[Matt OS X]

Whoo!!!!!! Johnny Damon #18! Welcome to the Yankees!

"Yankees fans got an early holiday gift on Friday, as Johnny Damon slipped on his No. 18 pinstriped jersey for the first time.
Damon was officially introduced as the Yankees' new center fielder at a Yankee Stadium press conference, as the former face of the Red Sox swapped in his "Idiot" look for a Yankees hat, which sat atop his nicely trimmed hair and clean-shaven face.

"This is a very exciting day for me," said Damon, who signed a four-year, $52 million contract. "This team really wanted me, and I'm ready to run through walls for them."

Accompanied by his wife, Michelle, Damon sat at the front of the Stadium Club alongside his new manager, Joe Torre, and general manager, Brian Cashman. Also present were team president Randy Levine, COO Lonn Trost, bench coach Lee Mazzilli and Damon's agent, Scott Boras.

"He looks like a Yankee, he sounds like a Yankee and he is a Yankee," George Steinbrenner said through his spokesman, Howard Rubenstein. "Welcome."

Source



PS- I'm surprised no one in this forum talked about this. Looks like not many of you are a baseball fan?

[paul w]

As a lifetime Yankee fan, these are the most bizarre and surreal times I've ever experience. And to think as I kid I was devasted by the loss of Reggie - Reggie!

I mean we got already got our arch nemesis' Johnson and Clemens. Belhorn as a Yankee seriously creeped me the hell out. I'd have prefered it was Manny - ¡Neuva York quiero Manny!

Bah... I don't like this assembly of stuperstars as I liked other previous teams. I do like the fact that he's half Thai - I love Thai cuisine, Thailand in general.

[Agasthya]

Damon at 13 million a year has to be one of the most ridiculous signings in recent history (with the Furcal signing a close second). Damon is probably an average (maybe a little above average) lead off guy with a well below average arm. This was clearly a "stick it to the Sox" move and not a well thought out signing. It won't matter though because unless Damon can pitch, the Yankees are still ****ed.

[ironknee]

we need more pitching

[anthonyvthc]

Johnny Damon is dead to me (and pretty much everyone else from New England).

[Ratm]

we need more.....uhh.....we need more cheerleaders! Sorry, never got into baseball. But I've always been a fan of those sexy cheerleaders. Baseball needs more dammit!

[nredman]

good for the yankees - i hope they pick up some more high priced talent - and then don't get into the world series again.

[Albert Pujols]

He's wicked gay anyway. He'll fit right in with the Yankees.

[zizban]

I really liked Damon; good player, always gave it his all. Should should be fun to see how he fares in Yankee Stadium's huge centerfield. Bummer he's gone but hey, that's life.

[wdlove]

He is of no interest to me at all. No impact on my life at all. I wish him well. Just another that covets money and power.

[Dork.]

Originally Posted by Agasthya

Damon at 13 million a year has to be one of the most ridiculous signings in recent history (with the Furcal signing a close second). Damon is probably an average (maybe a little above average) lead off guy with a well below average arm. This was clearly a "stick it to the Sox" move and not a well thought out signing. It won't matter though because unless Damon can pitch, the Yankees are still ****ed.

Blame Boras (his agent) for the insanity. He was going around saying that Johnny deserved a 7-year contract because he was going to be better than (go)Rickey Henderson. Then the Yankees "talked him down" to four years. IIRC, Boras was also responsible for A-Rod's insane contract with the Rangers. And look how much that benefitted Texas?

All I know is that even after all the Mets' recent spending, they won't go over the cap value of $130M-ish, even if they do end up trading for Manny. And in spite of the Yankees' payroll (probably still well in excess of $200M), they stand a good chance of being the second-best team in the city next season. What does that tell you?

[Dork.]

Originally Posted by Albert Pujols

He's wicked gay anyway. He'll fit right in with the Yankees.

Somebody has to be, now that Mike Piazza's leaving New York.

[rickey939]

Damon is better then Henderson...at least, according to his agent.

(vomit!)

[Agasthya]

Originally Posted by rickey939

Damon is better then Henderson...at least, according to his agent.

(vomit!)

Scott Boras is such a *********. In his prime, Rickey Henderson had OBPs of close to .500 and he was stealing bases like a mofo. That is what a leadoff hitter should do. Johnny Damon has never had an OBP over .400 in his career and sucks at stealing bases.

[rickey939]

Originally Posted by Agasthya

Scott Boras is such a *********. In his prime, Rickey Henderson had OBPs of close to .500 and he was stealing bases like a mofo. That is what a leadoff hitter should do. Johnny Damon has never had an OBP over .400 in his career and sucks at stealing bases.

Amen.

Damon is not even the best leadoff hitter on his new team. Derek Jeter had a .389 OBP last year, good for 16th in the majors. For their careers, Jeter's OBP (.386) is superior to Damon's (.353).

[paul w]

Every time I think of Johnny Damon, I think of that grand slam.

Until he does something similar for us (ie : propelling us to the WS with a big hit in the ALCS) , I can't warm up to him.

[Macpilot]

Another disappointment of a pro sports player that has no loyalty to a team. Didn't this guy say he "would never play for the Yankees?"

Whatever happened to the class-acts?

[paul w]

I'm kinda sick and tired of the "must stay loyal to the team" "class act" bullsh*t.

How many of you would walk away from 12 million dollars extra over 4 years. Show of hands?

It is the way it is, sure they're all paid obscene amounts of money, but can we really expect these folks to turn their back on millions upon millions of dollars? Especially when in ten years tops the guy's career is likely over - and from yesterday's press conference let's just say it doesn't look like stammering, glazed eyed Johnny has a future in broadcasting.

The guy made the best decision for himself - 12 million more AND he's not playing for a crappy team like Kansas City. Plus he'll STILL get to enjoy the fun of the Sox - Yankees rivalry, just from the other side.

I honestly can't blame him. Can I blame the Yankees for throwing that much money at him? Yes, but what's the point? They don't seem to be listening to me.

[Apple Pro Underwear]

i follow -

i was not thrilled about this but... it's not like he was hardcore redsox, he was a long time royal, a talented A, and then a r sox...

whatev, i think the yankee pitching is not as bad as some think. we'll see. teams have won with worse

[Jawbone54]

Though Red Sox fans are in mourning and seething with anger, I don't think that he is going to have a huge impact on the Yankees fortunes (thank God). Damon is overrated. Ever read Moneyball? Players like Damon go for far above their value for their "look." Hopefully the BSox will pull in a good young player who has never been heard of.

No more "Caveman." Looks like we have yet another sissy boy clean-shaven Yank to watch.

[zizban]

You know the Boss wanted Damon just to stick it to the Red Sox. I bet he feels the PR is worth every penny.

[Apple Pro Underwear]

Originally Posted by zizban

You know the Boss wanted Damon just to stick it to the Red Sox. I bet he feels the PR is worth every penny.

i think the team wanted Juan Pierre the hardest and "settled" for damon.


i think the red sox have problems now, it's almost spring training and you folks have not hired a real GM yet right? that's not good.

[zizban]

Originally Posted by Apple Pro Underwear

i think the team wanted Juan Pierre the hardest and "settled" for damon.


i think the red sox have problems now, it's almost spring training and you folks have not hired a real GM yet right? that's not good.

They did hire a GM...two of them actually.

[TheMosco]

Originally Posted by Apple Pro Underwear

i think the team wanted Juan Pierre the hardest and "settled" for damon.


i think the red sox have problems now, it's almost spring training and you folks have not hired a real GM yet right? that's not good.

They have GMs now. Thats right, we have 2. They should be interesting. Apparently, they are trying to get kevin milwood right now. But we still need a shortstop, a center fielder and maybe a first basemen.

[typoon]

Originally Posted by ironknee

we need more pitching

You mean they need some good pitching. As a Yankee Fan I'm willing to give the Pitching some slack from last year. they did OK. Usually players do so so their first year coming over to the Yankees. I think Johnson will do great this year. Mussina had an off year and was hurt most of it. Pavano was good when he pitched. And Wright was eh when he pitched. If it wasn't for Chacon, Small and Wang they wouldn't have gotten to where they did. I think the Yankees will have a great year this year.

Finally we have a good leadoff hitter who will make the lineup a lot deeper.

I'm hoping the rotation will be
Johnson
Mussina
Pavano
Wang
either Jaret Wright or Aaron Small

I think Small and Chacon are going to be in the bullpen which will give the Yankees some depth for long relief.

[Apple Pro Underwear]

Originally Posted by TheMosco

They have GMs now. Thats right, we have 2. They should be interesting. Apparently, they are trying to get kevin milwood right now. But we still need a shortstop, a center fielder and maybe a first basemen.

i meant a real GM system. sorry, dual GMs just don't work. ask baltimore