Yankee Stadium's Misfits of Row X

Damon leaves as a Yankee Champion, after losing at Boras' game of chicken with Yankees

   

Over his 4 years with the Yankees Damon's yearly averages were roughly 20 HRs, 70 RBIs, 100R, .285 BA, and a .360 OBP.  Clearly, his 1st and 4th years were his biggest and best.  He definitely went out in style.

Standout stories:

-2006 -Johnny had a huge series at Boston in the 5 game sweep in August 2006. NYY went into that series up 1 game on Boston for the AL East Division. By the end of the first night there the Yanks had taken 2 games and had extended their division lead to 3 games. Johnny was DAMONIC, going 6 for 12 in the doubleheader, with 7 RBIs, 2 HR's and a triple. Over the next 2 games he would go 4 for 11 with  3 doubles contributing to the scoring.  Damon took the Red Sox completely out of that series on the first day and the Yankees never had to look back on the division.

Overall for the season, very strong introduction in first year as a Yankee:  .285, .359, 24HR, 80RBI, 115R

-2007 - Indecision about continuing career over the 2007 winter, and consequently coming into Spring training overweight, out of shape, and quite simply - fat.  Weight issues exacerbated already problematic legs and made him a drag on the offense, in his absence and his presence. Yankees weren't able to dig out of that whole and ended up 2 games behind the Red Sox for the Division Crown. Ended season at .270 with .351 OBP

-2008 Turned things around, possibly after incoming manager Girardi laid down the law about coming to camp ready to play.  Had a nice bounceback year, batting .303 with .375 OBP. Not enough to overcome weak Yankee pitching.

-2009 Playing for a contract had a very strong season, and switched in perfectly to the numer 2 spot in lineup behind Jeter.   .282BA, .375OBP, 24HR, 82RBI, 107R. But most especially proved the perfect compliment as lefty batting behind on base machine Jeter, and learning well how to take advantage of new stadium's homer friendly RF porch.

On May 17 against the Twins Damon got his pie. He belted a solo walkoff HR in the 10th inning to give the Yankees their 3rd straight walkoff win and a 3 game sweep of Minnesota.

    

-2009 World Series - Damon's GAME 4 PERFORMANCE was one for the ages and that alone will always warrant him a cheer from me when he returns to the stadium. That was one of the most exciting, heady, resilient, and "baseball" impressive sequences that I have ever seen.  From the 2 out, 9 pitch at bat vs a very confident at that point Brad Lidge, to his relentless headiness in stealing the second base, wow - that aint' a payroll play.   That one will stick with me.

The Damon/Boras camp insisted he was worth $13 million  per year for 3 plus. The Yankees countered with a rumored offer of 2 years for $16 mill. DamonBoras waited until the NYY advanced negotiations with Nick Johnson to lower their asking price to 2 for $20. By then it was too late. Boras and Damon laid an egg with their game of chicken.

I'm curious to see if he can find anyone else to even give him that deal, can't imagine who would fit that scenario.

I wish Damon was back. Out of Johnson, Matsui, and Damon, Johnny was the most appealing. It took him a while, and I scorned him for his apathetic 2007 while collecting $13million,  but he ended up being a key guy in getting us our 27th World Series. 

See you at Old Timer's Day down the road.

Matsui goes to Angels for 1 year, $6.5 million - Yankees had better have a plan

Hideki Matsui was a very, very good Yankee who had a spectacular finish.  Pictured (left) you can see him with his Rock Star hair holding up his 2009 World Series MVP award.

Matsui was at the subway world series in 2000. He decided he wanted to be a Yankee. He came here to be a Yankee and to win the World Series.  He did it, and he played the the game the right way. He understood how to win, and had a profound ability for slowing the game down  when other players allow it to rush by them.

Matsui was extremely well liked by the core Yankees, Jeter, Posada, Rivera. They recognized that he "got it" when it came to winning. This is a guy who was in tears apologizing to his teammates for breaking his wrist diving for a ball in the outfield. He apologized for not being able to contribute.

The Yankees chose not to pursue Matsui, and the Angels swooped in and grabbed him for one year at $6.5 million. A tremendous bargain. I understand the Yankees are considering Damon, if they can get him for just 2 years he'll cost around $20 million and 2 years. Had they signed Matsui that gives them an additional $14 million to play with.  Just as a side note, John Lackey was signed for slightly over $16 million per, and Matt Holliday has received an offer in the same neighborhood.

Heres hoping the Yankees have a plan - and no, its not a fait accompli that Brian Cashman has an intelligent one.  Especially considering that Posada will get more rest and DH more this year, Matsui could've been kept exceptionally fresh and maintained productivity.

This past season he batted .304 with runners in scoring position, almost 30% points above his regular batting average. He also knocked 28 home runs and drove in 90 runs.  Girardi allowed Matsui to flourish in 2009 by resting him and keeping him out of the outfield, and on strict DH and pinch hitting duty.  Maybe if Joe Torre had given Matsui a blow here and there instead of overpaying respect to his consecutive games streak he may have stayed fresher, longer.

Did Matsui have a little more left in the tank late in the year because his achy knees didn't bear the burden of playing the outfield for 50 plus innings per week?

For his career with the Yankees he batted .292 and had a penchant for big hits and big RBI's in big spots.

Aptly, everyone will remember him for his .615 batting average, on 8 for 13 with 3 homers and 8 RBI's in the Yanks 27th world series championship over the Phillies.  In the clinching game Hideki tied a single game world series mark with 6 RBI, and again showed Pedro Martinez who his Daddy is(see photo left).

Don't be surprised if he gets a big knock against the Yankees this year at the Stadium. I will stand and cheer for him when he comes to the plate, he deserves a standing o as a returning player.

Thanks Hideki, it was a pleasure.