A little history, from the YFSF Archives. No finger pointing, no editorializing, just some comments pulled from some recent threads. I tried my best to pull relevant comments, and objectively, I didn’t spare myself. Upon searching, it was clear that my cohort YF was conspicuously absent from any debate about a possible Damon acquisition, which some could call intelligent positioning. I, however, might be more cynical, and call it something else.
All sides represented. In the interest of history. See it all after the jump.
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Note: Gammons on ESPN.com states that Theo was burned out by life in the spotlight. Also, he suggests that the franchise, to stem the bad feeling, is going to have to shell out a huge contract to Johnny Damon, and that Scott Boras is probably licking his chops. (This begs the question: what’s the difference between this money will be and what, it would have cost to re-up Epstein.)
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I personally am confused why Damon is the answer to the Sox’ PR woes. Most knowledgable Sox fans watched Damon play in the second half of last year and also know his age. Not giving him a 5/50M contract would be a better PR move than signing him to a ridiculous deal at any cost, just to get it done.
"Not giving him a 5/50M contract would be a better PR move than signing him to a ridiculous deal at any cost, just to get it done."
I think you assume, sf, that most fans care about their team’s bottom line and ability to make sound decisions in the future. Damon is an incredibly popular player in Boston, who to the lay fan, batted over .300 while looking vaguely like Jesus. The majority of fans would be upset if he left, especially if he leaves after a failed acrimonious negotiation between management and Boras.
I think many fans don’t want to see Damon go, that’s a given. He is popular. But after his diminishing performance in the second half, his visibly bad throwing skills in general, and his demands (via rumor, admittedly), it’s not too much to say that a good number (whether that’s a majority I have no idea) of Red Sox fans would rather the team make a smart move, not a rash, expensive one that inhibits flexibility, particularly not after the Renteria situation of this past year.
One of the realities for any championship club is the development of loyalty between fans and players. It makes management’s task much harder when players are up for free agency. Bad contracts, such as Bernie Williams’, often result. Management, in its negotiations, must include the potential of alienating the team’s fan base as a factor. The Nation, most of it, is pissed that Theo, the seeming architect of the 2004 world series team, is gone. If Manny is traded, another piece of that season is gone. And then Damon. The front office is in danger of looking like callous cold hearted jerks who are ripping away all connections to that magical season. And the media will be sure to have a field day.
I agree with SF: signing Damon to 5/50 is dumb.
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Posted by: Sam | Tuesday, November 01, 2005 at 12:34 PM
So the Yankees’ worst off-season ever was…the most recent one. But NOW, with the same front office re-upped all is copacetic? That’s one quick turnaround, considering almost nothing has changed personnel-wise, in either the front office or on the field.
We’re supposed to think that the balance of power has shifted because the Red Sox lost their (apparently very) unhappy GM but the Yankees kept theirs? I think the momentum will shift when and if Pavano pitches a full healthy year, Jaret Wright is jettisoned or rebounds to Atlanta form, Randy Johnson pitches like he’s 38, they solve their center field problem, their first base problem, they re-sign Matsui, deepen their bullpen, all while the Red Sox farm system collapses, Manny Ramirez sits out the entire year with nothing gotten in return, Curt Schilling and Keith Foulke are unable to ever pitch at their expected high levels again, the Sox fail to sign any free agents of note, Johnny Damon leaves and is replaced with Johnny Fairplay, Manny Delcarmen and John Papelbon stink up the joint, and Dale Sveum gets rehired. But that’s me. You can pin that momentum shift on Brian and Theo if you want.
I think Theo was developing something very good that threatens to be destroyed if Lucchino, in fact, becomes the center of power in Boston. And I also think that Cashman and people like Stick were increasingly marginalized in recent years. You might remember that Stick, when involved, helped develop an elite farm system, and, even better, a 4-time world series champ. After the 2004 world series and off-season it was easy to be pretty down if you were a Yanks fan. The team made stupid decision after stupid decision. Most media reported that these were decisions called from the Tampa group, which, as a result of Cashman’s negotiations, is now marginalized. And the future looked none too bright. Meanwhile, the Sox, with Theo at the helm, made reasoned choices. Whether or not we’ll see the consequences of this swing in fortunes next season or the season after, it still marks a potentially significant change in direction/philosophy for both teams. Potentially, it’s a reversal in fortune. To paraphrase you post October 2004, you’re sounding like us and it’s just too cool.
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Posted by: Nick | Wednesday, November 16, 2005 at 09:55 AM
Perhaps. But don’t underestimate the low-IQ, long-haired, weak-armed demographic that is Boston (heck, I am from Boston!), and hence the marketing value of Jesus. Damon’s a goldmine! Seriously, if he’s asking for 7 years (and I assume you are joking since I haven’t read that anywhere) someone should request a urine test pronto, from him and Boras.
Posted by: SF | Wednesday, November 16, 2005 at 10:09 AM—–
(snip)…in terms of athletic prowess and ability to run down balls, Jeter will have far more years of speed than Johnny D. Regardless, unless Eric Duncan turns out to be the real thing, we shouldn’t have to worry about 3rd and ss for a few more years.
"Jeter will have far more years of speed than Johnny D"
What? Did I miss something here? Has it now been determined that Jeter has secret Dave Roberts speed that we are all not aware of? I’ll bet its pretty even money in a footrace between the two, and JD doesnt need any practice or warm up games at the position – he’s already better there and not to mention a better leadoff hitter than Jeter. Yankees could do worse than ponying up for that fourth or fifth year to make Boras happy.
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Posted by: Brad-Sf | Tuesday, November 29, 2005 at 10:02 PM
All I’m saying is that I really don’t want Johnny Damon on my team. He’s a more over-rated player at this point in his career than Jeter and if they were both up for free-agency and Jeter would only sign as a Center Fielder (with no prior CF experience), I would pay more money and a longer contract to Jeter than to Damon.
Well, Walein, Jeter is signed to a $20M/year contract, and that isn’t getting renegotiated. So if the Yankees were to hypothetically move him to CF then the comparison is Jeter at $20M/year versus Damon at, say, $12-13M/year +/-. I don’t know why (in a pure "value vacuum", of course, which doesn’t exist) you’d ever choose Jeter; their isn’t that big a difference in their performance, at least statistically, to account for such a salary discrepancy. The Yankees finances make per annum salary a kind of non-factor, but you’d be far better served, as YF says, keeping the Jeter money in a position like shortstop rather than sticking it at center, whatever their performances might be. The market for high-production outfielders is just much deeper than for shortstops.
As silly as it sounds, the Yankees and Red Sox may be better off, from a pure dollar value standpoint, signing Milton Bradley rather than signing Damon. Of course, dollars are only part of the deal, for good reason.
