Johnny Damon decides to stay with Detroit Tigers

**torbusto** · August-24-10, 04:07 PM

Johnny Damon placed on waivers by the Tigers and picked up by the Boston Red Sox decides to stay put in Detroit. Great news, just hope the Tigers sign him for next year as well

http://www.freep.com/article/2010082...I-love-Detroit

**kenp** · August-24-10, 04:14 PM

He was put in a tough spot. He is considered a traitor to the Red Sox and if he went back he would be a traitor to the Yankees.
We didnt benefit at all. He was placed on waivers so we could trade him and get a prospect then we could have re-signed him for next year.
He would have gone to Tampa or NY if they had the chance, but those clever Sox nixed it.

**torbusto** · August-24-10, 04:17 PM

good points
I'd hope he did it because he loves the city so much ;-)

**401don** · August-24-10, 04:32 PM

Why would we want Damon back next year? He's a weak armed .270 hitter with little power who's on the decline. Giving him 8 million instead of offering Polanco arbitration never did make any sense.

**Ray1936** · August-24-10, 07:44 PM

I dunno, he seems to be a good spark plug for the team, always talking it up in the dugout and gives 100% all the time. I just like the guy.

[[Yes, I watch just about every Tiger game out here in my hot desert, thanks to the MLB package I buy every year. Life is good!)

**401don** · August-24-10, 09:02 PM

Ray,
I like Damon a lot too. In fact, I never knew what a great guy he was until watching him every day this year. [[ I just figured he must be a phony because he played for the Red Sox and Yankees). In the good old days of the '70's he would be the veteran guy you have on the bench because of his atitude, ability to mentor younger players, etc.
Nowadays, his agent demands he still get paid like a starter and teams carry 12-13 pitchers so you can't afford a guy like Damon for the money or the roster spot.

**fryar** · August-24-10, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

I just figured he must be a phony because he played for the Red Sox and Yankees.

That, and didn't his wife bitch up a storm about Metro Detroit upon initially moving here? Maybe she was new in town and homesick [[and spoiled), but it's worth mentioning in this context.

**mallory** · August-25-10, 07:38 AM

Oh please! Swing the bat a few times, sport the Olde English "D" and sit in the dugout checking out the women in the stands. Tigers aren't going anywhere, so he's got a job until October with no pressure. Nice! I agree with 401Don, they paid too much for little production.

**GOAT** · August-25-10, 08:30 AM

I think Kenp is about right. Plus the fact that the money isn't bad for a mediocre player on a good day.
Personally I think he should have got the boot. This is just another fuckup by the idiot known as Dumbrowski.
Has Ilitch become the new drunk Ford of baseball? How do you keep a fool like Dombrowski?

**East Detroit** · August-25-10, 06:58 PM

Originally Posted by GOAT

This is just another fuckup by the idiot known as Dumbrowski.

Thanks for bolding that so we could admire the quality of the creativity that goes with name calling.

**ggores** · August-25-10, 09:11 PM

Wait a second. Wait just one second here.

First of all, the Tigers put him on waivers, which basically means they were throwing him out there like yesterday's catfish. If he had so much passion for The Tiger's, he would have taken the bait, been playing on a competetive team come late September, and perhaps maybe even been signed back in 2011.

Yeah, right.

Here's my take on his sooooo sentimental talk:

Uggggghhh... yes, you are a star here in Detroit. A big, ageing, has-been, won-a-championship-ring kind of guy. Oh, plus you sport a cool mohawk.

Ya know what? I've seen his mug since 2004 and that aint no friggin' mohawk.

Ah, but, if I were being paid eight million bucks to work for half a year, yeah, sure, I would love ya'll.

Damon was put out to pasure and ended up on Dombrowski's payroll.

"Yeas, I love Detroit and I want to stay here. They pay me goobs of money and because I lit it up in New York and Boston and sported a mowhawk do, Detroiter's think I am the shitz. So, therefore, I will stay."

No Mr. Damon. You are a punk spoiled brat who hails from somewhere's in Florida. Yes, you had a good stick, you catch decently, you know the game and there is no doubt about your baseball knowledge. However... ummmm... when you got Cabrerra batting behind you, and you completely tank out on a low-ball count...

Really Detroiter's, shouldn't the expectations be raised? Just a little bit? I'd take a 1983 year Steve Kemp over this, this, Johnny Damon any day.

Detroit. What a soft city, accepting mediocrity at every turn.

Accepting mediocrity should not be an option ladie's and gentlemen.

**cloud_wall** · August-25-10, 11:05 PM

Uh, ggores, that's the edited version?

Damon has probably been a bit overpaid this year. But batting average is a virtually meaningless statistic. His on base percentage is .361, nearly a hundred points higher than his batting average, and the number that really matters. His HRs and RBI are down, but he's still scoring lots of runs on a team that has fallen off the face of the earth offensively, and he's still getting extra base hits -- just not HRs.

His claimed love for Detroit is self-serving only in that he would like to be back here next year. If they wanted to get rid of him that badly, they would cut him outright -- rather than waivers -- and someone else would pick up the 1.7 million or so left on the contract. But that's not been done. So I don't know why we'd blame him just for saying some nice things about the area and electing to stay here when he could be playing for a contender. He loves his teammates, and he claims to love the area. Plus, he's a better performer than whoever we'd have in his place. I am happy to applaud his decision.

**ct_alum** · August-26-10, 03:47 PM

Only in Detroit does a guy who stays here instead of going somewhere else [[and actually says he likes it here) gets hammered. What a bunch of losers!

**GOAT** · August-27-10, 04:24 PM

BS CT_alum, he likes it here because he is getting paid and is a bit of a somebody. He sure as shit couldn't go back to NY or Boston now could he? The fans would kill him. Besides he doesn't live in Detroit proper so what benefit is it to the city? He sure isn't a benefit to the Tigers.

**ggores** · August-27-10, 05:17 PM

Originally Posted by cloud_wall

Uh, ggores, that's the edited version?

His HRs and RBI are down, but he's still scoring lots of runs on a team that has fallen off the face of the earth offensively, and he's still getting extra base hits -- just not HRs.

Plus, he's a better performer than whoever we'd have in his place. I am happy to applaud his decision.

That's kinda my point. Going into the season, granted, he offered a glimmer of hope on an otherwise pocked line-up, and I think his acquisition was to ensure that the Tigers didn't fall off the face of the earth within the first 45 games.

Now... this debate is getting to the point to where it should really be over in the sports section. I digress.

As for relevancy to Detroit, yes, it did, for once... for ONCE... give Detroit some positive press throughout the media world. And the way things been going... I guess that, in itself, is worth 8 million box. :-)

Far as "editing"... not sure what that reference's, but I do like to at least make sure words is spelt right. Even if they wrong.

**spiritofdetroit** · August-27-10, 08:49 PM

Goat,

Advantage to the city? That overloaded contract is $$ to the city in the form of the Detroit Income Tax

That said, I'm glad he stayed. Yes - we overpaid for him - but he did drive some hope after he signed, leading to some extra tickets sold. I'd like him back next year - especially with all these youngsters, but at about half the price. And the Tigers now can use his words against him to secure him at a lower price. Not bad.