Comments on: The Orioles are, obviously, interested in Johnny Damon

By: dowhatifeellike

dowhatifeellike — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:12:38 +0000

Enough with the has-beens, Angelos! Get someone young and hungry, not some big name who is slumping their way to retirement *cough* Sosa *cough* Guerrero *cough* Javy Lopez *cough* Kevin Millar *cough* Kevin Millwood

By: xmatt0926x

xmatt0926x — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:41:55 +0000

**also, he has over 400 stolen bases , I believe. That will help him.

By: xmatt0926x

xmatt0926x — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:40:06 +0000

A couple years ago I remember Damon himself semi-joked about what teams cap he would like to wear if he made the hall of fame. My jaw hit the floor and I thought this must be the most insanely warped human being of all time. Hall of fame?? Johnny Damon?? Then I checked his career #’s and my jaw hit the floor again. He had about 2500 hits at the time. I couldn’t believe this guy was going to get 3000 hits. He now really just needs 2 more decent seasons to get there. I’m still not sure he’s a hall of famer but he really did kind of sneak up there. I know 500 HR’s isn’t a magical HOF milestone anymore but is 3000 hits? That’s a lot of effin’ hits yet he just doesn’t have that HOF feel. I don’t know.

By: jwbiii

jwbiii — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:31:17 +0000

Damon’s bWAR is 51.6, here’s the +/- 5 group. Not much love from the writers, some the the VC. The pct column is the max BBWAA vote.

Joe Medwick LF 55.8 84.80% B 1968
Joe Kelley LF 55.5 0.40% V 1971
Enos Slaughter RF 54.1 68.90% V 1985
King Kelly RF 53.3 0.00% V 1945
Bob Johnson LF 53.2 0.50%
Minnie Minoso LF 52.8 21.10%
Harry Hooper RF 52.5 3.00% V 1971
Cesar Cedeno CF 52.2 0.50%
Jose Cruz LF 52.2 0.40%
Jimmy Sheckard LF 51.8 0.40%
Johnny Damon CF 51.6
Max Carey CF 50.6 51.10% V 1961
Chet Lemon CF 49.9 0.20%
Kiki Cuyler RF 49.6 33.80% V 1968
Hugh Duffy LF 49.6 33.00% V 1945
Brian Downing LF 49.4 0.40%
Vada Pinson CF 49.3 15.70%
Ellis Burks CF 47.9 0.40%
Larry Doby CF 47.4 3.40% V 1998
Fred Lynn CF 47.3 5.50%
Bernie Williams CF 47.3 9.60%
Sam Thompson RF 46.7 0.00% V 1974
Kirby Puckett CF 46.6 82.10% B 2001
Brett Butler CF 46.5 0.40%
Edd Roush CF 46.5 54.30% V 1962

By: WhenMattStairsIsKing

WhenMattStairsIsKing — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:36:09 +0000

Or none of that will happen and he’d have a decent 2012 in orange & black.

By: WhenMattStairsIsKing

WhenMattStairsIsKing — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:21:28 +0000

I asked him; generic is right.

By: DJ MC

DJ MC — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:21:04 +0000

Stringer and McNulty living together! Mass hysteria!

By: WhenMattStairsIsKing

WhenMattStairsIsKing — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:20:46 +0000

In a period where longetivity is now rare, that especially stands out.

His career total WAR is 46; does that compare with many HOF OF’s?

By: benandjerrysberryhorny

benandjerrysberryhorny — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:58:45 +0000

If the Orioles make this signing, Camden Yards will fall. The warehouse will crumble into a pile of fiery rubble. The field will crack straight down the middle and bursts of lava will spew a thousand feet high.

By: WhenMattStairsIsKing

WhenMattStairsIsKing — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:52:13 +0000

He needs to be with the O’s in 2012 and the Blue Jays in 2013. Then he would have been in all AL East uniforms!

By: randomdigits

randomdigits — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:13:30 +0000

I don’t pay attention to Heyman normally but when he is talking about a Boras client I pay even less attention.

By: paperlions

paperlions — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:04:13 +0000

Biggio played most of his career at premium defensive positions (catcher and 2B) and was more productive (117 wOBA+ compared to 108 for Damon) mostly due to better OBP…Biggio also played most of his career in the offense killing Astrodome….if you are a below average OF, you need to be far better than Damon was with the bat to offset the defensive value of a catcher/2B…and Damon was worse with the bat.

Biggio should be a 1st ballot HOF for being a top 12 2B all-time (still not nearly as good as Lou Whittaker though)…..Damon should drop off the ballot quickly for being a slightly above average player over the course of a long career.

By: crashdog

crashdog — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:30:52 +0000

Career stat line fairly similar to Biggio. Being very good for 20 years or so usually will get you the numbers necessary to get in. Agreed on Thome though

By: bozosforall

bozosforall — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:18:48 +0000

Looks like Johnny is trying to get his entire AL East “frequent customer” card punched before he retires.

By: trevorb06

trevorb06 — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:06:14 +0000

I don’t think he’s HOF material but I know if he got in I wouldn’t be one bit upset about it (mostly if he gets 3000 hits). But just keep in mind though if Damon gets in as a batter then somebody such as Jamie Moyer at least deserves some intelligent discussion about HOF. The main thing Damon has going for him is longevity. He was never ‘the best’ in a single season or time frame but he definately has stayed productive for a very long time and that deserves a lot of respect and recognition right there.

By: southcapitolstreet

southcapitolstreet — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:54:27 +0000

As in, “a lineup with Johnny Damon, Vladimir Guerrero, Derek Lee and Alfonso Soriano would be the Oriolest in baseball”

By: churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged

churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:38:46 +0000

It’s rather curious that the man is missing? Guess he likes to monkey around?

By: bmorefan4ever

bmorefan4ever — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:28:11 +0000

Not just No but he!! NO….

By: lembeck4

lembeck4 — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:26:57 +0000

That photo is priceless. I’m not sure if he’s about to fling his own poo or bang two cymbals together.

Where is the man in the yellow hat?

By: genericcommenter

genericcommenter — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:25:21 +0000

“Orioles” might be the adjective. As in an Orioles type of move.

By: bobwsc

bobwsc — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:22:48 +0000

are we playing Mad Libs here Craig? seems like an adjective is missing:

A Johnny Damon signing would be one of the most _____ Orioles moves in recent years. And now Jon Heyman reports that the Orioles “appear to have some interest” in him.

By: marshmallowsnake

marshmallowsnake — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:16:36 +0000

Not really a hall of famer….even if he gets to 3000 hits (much like people saying Thome was not when he got 500 – even though he was). Was he ever a dominant player? There were much better outfielders who cannot throw during his tenure.