Moving Sale (Soul Pending)

Breaking news on Tuesday night tabbed former Red Sox center- fielder Johnny Damon as the newest member of the New York Yankees. At first I thought Say it Ain't So would have made a good name for this article, but then I saw the numbers for the deal. Damon has reportedly agreed to a 4 year, $52 million deal with the Yankees, as opposed to the 4 years and $40 million that the Red Sox offered, and now I think that Good Riddance Benedict Arnold might have been the ideal title.

Now, let's straighten something out, as common folk. And I use the words common folk in the nicest way possible because I highly doubt the likes of Bill Gates and Tiger Woods read what I write. It IS about the money. It's probably also about sticking it to the Red Sox a little bit too. Ok, a lot. But it's really about the money. I swear. Remember back to the days before everyone realized what a prissy prima donna A-rod was? When he first signed that outrageous $252 million deal with the Rangers. And then he was introduced as a Ranger in a press conference and his first line was "the first thing that I want to say is that it's not about the money." Yeah, he was lying.

Now, you might be wondering to yourself, if I were already a millionare, what could I possibly do with another $52 million that I couldn't do with $40 million? Probably not a whole lot. But let us not forget pride and ego here as well. To an athlete that makes millions, being able to say that they make $13 million a year as opposed to $10 million is like one of us telling our friends that we make $120k a year instead of $70k. Both comfortable livings in their own right, but one sounds nicer, and also accrues more interest. Putting yourself in Johnny Damon's shoes from a financial standpoint is like comparing apples to oranges, it is not going to work, and it isn't worth the headache. We don't know what its like to decide between million dollar contracts, and he doesn't remember what its like to have to mortgage a house, instead of buying it outright, so don't even try.

Honestly though, the toughest part in this deal is not the fact that he's going to the Evil Empire. Does it add salt to the wound? Yeah I guess so. But strangely enough, that is not my issue with Damon signing in New York. It's the fact that Johnny Damon will no longer be able to be Johnny Damon. The long locks will no longer flow. And naked pull-ups in the locker room probably won't fly anymore either.

For the original "idiot" of the Red Sox and the the "rock star" of the team, with his wavy locks, which also garnered him nicknames like "Jesus," those Yankee pinstripes might end up feeling more like prison stripes to him. But then, that's probably what it feels like when you sell your soul to the devil. And this is officially what it feels like when you're amongst a sell out. Damon released a book entitled Idiot! before the last season. In it he describes how he used to train for the season by running after cars that drove through his neighborhood and seeing how long he could keep up with them. Now, I never read the book, but I'm sure it also mentioned how he was the one that kept the clubhouse loose, and how he was the fun one. Well Mr. Damon, I'm sorry to say that there is no fun allowed in New York. If you thought fans in Boston were demanding, wait until that first losing streak in the Bronx.

Wait until you're battling for the spotlight in NYC. When Damon first came to Boston he came here because he could be noticed. He said in so many interviews that he liked the idea of being a star, he wanted to be in the spotlight. Which ended up being fine. Before parting ways we found out how Nomar really felt about the media. We know Manny wants nothing to do with it. And though he seems so in control on the field, the rock behind the plate would just assume stay out of the media. And it's not as if Curt relishes the media more than everyone, he simply embraces it, he loves being opinionated, and thats fine, as long as you realize that you don't have to follow everything he says. The only person in Boston that Damon really had to fight for limelight with what the charismatic David Ortiz. In New York however, there are a few people that Yankee fans like to call Jeter, A-rod, Shef, Mo, Giambi etc. The point is that Damon will soon realize that he is far from the top of the totem pole in NY.

How do you separate yourself in NY? It's going to be hard winning fans over by making weak throws from the cavernous depths of centerfield at Yankee Stadium. It's probably not the easiest thing to make a mark when you're no longer one of the top three hitters on your team, in fact, Damon might not even be in the top five in the Yankee lineup (unless we exclude guys on steroids).

The problem is that the fans in Boston loved Damon for who he made them believe he was. They loved him for the rock star they believed he was. They loved him for being the Jesus reincarnate when he hit two homers and drove in six in game seven of the 2004 ALCS. They loved him for shaving his beard for charity, and they loved him for being an idiot. And then someone blew the marketing scheme and allowed him to talk.

Immediately following the season ending loss to the White Sox this past October Damon said, "You need someone who can put people in the seats and I'm the kind of guy who can do that. I'm looking for five plus. I'm looking for a lot. For what I bring to the table night in and night out. We know how good Manny and David are, but I also help make them look real good. They make me look real good." This is immediately following the team's elimination and the only thing you could think about was...you? I can't say I didn't see Damon leaving the Sox this offseason. I just didn't think he'd be selling out and going to the Yankees. I guess I actually believed him when he said "I could never play for the Yankees" before the start of the '05 season. I guess I was the idiot for believing that one.

It hasn't taken Damon long to start drinking the New York Kool-Aid either. Right after the story broke, Damon had this to say to Boston media, "We're going to be tough to beat...Our policy with the Yankees is to go out there and win...Our job is to try to win another American League East title and hopefully we can go back to the World Series and bring another championship." The truth is, Damon does make them tough to beat. But seeing Damon sell out is even tougher to swallow. After Damon was asked if he'd cut his hair and beard he replied, "Without a doubt. Mr. Steinbrenner has a policy and I'm going to stick to it." So let me get this right, you were an idiot, you were a crazy clubhouse guy and supposed great teammate. And you cowboyed right up with Kevin Millar in '03, but you wouldn't shave you head then, when everyone else on the team did. Everyone else on the team shaved their head, as a team building thing, and you wouldn't do it because you said "I have to still look good for the ladies." But Mr. Steinbrenner has his no personalities allowed rule, and you're going to stick to it now. No more beard. No more hair. No more caveman. No more rock star. For all intents and purposes, no more Johnny Damon. Nobody is above selling out, everyone has their price, and apparently Johnny Damon's is $12 million.