Damon: Why NY is better than Boston
by BTLove on May 5, 2009 3:39 PM EDT
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I saw this today on FanGraphs. It looks like Johnny Damon had a few things to say last night about the differences between the Red Sox and the Yankees organizations:
“I couldn’t believe that they were letting [Varitek] walk and try to find a team,” said Damon. “That’s the difference between New York and Boston. … If you’re a part of New York, they’re going to keep you there: (Jorge) Posada, (Derek) Jeter, Mariano (Rivera), it’s the first time in history guys have been on the same team for 15 years.
“It goes to show you something about how the Yankees think, and how many Yankees players have been exclusive with one team. They keep them forever,” Damon continued. “(The Red Sox) were ready to let (Varitek) go. He’s their starting catcher. That’s how the two teams work. You know his days are going to be numbered here. But hopefully not -- he deserves to be here until his career is over.”
Now I've been one of those guys who has kinda given Damon a free pass (same with all the guys on the 2004 WS roster), but we all gotta call BS on this one. The reason Damon didn't stay with the Red Sox was because the Yankees were able to offer more money. There is no such team out there that can outbid the Yankees for players. The reason Posada, Jeter and Mariano have all been there so long is because the Yankees offered each of them more money than any other team was able. Those three cost almost $50 million this year alone. Its not like guys are staying in NY for discounted prices. (Roger and Pettite fled the coop when given the chance.)
Not to mention that the Red Sox seem to have taken the perfect strategy for building a winning team. We have lowered our payroll in the last few years and made our team better at the same time. Basically, I think Damon resents that we won another WS without him. And even more likely, hes already lobbying for another contract from the MFY.
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He is not too bright.
Well, you might say the Yankees are better for the player, the Sox are better for the fan. What is he trying to say, loyalty should trump trying to make your team stronger? I’m fine with that if it is the Yankee’s planning concept.
According to Torre’s book, seems that Damon is not loved by his Yankee teammates. He also threw Wang under the bus for his terrible performance so far this year. He should just shut his trap.
Damon is a dumba$$. Always yapping & the Varitek thing had nothing to do with him. I am glad the Sox refuse to overpay for players in a walk year . Both teams overpay upfront though ( Drew, Lugo) /( Damon, Pavano, etc.).
I think Damon is trying to make a loyalty argument but it falls flat considering, and as you wrote, contract year for the freakin’ turncoat.
"You know," Girardi said, shrugging his shoulders, "it didn't work."
( Joe Girardi on pitching to Manny Ramirez with first base open)
It's also really easy to be loyal when you're grossly overpaid
It’s harder for a selfish player to be loyal when the team would rather spend its resources wisely on improving itself.
Johnny Who?
He was more interesting when he had longer hair.
And a soul.
Rock me, sexy Jesus...
by nuthinboutnuthin on May 5, 2009 5:29 PM EDT reply actions
More like Jeebus
Rock me, sexy Jesus...
by nuthinboutnuthin on May 5, 2009 5:43 PM EDT up reply actions
It's Ironic Because
Johnny Damon will be on his fourth team next season because he certainly won’t be a Yankee. This seems to be a bit of ass kissing. I think Johnny likes the comforts of the new stadium. However the writing is on the wall. No more Matsuii, no more Damon,……HELLO JASON BAY!!!!
However you are wrong about one thing. The Red Sox CAN AFFORD to spend as much as the Yankees they just choose not to. The Steinbrenner’s would go broke trying to win. For the Steinbrenner’s it’s more like a hobby. The Red Sox owners treat it like a buisness and nothing is wrong with that. That’s what it is, but don’t tell me the Sox can’t afford it because they can.
I see things you don't see.
Let's see how much the MFY spend going forward
New York could afford to outspend everyone because their club is valuable and Steinbrenner had no debt to pay off (he bought the team in the early 1970s for next to nothing. I believe it was around $10 million). The Sox cannot spend as much as the MFY because they have the smallest ballpark, and they’re still paying off the 2002 sale of the club (about $700 million).
Now the MFY have a new, partially empty, ballpark. Let’s see if that and the current economy cap their spending.
I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.
by Drugs Delaney on May 5, 2009 6:48 PM EDT up reply actions
The Sox are more than Fenway...
The Sox own 75% of NESN, which is a big reason why it cost $700 or so million to purchase them, (With the help of Bud Selig) Baseball is a quirky business, there is plenty of revenue but also a ghastly amount of overhead. The key is to meet payroll every year without the owner having to dip in his or her own pockets, as Walter Haas did with the A’s in the 1980s and 1990s..
I know Henry has been itching to buy out the NY Times share in Sox Ownership, (basically buying out their NESN stake) and he would probably want to buy the other 25% from the Bruins in NESN, because like YES, NESN is a cash machine..
The most lucrative clubs are the ones that own their own broadcasting network. The Lesser clubs has to get nickel and dime from FOX regional sport networks or other cable broadcasters.
If the Steinbrenners will go broke to win,
why are they trying to squeeze every penny out of their fans? Why did they knock down a beloved, classic stadium and put up a money-sucking, soul-less monstrosity? Why did they use questionable means to attain hundreds of millions of dollars from the people of NYC to build this thing? I’m pretty sure you know the answer…money! It is a business to them just like everybody else. They have bigger revenue streams than everybody else so they can afford to overpay their entire roster.
I espcially liked RJ's last paragraph:
What the Red Sox did with Varitek wasn’t cruel or disrespectful. They were looking to upgrade their roster by getting rid of a weak link. Plus, if anyone should appreciate such an approach, it should be Damon. Unless he’s forgotten how Boston’s bucking of tradition and decaying loyalty to Nomar Garciaparra played a role in the team’s 2004 World Series title and placed Damon on another plateau of popularity.
I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.
Jonny Damon is a fine one to talk about loyalty...
I agree with the author on basically giving JD a pass, to a point, but when the guy tries to make a crack about the lack of loyalty by the Red Sox, I lose any twinge of respect I’ve had for him. Was this a quote from HIM, or his vapid wife? The Red Sox is an organization that has a skilled GM, a loyal fanbase, excellent scouting, and a very good farm system. While it is easy to knock Theo for some missteps (Gagne comes to mind), all in all, he’s been sound in his decisions and he’s not risk adverse. He knew how much to offer JD, and in the end, the Yankees overpaid. The team won a Championship WITHOUT Damon, and, no doubt, this bothers JD on some level, because I think the man’s ego has a hard time grasping that he wasn’t the only reason the Sox won in ‘04. Were I studying psychology, I’d have a blast writing a paper on Jonny Damon. It is amazing to me that after these years with the Yankees, this is still in his field of vision. It must be some kind of guilt manifesting itself, but I’m sure he can cope with all the extra millions he made. I guess I don’t blame him, but after 3+ years, stop looking back already.
by MonsterShadow327 on May 6, 2009 1:31 AM EDT reply actions
WHAT?
Where was the loyalty to Bobby Abreu? how about low balling Pettit? He is a Knucklehead! Also, we better sign Bay or he will go to the Yankees.
the difference between a yankee stadium hot dog and a Fenway frank is that they dont sell yankee dogs in October anymore.
How about Aaron Boone?
Where was the loyalty to him when they used a technicality in his contract to cut his ass, creating an opening for Anabolic-Fraud.
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