2009 World Series Champion Johnny Damon should have just taken the Yankees offer of a $14 million two-year contract. He is sliding into his fifteenth season in the major leagues. He has made millions and millions over the years and has played on two World Series Championship teams within the last five years.
My feelings of Damon have gone from hate to likeness to disappointment through the years. First of all, I was assigned to write a "hate poem" in high school about something I really can't stand. I chose to write about Damon. As an avid Yankees fan, I already disliked him as he played for the rival team, Red Sox, from 2002-2005. His lead-off doubles and disgusting appearance really urked me. In my poem I compared him to a caveman, poking fun at his shoulder-length hair-do and overgrown facial hair. On top of his unappealing appearance, he was on the Sox in 2004, a year I have promised to completely erase from my memory.
Then, when the Yankees signed him in 2006, the hair was gone and the hate also had to leave. I wasn't a huge fan but if his newly clean-cut self could help my team win ball games, I wasn't going to complain. I grew to tolerate him and forget how he was in the past. But now I'm perturbed again. Mr. Steinbrenner offers you a $14 million two-year contract, then a $6 million one year contract, obviously showing they want to keep him a Yankee and he has denied. First, of all you may not be worth close to that anymore. Sure, you put up decent numbers last season and great numbers in the World Series (thank you) but let's get serious...you are 36 years old, which is like 55 years old for a baseball player and my grandma has a better arm than you. Mr. Damon you should have taken the deal and happily ran through the Bronx with it.
His absence to the lineup has urged the Yankees to sign names like Granderson, Thames, and Winn for outfield positions. Which is fine but I want my two favorite players (Swisher and Gardner) to own everyday outfield positions. Now signing a plethora of other outfielders may hinder my hopes. If Damon had just stayed with the Yanks, we may not have signed so many other outfielders, or maybe just Granderson.
I wish players would play for the love of the game and their devoted fans, instead of worrying about their contracts. They are already being paid ridiculous amounts and are becoming rather greedy. I think the amount was generous considering Damon's age and fielding. I don't consider him a "real yankee" and don't understand why he wouldn't want to stay with a team he has been playing with for the past few years and just won a national championship with! Thank God we signed a one-year-contract with one of my old Yankee favorites, Nick Johnson as the designated hitter, to make up for the loss of Melky Cabrera and Johnny Damon.
