Johnny Damon: How the Mighty Have Fallen
In the later innings of the Yankees’ 18 to 9 loss to the Angels manager Joe Torre pulled a couple of his starters in favor of bench players. Taking over at first in the eighth inning was Johnny Damon.
Yes, the same Johnny Damon that left Boston for the glamor of New York and, of course, 13 million dollars. Having lost his starting job in center field to Melky Cabrera, who by the way makes 432,400 dollars, Damon has become almost an after thought in the Yankee lineup, fighting for playing time (a little left field, a little first base, a little DH).
Yes, he’s had injuries, and maybe he’ll come back strong after an off season of recuperation. But with fan talk now centering around getting rid of the ex-idiot and rumors of the Yankee front office shopping him around before the trading deadline and almost certainly after the season, you have to believe nothing has turned out as he thought it expected.
As the cliche goes, the grass is not always greener on the other side. Even an idiot should know that.
Yankee Stadium and Curtain Calls
The Angels Garret Anderson set a club record with 10 RBIs against the Yankees and received a curtain call for his accomplishment. After the game Anderson commented:
“It’s nice when the fans appreciate you,” Anderson said. “I think it’s the first one I’ve had, and it was kind of a shock.”
A player with Anderson’s resume? One curtain call after 13 years? He should ask for a trade to New York. I have never seen a fan base so eager to give curtain calls. Last season in a game in May a bench player (can’t remember his name, he’s no longer with the team) hit a second inning home run against Boston and was summoned to the top step of the dugout. Yankee Stadium fans have made a mockery of the previously rare curtain call. As a Red Sox fan I try to remain objective when discussing the Yankees, but this is one complaint based in unbiased reality. A curtain call at Yankee Stadium is nearly meaningless.
