Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Idiot

Guess retirement wasn't an option after all.

Back in May, I referred to this article in this post, referring to this quote:

"There's no way I can go play for the Yankees, but I know they're going to come after me hard. It's definitely not the most important thing to go out there for the top dollar, which the Yankees are going to offer me. It's not what I need."

Well, money talks and bullshit walks. And good for him. He came here for the cash four years ago, and he's leaving for same now. Hope that extra $3 million a year is worth it. Because he'll never have it as good there as he had it here. Instead of sharing a clubhouse with his idiot friends, he gets to hang with jerks like Sheffield and Randy Johnson. (Think naked pull-ups are allowed in Stade Fasciste?) Rather than playing for an ownership he called "as cool as Justin Timberlake" in his book, he's gonna have Big Boss Man breathing down his freshly-clipped neck. Far from the refulgent demigod he is in this town, in New York City he's gonna be just another jock, no matter what he thinks. (And I hope his wife doesn't expect to be hosting her own TV show down in Gotham. Anna Benson she ain't.)

Anyway, good for him for cashing in, and good for us for not offering a ridiculous contract like that one. Especially, as Ryan S. points out, when the guy's dropping hints about decreased production once greenies are verboten ("If amphetamines are banned, Damon said, 'We're probably going to see a lot of lethargic guys out there.'")

We'll live. Jeremy Reed or Coco Crisp (the latter, especially) would be OK by me for center field. And we'd welcome Dave Roberts back with open arms. But count this blog as deeply concerned about that empty first spot in the Red Sox batting order.

I would have loved to keep him, believe me. But four years at $13 million is just not smart business, whatever Shaughnessy says. ("Johnny Damon is a Yankee and it looks like the Red Sox don't know what they are doing.... Ben and Jed and Craig and Larry and Tom and John and Crosby, Stills & Nash can spin this anyway they want, but Sox fans can't escape the conclusion that there's chaos at the top.")

Still, while it's a rare thing indeed for me to agree with the Shank, it is fair to say that this is a PR disaster, at least when it comes to the average souvenir-buying fan: "The Sox won't recover from this one easily. In an already dismal offseason, they've now lost their center fielder and their leadoff hitter. They've also lost a local icon, a rare favorite of teenage girls and fanboy bloggers. Losing Damon hurts them on the field and in the arena of popular opinion. And losing Damon to the Yankees compounds the damage."

I try to keep a clear head about dollars and stats, but I'm a "fanboy blogger" too. (As are these guys.) So, yeah. I'm disappointed, if not all that surprised, that the guy's allegiances could shift so swiftly.

(Funnily, if the reaction at NYYFans.com is any indication -- "dear God noooooo" ... "i'm gonna throw up my dinner!" ... "this has Steinbrenner written all over it. I hate his move" ... "I am going to cry. I'm not even kidding. How the hell is this happening?" ... "F*ck" -- many fans down in enemy territory are none too happy about this move.)

It's a free country and a free market. The sun will rise on Fort Myers in February, and ball will be played at Fenway in April. Que sera sera.

But only a cold-hearted statistician can't be bummed out about this: "Only 14 months after winning a World Series, the Sox have undergone almost a complete facelift, with only outfielder Trot Nixon, catcher Jason Varitek, outfielder Manny Ramirez, and DH David Ortiz the only regular position players left from the championship team," Edes and Snow write.

And, only 14 months after pulling off the greatest postseason comeback in team sports history, who would've thought the idea of Johnny Damon launching a grand slam into the Stadium's short right field porch would have such a different ring to it?

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