As players debate how much they are "worth" (a.k.a. how much more money can they make then the last guy), team owners debate the exact same (a.k.a. how much money can I spend on a player that will give me just as much production at the same position for a better price).This offseason is no different. One such story is with Johnny Damon, the former Savior and Benedict Arnold of the Red Sox, who now finds himself in a very odd situation.
Four seasons ago, Damon signed a flashy contract with the Yankees (hence, Jesus turned Judas...and yet the Red Sox fan within me has made me digress) because it was more money. The Red Sox signed Coco Crisp, a younger, faster version of Damon that was expected to provide just as much pop at the plate. Although Crisp is no longer with the Sox, it worked out for both teams, and all was well.
Now, four years older at the age of 36, Damon finds himself in a similar position, yet in a very different situation. Four years can do a lot to an athletes body, and Damon is no exce
ption to this rule. Once known as a potent leadoff hitter who could steal 30 bases a season, Damon is now seen mostly as a leftfielder because he can no longer cover center, especially by the team that was hoping to sign him back for the 2010 season, the New York Yankees. Damon, hoping for a big payoff from his strong play during the World Series, wasn't going to get quite the amount of money he was looking for. When he signed with the Yankees after the 05 season, he got $52 million over four years, making $13 million in 2009. This offseason, he has asked for another $13 million for one year. The Yankees, however, are offering $18 million...for two years.
ption to this rule. Once known as a potent leadoff hitter who could steal 30 bases a season, Damon is now seen mostly as a leftfielder because he can no longer cover center, especially by the team that was hoping to sign him back for the 2010 season, the New York Yankees. Damon, hoping for a big payoff from his strong play during the World Series, wasn't going to get quite the amount of money he was looking for. When he signed with the Yankees after the 05 season, he got $52 million over four years, making $13 million in 2009. This offseason, he has asked for another $13 million for one year. The Yankees, however, are offering $18 million...for two years.The issue is simple and could have been resolved months ago. Athletes such as Damon need to realize that they are not the Superman they once were when they entered the Majors. Their skills are slipping, and their kryptonite (age) grows stronger and stronger each day. If Damon were smart, we would take the pay cut, return to the defending World Series Champion Yankees, and continue to be viewed as a good player who didn't whine about how much money he makes. Instead, Damon is still jobless and $13 million poorer than what he could of been had he swallowed his pride.
Testing free agency is a very delicate matter that should not be fooled around with, like playing ball in the house. Well, Damon enjoyed playing ball in the house one too many times, and broke something; hope he enjoys the sweat he continues to produce as the season nears ever closer and all hopes of returning to the Yankees move farther and farther away.
Though I do hear Cincinnati is nice. They even plan on improving off of their fourth place finish last year in the Central Division too.
Some of Damon's latest work as he tries to convince himself he's worth $13 million: http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=7112703
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