Hmm, CHB, geez, I don't know . . . maybe its because of the way you folks in the media, and many fans, treated Damon after he left? after the Sox dithered for weeks on whether they actually wanted to re-sign him or not, and then offered him less money than the team he signed with?
A lot of the reaction I heard this morning was, "Good, the traitor isn't coming back". I think that explains things very clearly.
He expressed concern over playing time, which makes the decision possibly make sense for three reasons:
a) he really does just want to play
b) more PT means, perhaps, more value on the FA market this offseason
c) At 2500+ hits, he is within shouting distance of 3000, but at this stage, every hit is important. 25 more hist this season and three more years in the league might get him there*
*Lets say JD manages to hang on and barely make 3000 hits. Questions: Will he be the worst player to get 3000 hits (and that is no insult)? Will he be the first to get 3000 hits and not make the HoF?
[3] Well, that depends on who is already the "worst player" with 3000 hits. No offense to him - someone has to be it - but I think its probably Lou Brock. He has 37.2 career WARP (and WAR, per b-r.com), versus 46.9 WARP for Damon (48 WAR per b-r.com). So I'd say no, Damon would not be the worst player to have 3000 hits.
Given his notoriety with both the Sox and Yanks, the big hitting streaks he had with KC, plus the 3000 hits (and the media mostly loves him), I think he'd probably eventually make it in. But without 3000 hits? No way.
[4] Interesting re: Brock v. Damon. And I agree with you assessment of his HoF chances. The real test case would have Harold Baines, had he been able to squeeze out 3000 hits. On the one hand, 3000 hits. On the other hand, he was more or less a full time DH, and not even a particularly great one at that.
HoF voters seem to be adjusting to the inflated HR totals of this era (is 500 the new 400?), and they also seem *slowly* to be coming to grips with lower career wins totals for pitchers (is 200 or 250 the new 300?). I wonder when or if 3000 hits will cease to have the same cache, given the potential longevity of modern athletes' careers.
Boy, I gotta say the Yankee fan in me LOVES that Johnny gave the big FU to the boys in Boston. Take that, Boy Genius Mr. Gorilla Suit, heh heh heh. Evil Empire, indeed.
Sorry. I know it's childish, but I can't help myself. This puts a big smile on my face.
Shaughnessy is such a moron. My favorite part is where he writes that Damon's 2009 production was "better than the sorry numbers posted by J.D. ($14 million per year) Drew." Hm, Drew got on base more, slugged higher, and hit the same number of home runs (in a park considerably less friendly to lefties). His OPS was .914 last year. You bozo.
Hmm, CHB, geez, I don't know . . . maybe its because of the way you folks in the media, and many fans, treated Damon
after he left?after the Sox dithered for weeks on whether they actually wanted to re-sign him or not, and then offered him less money than the team he signed with?A lot of the reaction I heard this morning was, "Good, the traitor isn't coming back". I think that explains things very clearly.
Hell, if I knew Dan was still in town I wouldn't want to go back to Boston either.
He expressed concern over playing time, which makes the decision possibly make sense for three reasons:
a) he really does just want to play
b) more PT means, perhaps, more value on the FA market this offseason
c) At 2500+ hits, he is within shouting distance of 3000, but at this stage, every hit is important. 25 more hist this season and three more years in the league might get him there*
*Lets say JD manages to hang on and barely make 3000 hits. Questions: Will he be the worst player to get 3000 hits (and that is no insult)? Will he be the first to get 3000 hits and not make the HoF?
[3] Well, that depends on who is already the "worst player" with 3000 hits. No offense to him - someone has to be it - but I think its probably Lou Brock. He has 37.2 career WARP (and WAR, per b-r.com), versus 46.9 WARP for Damon (48 WAR per b-r.com). So I'd say no, Damon would not be the worst player to have 3000 hits.
Given his notoriety with both the Sox and Yanks, the big hitting streaks he had with KC, plus the 3000 hits (and the media mostly loves him), I think he'd probably eventually make it in. But without 3000 hits? No way.
[4] Interesting re: Brock v. Damon. And I agree with you assessment of his HoF chances. The real test case would have Harold Baines, had he been able to squeeze out 3000 hits. On the one hand, 3000 hits. On the other hand, he was more or less a full time DH, and not even a particularly great one at that.
HoF voters seem to be adjusting to the inflated HR totals of this era (is 500 the new 400?), and they also seem *slowly* to be coming to grips with lower career wins totals for pitchers (is 200 or 250 the new 300?). I wonder when or if 3000 hits will cease to have the same cache, given the potential longevity of modern athletes' careers.
oh f the chb.
howah could unneybody not wahnt to play for owah red sox?
i could see wanting to stay put, play some low pressure baseball, try to put up some numbers, and not jump back into that shitstorm.
Boy, I gotta say the Yankee fan in me LOVES that Johnny gave the big FU to the boys in Boston. Take that, Boy Genius Mr. Gorilla Suit, heh heh heh. Evil Empire, indeed.
Sorry. I know it's childish, but I can't help myself. This puts a big smile on my face.
Shaughnessy is such a moron. My favorite part is where he writes that Damon's 2009 production was "better than the sorry numbers posted by J.D. ($14 million per year) Drew." Hm, Drew got on base more, slugged higher, and hit the same number of home runs (in a park considerably less friendly to lefties). His OPS was .914 last year. You bozo.
gosh. the logic flow in the article is just atrocious.
[7] i'm with you.