There’s a ton of propaganda regarding Johnny Damon, and it’s tough to tell if any of it is legit (apparently Damon’s better than Rickey Henderson). Damon’s agent, Scott Boras, says that there are at least four teams interested in his client. And I’d guess at least four teams are going over the specs and contemplating making a move. But there surely aren’t four teams out there who could afford Damon and would make a good fit.
Word is that the Red Sox really need Johnny Damon. That they should step up and give Damon a huge contract because of what he has brought to the lineup the past four years in Boston. In fact, by most statistical analysis, Damon is clearly one of the better leadoff hitters in baseball. Plus he plays hurt and wants to play every day. It’s no doubt that a lot of teams would want this guy, and the Red Sox may even need him to keep up with their recent success.
But none of this should suggest that Damon doesn’t need the Red Sox as well. He’s a very good player, but if he leaves what he’s got in Boston he may regret it. Damon is one of the most popular players in the city, with throngs of fans following his every move. He put out a book last year. He’s got wicked endorsements. He’s one of the cornerstone players that led the Sox to their 2004 World Series. And his wife had a show on NESN, the Red Sox television network. Plus Johnny seems to enjoy this attention. Who else can offer all that?
New York is the media capital of the USA, but he’s not going to be a Met and if he signs with the Yankees he’ll just be another hired gun. Plus the love he’s got in Boston will turn to hate before you can say, “Yankees suck.” LA is a big city, but the West Coast typically doesn’t have quite the level of fanaticism with their sports as the East. Baltimore is a nice city, but their fans have often been out-numbered by the Sox and Yankee contingents at Camden Yards.
The reality of it is that Damon needs the Red Sox as much as the Sox need him. If he left the team for another, he’d be nearly back to square one before the endorsements come rolling in. He’d be a guy who won a ring with another team, not for the hometown one. Johnny would have to start fresh elsewhere and try to build his little empire again. His wife would have to look for different work (unless Damon convinced the Yankees to let her have a show on YES).
Rumors keep flying in though: Damon doesn’t feel comfortable with the Red Sox front office situation. He’s disappointed that guys like Bill Mueller and Kevin Millar weren’t brought back. George Steinbrenner is going to get personally involved. Joe Torre is burning up the phone lines to recruit Damon.
Keep ‘em coming, Boras. You’ll need every little advantage you can get to distract people from how much more value your client has with the Red Sox than with anybody else. He’s a rock star in Boston; he’s an opening act anywhere else. This is not to say that he won’t sign elsewhere and leave the Sox. But rest assured that he’ll regret it just as much as the Sox will.