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 Johnny Damon News

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PostSubject: Re: Johnny Damon News   Johnny Damon News - Page 2 Icon_minitimeFri Aug 20, 2010 11:19 pm

Damon, Inge not worried about waivers

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

08/20/10 8:23 PM ET

DETROIT -- Both Johnny Damon and Brandon Inge had the same reaction to rumors on Friday that they had been placed on waivers: they weren't shocked, but they weren't worried.

As they agreed, it's part of the business, and it doesn't necessarily mean they're going anywhere.

"It could be something, or it could be nothing," Inge said. "Nobody really needs to worry about it, because nearly every player gets put on waivers."

By rule, club officials aren't allowed to comment publicly on waivers, and the Tigers are adhering to that policy. ESPN's Buster Olney reported on Twitter that both Damon and Inge were placed on waivers on Thursday.

Waivers are essentially a procedural move unless something happens from there. After the non-waiver Trade Deadline on July 31, players must clear waivers in order to be traded, or can be traded to the team that claims them. Otherwise, a team can pull them back off waivers and keep them.

Teams out of contention, and some teams in contention, will often put several players on waivers, some with little to no chance of being traded, others to see which teams might be interested. Players up for free agency at the end of a season are frequently placed on waivers. And teams will frequently put in a claim for a player on waivers with no intention of acquiring them, simply to block another team from getting them.

That could easily be the fate on Damon and Inge. Though Inge has been rumored to draw interest from some National League contenders, he would have to pass without a claim from any American League team and most NL clubs in order for an NL contender to have any chance at him.

Damon has a clause in his contract that requires his approval for a trade to all but eight Major League teams on a list he provided going into the season. Like Inge, Damon has expressed his interest in staying with the Tigers next year, though both are free agents.

"I'm not too concerned about it," Damon said. "I kind of knew it possibly would happen, but that doesn't mean something will. I know Detroit likes me. I know they would probably like to keep me, but if this is a way they can possibly save a little bit of money this year and get a prospect, then that's something they have to do.

"I made it clear that I would like to be back next year, but maybe the money that they'd save is something they can use to help this team be better next year."
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PostSubject: Re: Johnny Damon News   Johnny Damon News - Page 2 Icon_minitimeMon Aug 23, 2010 5:30 pm

Red Sox Claim Johnny Damon

By Tim Dierkes [August 23 at 3:09pm CST]

3:09pm: A no-trade clause does not necessarily give a player the right to prevent his team from handing him over on waivers, according to an MLB Players Association official who spoke to MLBTR this afternoon. In many cases, a player has a non-assignment clause that would prevent trades and waiver claims. However, not all players with no-trade clauses can prevent their teams from handing them over on waivers. In other words, Damon's ability to prevent the Tigers from handing him to the Red Sox depends on the wording in his contract.

2:51pm:
Damon told Ed Price of AOL FanHouse he's not inclined to go back to Boston (Twitter link).

2:28pm:
The Red Sox claimed Johnny Damon off waivers from the Tigers, tweets SI's Jon Heyman. The next question is whether the Tigers will work out a trade with the Sox, dump Damon on them for nothing, or pull him back. Damon can veto a trade to the Red Sox. Of Damon's $8MM salary, about $1.8MM remains. Heyman opined earlier today that he believes the Tigers would let Damon go if a deal cannot be worked out.

Damon played for the Red Sox from 2002-05, but had an acrimonious departure and signed with the Yankees. The Red Sox would be getting a diminished version of Damon this time, but he'd still be useful with Mike Cameron and Jacoby Ellsbury currently on the disabled list. The Sox may have made the Damon claim to block the Rays or Yankees, but they know it is possible they end up with the player.

Damon, 36, predictably saw his power slip with the switch from Yankee Stadium to Comerica Park. He's hitting .270/.355/.409 on the season and has logged only 268 innings in the outfield. He profiles as a Type B free agent after the season, but an arbitration offer seems unlikely.
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PostSubject: Re: Johnny Damon News   Johnny Damon News - Page 2 Icon_minitimeMon Aug 23, 2010 5:37 pm

Damon reportedly claimed on waivers
BECK'S BLOG
Posted on August 23, 2010 at 2:23 PM

If the Tigers were hoping to push Johnny Damon through waivers for a possible late August trade, they might be disappointed. The veteran outfielder was claimed on waivers by an unknown team, according to FOXSports.com.

The question then would become whether Damon was claimed to set up a possible trade or to block him from being traded to another club. If it's the former, the Tigers would have 48 hours to try to work out a deal with the team that claimed him. If they can't finalize a trade, they would have to either pull him back off waivers or let the claiming team take his contract -- including what's left of his $8 million salary due -- and receive nothing in return.

There was nothing going on the trade front with Damon as of Sunday, but if Damon was placed on waivers Thursday, as previously reported, teams had until Monday to put in a claim on him. Claims placed on players are processed by league -- American League first in this case, then National League -- then by record, in order from worst to first.
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PostSubject: Re: Johnny Damon News   Johnny Damon News - Page 2 Icon_minitimeMon Aug 23, 2010 5:52 pm

Johnny Damon News - Page 2 Mlbf_9730111_th_13

7/6/10: Johnny Damon comes through in the 11th, crushing a two-run homer to right to give the Tigers the walk-off victory

Damon may have been claimed by Boston

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

08/23/10 2:50 PM ET

DETROIT -- If the Tigers were hoping to push Johnny Damon through waivers for a possible late-August trade, they might be disappointed. The veteran outfielder was claimed on waivers by the Red Sox, according to numerous reports Monday.

Damon's contract requires his approval for a trade to all but eight clubs. The Red Sox, though, are not one of those clubs.

The question then becomes whether Damon would be claimed to set up a possible trade or to block him from being traded to another club. If it's the former, the Tigers would have 48 hours to try to work out a deal with the team that claimed him. Otherwise, they would have to either pull him back off waivers or let the claiming team take his contract -- including what's left of his $8 million salary due -- and receive nothing in return.

There was nothing active on the trade front with Damon as of Sunday, but if Damon was placed on waivers Thursday, as previously reported, teams had until Monday to submit a claim on him. Claims placed on players are processed by league -- American League first in this case, then National League -- then by record, in order from worst to first.

The 36-year-old Damon is batting .270 this season with 30 doubles, seven home runs and 40 RBIs. He has struggled in August, batting .219 (16-for-78) with no homers, four doubles, a triple, eight RBIs and 20 strikeouts.

The Tigers signed Damon to a one-year contract in February with the idea that he could be the offensive piece that could help them contend again. For a while, they did, leading the AL Central as recently as last month before a month-long slump out of the All-Star break knocked them double-digit games back of the division lead. Detroit recovered with a three-game series sweep of Cleveland this past weekend, but the club remains in third place, 11 games behind the Minnesota Twins.

Damon said last week that he understands why the Tigers might look to deal him and try to save some money or get a prospect in return. He also said he would like to be back with the Tigers next year, whether or not he's traded in the next week or so.

The Tigers added an outfielder on Monday, recalling prospect Casper Wells from Triple-A Toledo, but that move had nothing to do with Damon's situation. The goal there was to get an extra position player back on the roster after going one player short to have an extra reliever last week. Detroit designated reliever Enrique Gonzalez for assignment to make room on its 25-man roster.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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PostSubject: Re: Johnny Damon News   Johnny Damon News - Page 2 Icon_minitimeMon Aug 23, 2010 5:56 pm

Keep Damon!
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PostSubject: Re: Johnny Damon News   Johnny Damon News - Page 2 Icon_minitimeMon Aug 23, 2010 11:36 pm

Damon claimed by Boston, must decide

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

08/23/10 5:30 PM ET

DETROIT -- A waiver claim placed by the Red Sox has given Tigers outfielder Johnny Damon a decision to make. If he accepts a possible trade, Damon can return to the Red Sox and join a potential playoff race in the city where he won his first World Series. If not, Damon can remain with the Tigers and finish out a season with an organization he has grown to love.

It's a much more complex decision than one might think.

"It's probably as tough of a decision for me to make right now as it was for me to leave Boston for New York," Damon said on Monday at Comerica Park, where he was in the Tigers' starting lineup for Monday night's game against Kansas City. "It's something that, fortunately, we have some time to think about."

Damon confirmed that the Red Sox had put in a claim for him off waivers on Monday afternoon. Boston and Detroit have until Wednesday afternoon to work out some sort of deal, but the decision essentially hinges on Damon thanks to a no-trade clause negotiated in his contract when he signed with Detroit in February.

Damon's contract requires his approval to be traded to any team except for eight on a list he submitted before the season began. The Yankees and Rays are on that list, but the Red Sox are not.

Thus, Damon has the right to accept or decline any move. If he accepts, he'll return to the city where he became a star from 2002-05, including a World Series title in '04 that broke the Curse of the Bambino. If he declines, the Tigers will have to pull him back off waivers and won't be able to trade him for the rest of the season.

The Red Sox have an outside chance to get back to the postseason. They began Monday 6 1/2 games behind the Yankees in the American League East race and 5 1/2 games behind the Rays for the AL Wild Card.

"At this moment, I'm not sure I want to leave Detroit for that," Damon said. "I enjoy playing here. I enjoy the kids I'm playing for, the coaching staff. But obviously, [Red Sox manager] Terry Francona is amazing. But it's something that I'm going to have think long and hard over."

Damon's issue with Boston appears to be the way things ended after the 2005 season. He signed with the Yankees as a free agent after that season, but his issue seems to date back before that decision was made.

"I had a great time playing there," Damon said. "But I think once it was apparent that I wasn't a necessity to re-sign there, it started to get ugly. And that's why I've got to think long and hard. I have to think if they do have a strong chance to make the playoffs with the guys beat up there. I have to think long and hard if I'm going to once again be probably one of the nicest guys in baseball, but be once again the most hated guy in baseball. That's what it boils down. You guys see how I get booed in every ballpark already."

Damon said he received the call from the Tigers around 3 p.m. ET. Detroit has a 1 p.m. game against the Royals on Wednesday afternoon, so he'll most likely need to decide by then.

The 36-year-old Damon is batting .270 this season with 30 doubles, seven home runs and 40 RBIs. He has struggled in August, batting .219 (16-for-78) with no homers, four doubles, a triple, eight RBIs and 20 strikeouts.

The Tigers signed Damon to a one-year contract in February with the idea that he could be the offensive piece that could help them contend again. For a while, they did, leading the AL Central as recently as last month before a month-long slump out of the All-Star break knocked them double-digit games back of the division lead. Detroit recovered with a three-game series sweep of Cleveland this past weekend, but remains in third place, 11 games behind the Minnesota Twins entering play on Monday.

Damon said last week that he understands why the Tigers might look to deal him and try to save some money or get a prospect in return. He also said he would like to be back with the Tigers next year, whether he's traded or not. He reiterated that on Tuesday.

"The only reason why I would be considering it is to help out this team in the future," Damon said. "I love the Tigers organization, and I love the fact that they're up-front and honest. If somehow they can get a good prospect back, a player that can help this team in the future, it would be beneficial for them. I would like to remain a Tiger, so I think that's why these next hours are pretty important."

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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PostSubject: Re: Johnny Damon News   Johnny Damon News - Page 2 Icon_minitimeTue Aug 24, 2010 6:34 pm

Damon leaning toward staying in Detroit
Outfielder may use no-trade clause to veto Sox's waiver claim

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

08/24/10 12:18 AM ET

DETROIT -- A waiver claim placed by the Red Sox has given Tigers outfielder Johnny Damon a decision to make.

If he accepts a possible trade, Damon can return to the Red Sox and join a potential playoff race in the city where he won his first World Series. If not, Damon can remain with the Tigers and finish out a season with an organization he has grown to love.

The message coming from Damon on Monday night was that he isn't very interested in reliving his glory days in Beantown. The veteran said he's leaning towards using his no-trade clause to veto Boston's waiver claim and stay in Detroit.

"That's my feeling right now," Damon said after the Tigers beat the Royals on Monday night, "and I don't want to go home tonight and talk to my agent and talk to everyone who's involved and change my mind. I'm definitely leaning towards staying. That's the fortunate thing, having until 1:30 [p.m.] on Wednesday."

Damon confirmed that the Red Sox put in a claim for him off waivers on Monday afternoon. Boston and Detroit have until Wednesday afternoon to work out some sort of deal, but the decision essentially hinges on Damon thanks to the no-trade clause negotiated in his contract when he signed with the Tigers in February.

Damon's contract requires his approval to be traded to any team except for eight on a list he submitted before the season began. The Yankees and Rays are on that list -- as are the Rangers, Padres, Giants, White Sox and Royals, plus another National League team -- but the Red Sox are not.

Thus, Damon has the right to accept or decline any move. If he accepts, he'll return to the city where he became a star from 2002-05, including a World Series title in '04 that broke the Curse of the Bambino. If he declines, the Tigers will have to pull him back off waivers and won't be able to trade him for the rest of the season.

The Red Sox have an outside chance to get back to the postseason. They finished Monday's slate 5 1/2 behind the Yankees and Rays in the AL East and Wild Card races. As Damon put it, they've surprisingly stayed in the race despite all their injuries, which have ironically opened up the need for positional help -- including him.

"Obviously they claimed me to go out there and play left field and lead off for them," Damon said. "They have a lot of big games with Tampa Bay coming up. They have six more games with New York coming up. That's why they're trying. What a scene that would be, playing for the Red Sox while the Yankees go there, and everybody there hates me. That's the craziness that's involved."

Damon's issue with Boston appears to be the way things ended after the 2005 season. He signed with the Yankees as a free agent after that season, but his issue seems to date back before that decision was made.

"What we had in Boston -- I stress had, from 2002 to 2005 -- we had a special bunch of guys," Damon said. "And after the 2004 season, guys started leaving, the [Pedro Martinez's] and Derek Lowe's. And in 2005, how [Mark] Bellhorn left, how Alan Embree left, how Kevin Millar was being treated there. That's something that sticks with you. It was a totally new team.

"I know they have a very good team, possibly the best rotation around. They inched a game closer today. [Jason] Varitek knows what I brought to the table night in and night out. [David] Ortiz does, and [Tim] Wakefield. So obviously I know they want me. But I love it here in Detroit, and I love my teammates here."

The 36-year-old Damon was the starting designated hitter for the Tigers on Monday, and despite all that was on his mind, he went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. He's batting .272 with 30 doubles, seven home runs and 41 RBIs, though he has struggled in August, batting .220 (18-for-82) with no homers, four doubles, a triple, nine RBIs and 21 strikeouts.

The Tigers signed Damon to a one-year contract in February with the idea that he could be the offensive piece that could help them contend again. For a while, they did, leading the AL Central as recently as last month before a month-long slump out of the All-Star break knocked them double-digit games back of the division lead. Detroit has recovered with four consecutive wins, but the club remains in third place, 10 games back of the Minnesota Twins.

That said, Damon doesn't sound like someone who believes the Tigers are out of it.

"I like to believe that we can still get back into this thing," he said. "Our schedule looks OK. We can definitely make a run."

Damon said last week that he understands why the Tigers might look to deal him and try to save some money or get a prospect in return. He also said he would like to be back with the Tigers next year, whether he's traded or not. After talking with teammates on Monday, he sounds like he doesn't want to leave at all.

"Obviously, it's a tough decision, but what's making it easier on me is all the teammates and coaches telling me that they would much rather have me here," Damon said. "And so that's where I'm at right now. Probably still need to talk to Dave [Dombrowski] and see if there's any way it can benefit the team in the future. But what my teammates are telling me is they actually love the fact that I'm here and I'm a great mentor to those guys.

"I've been saying all along I love to play for Detroit, play in front of the fans. I try to tell the truth as much as I talk. If I just came out and said that last week, and all of a sudden I want to get on a plane and get out of here, that's tough for me to do. ... I'm thinking about staying here. I like it here. I like everything about this place. And unless Dave and [manager Jim Leyland] tell me that they don't plan on playing me in the upcoming five or six weeks, and they want to see what the young kids can do, then I [want to stay]."

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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PostSubject: Re: Johnny Damon News   Johnny Damon News - Page 2 Icon_minitimeTue Aug 24, 2010 11:08 pm


Johnny be good in Detroit, blocks Sox
Damon uses no-trade clause to veto Boston's waiver claim

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

08/24/10 7:48 PM ET

DETROIT -- Johnny Damon isn't going. It's the way he felt when he first learned that the Red Sox had put in a waiver claim on him, and it was the way he felt after talking with Tigers officials on Tuesday.

Thus, the veteran outfielder told the Tigers he wouldn't waive his no-trade clause to clear a deal to Boston.

"I knew this was going to be the decision," Damon said on Tuesday afternoon, "but I just wanted to be 100 percent sure this is the right thing for me."

Damon had until Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. ET to decide, 48 hours after the Red Sox made their claim, but he said he didn't need any more time to decide after talking with his Tigers teammates.

"My heart all along has been with these players here," Damon said. "I've been saying all year long that Miguel Cabrera is the best hitter I've ever saw. I want to make sure I see it for a whole year. I want to see see Austin Jackson get his Rookie of the Year trophy. I want to see this team keep growing.

"We've been playing all right lately. I've never liked to quit on anything, and I'm not going to take the easy road out and say goodbye. I love Detroit, love the fans, and I know I've let people know that plenty of times."

Damon said he talked with his teammates, who were supportive in their desire to have him around for the rest of the way. He also talked with Tigers president/general manager Dave Dombrowski, assistant GM Al Avila and manager Jim Leyland, all of whom said the decision was up to him and how he felt about it. They did not pressure him to accept a deal.

"I had a good conversation with Johnny Damon today," Leyland said before Damon announced his decision. "You know what I told him? Do what your heart tells you."

Damon's heart told him all along that he was better off staying in Detroit. When he said Monday night he was leaning towards declining a deal, he said the one thing that might change his mind would be if the Tigers didn't plan on playing him regularly down the stretch.

His conversation with Leyland assured him he'd still be playing often. Though rosters can expand in September, injuries have all but depleted Detroit's prospect depth for this season. Just-recalled outfield prospect Casper Wells will get some playing time, Leyland said, but Damon will have the same amount of playing time that he always has.

"Is he going to play here the rest of the season? Yes, he's going to play," Leyland said. "Is he going to play every game? No. He hasn't played every game up to this point. Am I going to sit Johnny Damon on the bench and forget about him? No, he's going to play a lot. Am I going to look at a kid once in a while and give him a day? Yeah. It's that simple."

That's good enough for Damon.

"I understand that, heading into September, certain guys are going to be playing, and so am I," Damon said. "I understand the process. We're trying to make a push up right now. They do plan on playing me. How much, it remains to be seen. Guys get super hot, and we have to use the super-hot guys. But even when I'm not hot, I bring something to the table. They pitch me differently than most guys. The presence in the lineup is key."

The Tigers placed Damon on waivers last week. Though the Red Sox claimed him Monday afternoon, Dombrowski said their discussions never progressed toward a deal. They would only have stepped up their talks had Damon given his consent.

"The first decision was, would he be willing to go," Dombrowski said. "There's no sense going through that with the other club until [you know that]."

With no deal struck, the Tigers will now pull Damon off waivers. By rule, Dombrowski said, they cannot place him back on waivers within the same 30-day period. For all practical purposes, that means they will not be able to trade him the rest of the season.

Damon said he talked with former Red Sox teammate David Ortiz and traded text messages with Jason Varitek, both of whom tried to lobby him to accept the deal.

"I would've loved to have gone back and played with Big Papi and Varitek," Damon said, "but that time has come and passed."

Damon said he felt more duty toward his current teammates.

"I chose to be with this team," he said. "We started in the trenches together in Spring Training, and I think it sends the wrong message to say, 'Well, here's an opportunity to jump ship.' I'm not going to do it, not to these guys. We've learned a lot about each other. We've worked too hard, and we're going to try to make as strong of a push as we can."

Damon said he received no assurances that the Tigers will re-sign him this winter, when he becomes a free agent. He indicated the Tigers told him it was too soon to decide that.

"I like wearing the Old English 'D'," he said, "and I hope to again. I can't say it enough."

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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PostSubject: Re: Johnny Damon News   Johnny Damon News - Page 2 Icon_minitimeWed Aug 25, 2010 9:44 pm



Dan Shaughnessy
He must have his reasons, but what are they?
By Dan Shaughnessy
Globe Columnist / August 25, 2010


So it’s official: He really is an idiot.

I say this with no malice and all due respect. “Idiot,’’ you must remember, was the title of Johnny Damon’s 2005 best-selling autobiography (a work often compared with Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina’’ and Dostoevsky’s “Notes From the Underground’’). Johnny famously labeled the 2004 Red Sox champions “Idiots.’’ In Johnny’s world, “idiot’’ is a term of endearment.

That said, his decision to stay with the Tigers is downright idiotic . . . or there is some larger force at work.

I keep playing this out in my head, and none of it makes any sense. Why would Damon want to stay with the moribund Tigers when he had a chance to join the Red Sox for 5 1/2 weeks of stretch-run fun? Why try to keep hitting at cavernous Comerica Park when he could return to friendly Fenway? Why play games that don’t matter when you can play games that still matter?

It really makes me wonder how bad things got for him in Boston at the end, when he was negotiating for a new contract after the 2005 season.

Were the Sox that insulting? Did they look Damon in the eye and tell him that they thought Coco Crisp was a better player? Did John Henry, Tom Werner, and Larry Lucchino tell Damon he was lucky when he hit those two homers in Game 7 of the ALCS at Yankee Stadium? Did Shonda Schilling say something insulting about Michelle Damon’s scarves?

Think about it: For the next five weeks, you could live in downtown Boston and your wife could shop on Newbury Street. Or you could live in downtown Detroit, amid the boarded-up buildings and the proverbial skeleton frames of burned-out Chevrolets. Is this really a tough call?

Really. Why wouldn’t Damon come back to Boston?

Could it have been the booing? Let’s hope not, but if it was the booing that turned Damon off to Boston, then childish Sox fans get what they deserve. It was inane to boo a player who played 100 percent every day, delivered key hits in most of the big games at the end, and almost killed himself in service to the Red Sox when he collided with Damian Jackson during the 2003 ALDS.

All of the above was erased in the minds of some nitwits because Damon signed with the Yankees. And that is pathetic. Damon came here from Oakland because Boston offered the best deal. When his contract was up, the Sox offered four years at $40 million while the Yankees offered four years at $52 million. It’s a significant difference. Damon wasn’t a guy who left for one extra dollar. He left because the Yankees outbid the Sox — by a lot.

For this, he was booed. He saw the T-shirts about looking like Jesus and throwing like Mary. He saw himself portrayed as a hardball Judas. He heard the Bronx cheers simply because he played for the Bronx Bombers. And that was stupid. And wrong.

The Sox bumbled the Damon contract negotiations after the 2005 season. They misread the future. They figured Damon’s game would deteriorate.

They were wrong. Damon was worth every penny the Yankees paid him from 2006-09. He played hard and he played well for the full four years. In his final year of the contract, he hit .282 with 24 homers and 82 RBIs. Think Boston could have used that? It’s better than the sorry numbers posted by J.D. ($14 million per year) Drew.


Damon came up big again in the end. He turned the 2009 World Series in the Yankees’ favor with his amazing instincts in the ninth inning of Game 4. It was a 4-4 game with two out and nobody aboard when Damon singled to center off Brad Lidge on a nine-pitch at-bat. He then stole second and third on one pitch, taking advantage of Philadelphia’s infield shift on Mark Teixeira.

With Damon on third, Lidge couldn’t throw his slider and that gave Alex Rodriguez the cookie he needed to hit a game-breaking double. Damon’s instincts effectively won the World Series for the Yankees. That is the kind of player he is.

In Boston in September 2010, Damon wasn’t going to be the Damon of 2004, but he would have helped. The Sox left field production this year is abysmal; people who have manned the position in front of the Monster are hitting .232 with an aggregate 16 homers, 62 RBIs, and a hideous on-base percentage of .301.

When Jorge Posada heard that the Red Sox had claimed Damon off waivers, the veteran Yankees catcher said, “Obviously, he would make them a lot better.’’

You bet. Damon’s decision to eschew Boston hurts the Red Sox on and off the field. And we may never know the real reason.

Dan Shaughnessy is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at dshaughnessy@globe.com.
© Copyright 2010 Globe Newspaper Company.
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PostSubject: Re: Johnny Damon News   Johnny Damon News - Page 2 Icon_minitimeWed Aug 25, 2010 9:52 pm

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Johnny Damon: "I love it here, my family loves it here, a bunch of the
players who have been here a while love it here, the new guys love it
here." (Robin Buckson / The Detroit News)

Last Updated: August 25. 2010 7:02PM
Johnny Damon defends Detroit after writer's jabs at city
Tony Paul / The Detroit News

Detroit -- Despite not reading the story, Tigers outfielder Johnny Damon fired back at longtime Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy on Wednesday, taking exception with the writer's admitted inability to comprehend why the veteran major leaguer would rather stay in Detroit than move back to Boston.

Damon made national headlines earlier this week when, after being claimed off waivers by his former team, the Red Sox, he opted to veto any trade -- his right, per his contract -- to remain with the Tigers, despite them being a long shot to make the playoffs.

"I definitely thought long and hard about it, and the bottom line was my happiness here and the guys here telling me this is a good place for me," Damon said after going 0-for-6 in the Tigers 4-3, 12-inning loss to the Royals on Wednesday afternoon. "Detroit gets a bad rap. I love it here, my family loves it here, a bunch of the players who have been here a while love it here, the new guys love it here. There's a lot to offer here."

As for Shaughnessy's flippant remark in his column Wednesday that Damon and his wife could shop on Newbury Street -- rather than "live in downtown Detroit, amid the boarded-up buildings and the proverbial skeleton frames of burned-out Chevrolets" -- Damon simply smirked.

Clearly, the decision -- gasp! -- didn't come down to shopping.

"That's the thing that people everywhere are going to think of," Damon said of Newbury Street, "and that Boston is a great city, which it is."

But Detroit is to him, too, he said over and over.

"We know the auto industry and the economy take a beating here," he said. "But it's up to us players to keep people excited, to entertain people, to have people enjoy their lives, enjoy watching their Detroit Tigers."

Had he decided to return to Boston, Damon clearly wouldn't have been as happy -- despite being in the thick of the AL East race again. He spent 2002-05 in Boston, helping the Red Sox to their first World Series title in 86 years along the way. For quite a while, he was the king "Idiot," with his long hair and scruffy face.

But after the 2005 season, with negotiations with the Red Sox at a standstill, he leapt at the Yankees' four-year, $52 million offer, by far the biggest contract of his 16-year major league career. After his departure to the Bronx, despite all he had done for the Red Sox, he became Public Enemy No. 1 in Beantown, where the residents took joy in likening him to the ultimate traitor, Judas.

The fans' cold attitude toward him since played heavily in his decision to stay in Detroit, not just to spite them but also because his return would've kick-started a seemingly never-ending media cycle that he wanted absolutely no part of.

"It wasn't going to be about the team, it wasn't going to be about the Red Sox, it was going to be about me, every single day, talking about it," said Damon, who's hitting .269 in his first year with the Tigers. "I felt like I could have possibly helped them, but this is where I wanted to be."

Become a fan of Covering the Bases on Facebook.

tpaul@detnews.com

From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100825/SPORTS0104/8250455/1129/Johnny-Damon-defends-Detroit-after-writer-s-jabs-at-city#ixzz0xfVBUT8G
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PostSubject: Re: Johnny Damon News   Johnny Damon News - Page 2 Icon_minitimeWed Aug 25, 2010 10:00 pm

Last Updated: August 25. 2010 1:00AM
Tigers: Notebook
Teammates thrilled Johnny Damon wants to remain a Tiger
Tom Gage / The Detroit News

Detroit -- The teammates who urged Johnny Damon to stay are happy he is.

To say the least.

Damon's decision not to go to Boston would have been a lot more difficult if he hadn't received the strong support of his Detroit teammates to stay.

It's nice being wanted, in other words, and more than one Tiger made it clear he hoped Damon would stick around through the end of the season -- just to see what happens.

"I'm glad," said Brandon Inge, who was reported to have been put on waivers at the same time as Damon. "He's been a big part of what we've been doing this year. I'd hate to see him go."

Inge spoke about the "dynamic" that Damon brings to the clubhouse.

"It's just a good group of guys we've had," he said. "We'd rather keep it that way. Obviously (Damon) has been a huge part of that. Everyone's comfortable. It's good to have him around."

Miguel Cabrera simply believes the Tigers are a better team if Damon stays.


"It's good for us," he said. "He stays here, we can play more together and see what happens. We can do a lot of things, we can win more games.

"He likes it here, he believes in us. That's good."

No guarantees

Did Damon get any kind of assurance about playing time before deciding to stay with the Tigers? He did not.

"Is he going to play here the rest of the season?" manager Jim Leyland said. "Yes, he's going to play. Is he going to play every game? No. He hasn't played every game up to this point.

"Am I going to sit Johnny Damon on the bench and forget about him? No. He's going to play a lot. Am I going to look at a kid once in while and give Damon a day off? Yes. It's that simple."

When asked about Damon not wanting to admit -- which by leaving he would have done -- that the Tigers are hopelessly out of it, Leyland said, "that's appreciated.

"I think he likes it here a lot. He really likes the players a lot, they really like him. I really like him. He's been everything and more than what I expected. He probably hasn't produced quite as much as he would have liked to, but he's been fantastic."


The Tigers hadn't come close to discussing what they would have done if Damon left.

"Our cupboard is pretty bare," Leyland said. "They're all here. Instead of saying who are you going to call up Sept. 1, I say we're going to be sending guys down.

"Who are you going to call up? They're already called."

Waiver rules

The Tigers can't turn around now and have Damon claimed by another club. They must wait 30 days before waiving him again, and no club would claim him that late in the season.

Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski, by the way, said the process with Damon never reached trade discussions with the Red Sox.

"The first decision was did he want to go, would he be willing to go," Dombrowski said. "Then we were going to make up our mind if we were going to do something from there."

From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100825/SPORTS0104/8250355/1129/Johnny-Damon-defends-Detroit-after-writer-s-jabs-at-city/Teammates-thrilled-Johnny-Damon-wants-to-remain-a-Tiger#ixzz0xfWzDhNn
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PostSubject: Re: Johnny Damon News   Johnny Damon News - Page 2 Icon_minitimeThu Sep 16, 2010 9:09 pm

Last Updated: September 16. 2010 1:42AM
Tigers: Notebook
Tigers manager gets his words out on the field
Lynn Henning / The Detroit News

...

Damon hits 100th triple

Johnny Damon's milestones are getting almost monotonous.

Well, only if you're a statistician tiring of the updates.

Damon had one hit Wednesday, a soaring triple over Julio Borbon's glove, the 100th triple of his career. Among active big-leaguers, his 100 triples trail only Carl Crawford of the Tampa Bay Rays.

Damon got the ball and will place it in his growing, groaning trophy case.

Now, he can think about other goals -- beyond making another trip to a World Series.

"The next one would be 500 doubles," said Damon, who has 482 doubles among his 2,556 hits. "And I'd like to get 400 stolen bases (he has 383)."

Damon is 51st in career runs with 1,558 and would like to reach the top 30 before his career ends.

As for 3,000 hits -- it won't be easy. But at 36, and with his bat speed still burning, Damon can dream.

"Hopefully," he said.

lynn.henning@detnews.com.


From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100916/SPORTS0104/9160420/1129/SPORTS0104/Tigers-manager-gets-his-words-out-on-the-field#ixzz0zjz3l8Gr
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PostSubject: Re: Johnny Damon News   Johnny Damon News - Page 2 Icon_minitimeMon Sep 27, 2010 11:27 pm

Damon approaches historic milestone
By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 09/27/10 6:50 PM ET

CLEVELAND -- Johnny Damon might only get this one year with the Tigers, depending on what happens in the next few months. But with a full season, it's a year that gets him into a historic handful.

Monday's series opener against the Indians was the 139th game of the season for Damon, who batted second as the designated hitter. His next game will get him to 140 for the 15th consecutive season, something just four other Major League players have accomplished.

It's a pretty good group: Hank Aaron, Brooks Robinson and Pete Rose did it in 16 straight seasons, while Willie Mays reached 15. Those who fell short included consecutive games record-holder Cal Ripken Jr., who was thwarted by the 1994 strike, and Derek Jeter, whose downfall was a 119-game season in 2003.

Consider manager Jim Leyland impressed.

"Especially the way he plays," Leyland said. "If anybody ever played helter skelter, he did."

He has had his share of injuries and survived. Back in 1999, he "blew out" his rib cage, as he put it, on a play in Kansas City, but it was in mid-September. In 2007, he played through a strained calf he suffered on Opening Day and labored through games in center field. He hasn't played in 150 games in a season since 2004, but he hasn't missed a significant stretch since the summer of 2008, when a crash into the Yankee Stadium fence against the Red Sox bruised the AC joint in his left shoulder.

The Yankees expected him to miss more than the minimum two weeks. "There aren't too many guys who have been around, or probably want to play, as long as I have," Damon said.

Now 36 years old, there's decent reason to expect he could repeat the feat next season if he can produce at the plate and finds a team with the right opportunity. The latter is a subject for another day.
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PostSubject: Re: Johnny Damon News   Johnny Damon News - Page 2 Icon_minitimeSun Oct 03, 2010 5:56 pm

Trio of players soon to become ex-Tigers
By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 10/03/10 3:30 PM ET

BALTIMORE -- Jeremy Bonderman has been a Tiger since 2003 and Gerald Laird since last year. Johnny Damon has only been a Tiger this season, but has been a popular one. They're all about to become former Tigers.

Team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski told all three of the soon-to-be free agents on Sunday morning that the team would not pursue them. Dombrowski left open a slight chance of bringing back Bonderman later this offseason -- depending on how the market unfolds -- but said it "most likely" won't happen.

None of the news is particularly surprising. Bonderman said last week that he didn't expect to be back, and Laird said he'll look for a situation with more playing time, now that the Tigers have decided on Alex Avila as their regular catcher. Damon has been hopeful for a return, but also realizes the crop of young Tigers outfielders didn't help his chances.

The Tigers signed Damon in February to help the top of their order and installed him behind rookie leadoff man Austin Jackson. But Magglio Ordonez's season-ending ankle injury forced Damon into the third spot quite a bit over the final two months, including Sunday's season finale, shifting him from offensive catalyst to run producer.

The results weren't as good as his four seasons with the New York Yankees, but they were better than the credit he received. He entered Sunday batting .271 with 36 doubles, eight home runs and 50 RBIs. His 69 walks were just two off his total last year in a stacked New York lineup.

"We have told Johnny that we're very appreciative of what he's done here," said Dombrowski. "He's handled himself well, he's been a leader in the clubhouse. But for those spots, we're looking for a middle-of-the-lineup type of guy next year -- [who] can drive in some runs."
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PostSubject: Re: Johnny Damon News   Johnny Damon News - Page 2 Icon_minitimeMon Nov 22, 2010 6:46 pm

Salary arbitration not expected for Tigers' trio
By Jason Beck / MLB.com | 11/22/10 1:19 PM EST

DETROIT -- Magglio Ordonez's future with the Tigers has the chance to be one of the biggest pieces of suspense in Detroit's offseason. The club's chances of getting a compensatory pick in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft for losing him won't be suspenseful at all.

Nor, for that matter, should be the Tigers' decisions on offering arbitration to any of their other free agents. Tuesday at midnight ET marks the deadline to decide, and Detroit is expected to decline arbitration on all three relevant free agents -- Ordonez, Johnny Damon and Gerald Laird. In the end, the risk of having them accept arbitration and take a good chunk of salary next year outweighs the reward of compensation picks next June.

That includes Ordonez, even though the Tigers hold out hope for bringing him back. They just don't want to bring him back that way, for good financial reasons.

Under the player ranking system developed by Elias Sports Bureau for Major League Baseball, Ordonez qualifies as a Type A free agent. If the Tigers offer him arbitration and Ordonez rejects it to sign with another club, they would receive at least a Draft pick sandwiched after the first round. They could receive the signing team's first-round selection if that pick isn't in the top half of the first round next summer.

Damon and Laird are both Type B free agents. The Tigers would receive a compensation pick sandwiched at the end of the second round if they offer arbitration to either player and they sign elsewhere. They would not get the signing team's selection.

It's a rule that gives teams some return if they have no chance of re-signing a star player. Given the emphasis teams now place on young talent, it's a valuable piece of planning for a lot of clubs. But in the recent market, where some players can earn more money in arbitration than on the open market, it comes with risk.

Once arbitration is offered, a free agent has until Nov. 30 to decide whether to accept it. If he accepts, he guarantees himself a one-year contract, with the salary to be either determined by an arbitrator in February or settled by both clubs beforehand.

It's that last part that weighs as the biggest risk for the Tigers. Though a player can take a pay cut in arbitration, it rarely happens. Even when it does, by rule, that player can't suffer more than a 20 percent pay cut.

Do the math with Ordonez's $15 million salary this year, and the reluctance is evident. The Tigers would like to bring back Ordonez on a one-year deal. Yet even if they knew arbitration would cut Ordonez's salary to the minimum $12 million, which is highly unlikely, it's questionable whether they'd take that in this market, even with the payroll space they gained with expiring contracts this year.

Damon made $8 million in 2010 on his one-year deal, but the Tigers already told him they weren't interested in bringing him back. Laird, who made $3.95 million this past season, and they mutually agreed to part ways at season's end -- Detroit looking for another catcher to complement Alex Avila, Laird looking for more playing time elsewhere.

Jeremy Bonderman, the Tigers' other free agent, did not qualify for compensation under the Elias rankings, so that decision is already made. Detroit hasn't ruled out bringing back the right-hander if he's still on the market later this winter, but with the free-agent pitching market rather shallow, he's expected to find an opportunity with a guaranteed contract somewhere else.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. Read Beck's Blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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PostSubject: Re: Johnny Damon News   Johnny Damon News - Page 2 Icon_minitimeTue Nov 23, 2010 9:14 pm

Johnny Damon News - Page 2 Logo_det_79x76Johnny Damon News - Page 2 Pr_header

11/23/2010 9:40 AM ET
Tigers do not offer arbitration to five free agents

DETROIT - The Detroit Tigers today announced the club will not offer arbitration to the following five free agents: righthanded pitcher Jeremy Bonderman, lefthanded pitcher Bobby Seay, catcher Gerald Laird and outfielders Johnny Damon and Magglio Ordonez.

By not offering any of the five free agents arbitration, the club will not receive any compensation if the players are signed by other clubs. Additionally, all five players remain eligible to sign with the Tigers despite the club not offering them arbitration.
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PostSubject: Re: Johnny Damon News   Johnny Damon News - Page 2 Icon_minitimeSun Jan 23, 2011 5:59 pm

Manny, Damon to sport Rays colors in 2011
One-year deals bring proven veterans to Tampa Bay's lineup
By Bill Chastain / MLB.com | 01/21/11 9:30 PM EST

ST. PETERSBURG -- Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez will be joining the Rays for the 2011 season after each agreed to a one-year deal Friday night.

According to a Major League source, Damon will be paid $5.25 million with a $750,000 attendance bonus, while Ramirez will make $2 million.

The Rays have not confirmed the deals, nor have they commented on either player.

For the length of the offseason, Rays fans have sat by patiently waiting for the team to reveal its hand for the 2011 season. After losing first baseman Carlos Pena and left fielder Carl Crawford to free agency, the Rays needed to address their run production for the coming season.

This latest news should adequately insure the Rays will not lack any firepower in 2011.

Damon, 37, manned left field and served as designated hitter for the Tigers last season, hitting .271 with eight home runs and 51 RBIs, and he scored 81 runs over 145 games. He has played for two World Series champions -- the Red Sox in 2004 and the Yankees in 2009.

With 2,571 career hits, Damon stands just 429 from the 3,000 mark. He will likely serve time in left field, at DH and come off the bench for the Rays, and he adds a quality veteran presence to the clubhouse.

Ramirez, 38, hit .311 with eight home runs and 40 RBIs in 66 games for the Dodgers in 2010 before finishing the season with the White Sox, where he batted .261 with one home run and two RBIs in 24 games. He has 555 career home runs -- 14th on the all-time leaderboard -- and is a 12-time All-Star.

Ramirez was suspended 50 games in 2009 for violating Major League Baseball's Performance Enhancing Drug policy for taking human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a women's fertility drug typically used by steroid users to restart the body's natural testosterone production as they come off a steroid cycle.

Ramirez will likely be used primarily as a DH and will give Evan Longoria protection in the Rays' lineup.

Damon and Ramirez were teammates in Boston from 2002-05 and were key members of the club's World Series championship in 2004.

The Angels and Rangers were also suitors for Ramirez.

Bill Chastain is a reporter for MLB.com. Jesse Sanchez contributed to this story. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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