Final thoughts on Damon...

Mainly for my own benifit I'm sure, I want to get down my final thoughts on Damon, and then, unless there is some blockbuster move like Manny getting traded or The Sox landing some ace pitcher, I don't want to hear about Baseball again till after the Superbowl in February.

1. The MFY overpaid for Damon. I wanted Damon back, but not at that price.

2. My primary annoyance with the whole transaction stems from The Red Sox tactic of late to wait till the last possible moment before signing a player. I don't understand this game they play. They are lucky it did not backfire on them with 'Tek last year. The Sox should have started the process on getting JD signed a long time ago. It should not have come to this.

3. Unlike some people, I am unfortunately unable to get past the loss of his bat at the top of the lineup, his speed in the outfield and on the bases, and his willingness to crash into all kinds of objects in order to make a catch.

4. Yes, he's got a weak arm. I know that. I think what I said in #3 makes up for it.

5. Saying, "Oh The Sox will just go find another center fielder to replace him," is like saying, "Oh The Sox will just go find another SS to replace Renteria," or "Oh, the Sox will just go find another pitcher to replace Pedro." Why don't The Sox just go find another GM to replace Theo too?

I was unable to break the news to my daughter. I started to tell her that I had bad news for her at dinner last night, but then I chickened out when she looked at me with those big hazel eyes. Instead of telling her that her favorite player was a Yankee, I told her that it was the shortest day of the year.

"That's ok Dad, it's almost Christmas right?"

6. I am not pissed at JD. How can I get mad at a guy for doing what I would do? Company A makes me an offer, Comapany B makes me a better offer, I'm going with company B. The idea of loyalty in the workplace is for the naive. There is no loyalty from companies to it's employees and there is no loyalty from employees to a company, unless you are one of those rare, lucky people who loves their job so much that it's not even work.

It hurts us to see these guys go to other teams, because we as fans are loyal to the team, but for the players, this is a job. Players do not sign oaths of loyalty along with their contracts.. Yeah, Johnny made statements about how he loved Boston and didn't want to leave. Yadda Yadda Yadda. I used to tell my old boss at my old job that things were fine whenever he asked how things were going. Then I went home and worked on my resume...

7. It seemed to me that JD actually did want to come back to Boston. Too bad the Sox management did not get the deal done when the opportunity was there. Instead they waited around and Johnny got a better offer. End of story.

8. Seeing JD in pinstripes is gonna be weird, but if people boo him at Fenway, well that's just lame.

9. I remember after the Sox won the Series, there was Johnny Damon graffiti showing up all over NYC and he was getting called Johnny Fucking Damon by MFY fans. Johnny Damon now is a Yankee. Surreal.