Comments on: Indians part ways with .222-hitting Johnny Damon

By: bravo116

bravo116 — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 20:32:32 +0000

Goodbye Johnny. I’ll never forget the Grand Slam in game 7 of 2004 and the awesome at bat against Lidge in 2009 right before the 2 base steal.

By: latchbeam

latchbeam — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 15:18:17 +0000

They should have signed him before spring training… he would have been fine. He started playing a lot better after 30 days. Took him too long to shake the rust off. I hope he catches on somewhere else soon. He is a class act!

By: daisycutter1

daisycutter1 — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 13:55:06 +0000

And 2009.

By: takemytalentstosoutheuclid

takemytalentstosoutheuclid — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 12:31:02 +0000

Ummm. Yes, we have. blantoncollier’s point is that Lerner sold the team and perhaps there were bidders for the Browns that might want a baseball team.

By: turdfurgerson68

turdfurgerson68 — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 12:27:03 +0000

Sure, but your entire argument is moot if he reaches 3,000 hits; doesn’t matter if he was just ‘very good’.

3000 hits or more for Damon = HOF

2999 hits or less for Damon = No HOF

Its as simple as that

By: fuddpucker

fuddpucker — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 10:57:13 +0000

If I was Damon I’d get the best fitness coach around and start working out TOMORROW. I’d work my butt off for the next 5-6 months in an effort to get on another MLB team for 2013 and 2014.

If he can somehow manage to get those 231 hits he can get in that very, very exclusive club. He’s “only” 38 and has nothing to lose.

After all is said and done he can say he gave it his Hall..er..I mean, all.

By: dan1111

dan1111 — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 08:47:13 +0000

Rizzuto is a classic example of an undeserving Hall selection. He mainly got in because he played on great Yankees teams.

Murray, on the other hand, was so much better than Damon that there is no comparison. Not only did he amass 3255 hits, he also broke the 500 home run barrier. And he was not just a player who stuck around; he had a dominant peak as well. Damon’s best OPS+ ever was 118 (in a few different seasons). Murray averaged a 140 OPS+ over the first 14 seasons of his career.

It’s true that every player so far with 3000 hits has been elected. But that’s because everyone who has been able to get that many hits has been a truly outstanding player. If Damon reach that milestone, he would be the first good-but-not-great player to do so. It’s not clear how the voters would treat that situation.

By: dan1111

dan1111 — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 08:25:58 +0000

I like Damon, and he’s had a really good career. I don’t think he is hall-worthy, but it’s worth noting how great of an accomplishment his 2769 hits are. Here are all the people ahead of him in the hits list who are not already in the Hall of Fame:

Locks for the Hall: Derek Jeter, Ken Griffey Jr.

Excluded due to gambling: Pete Rose

Hall-worthy stats, steroids questions: Rafael Palmeiro, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez

Probable HOFers: Craig Biggio, Ivan Rodriguez

Hall of Very Good: Harold Baines, Omar Vizquel

So, only two men who got more hits than Damon did not have Hall of Fame quality careers, and even they have their supporters.

By: dan1111

dan1111 — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 08:04:52 +0000

That would be far more entertaining than the current incarnation. Don’t forget Wakefield and–yes, that’s right–Mark Bellhorn. Mirabelli? Not at first, save him for another heroic, police-escorted return.

By: nomoreseasontix

nomoreseasontix — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 02:30:26 +0000

The guy throws like a girl, for Gods sake.
How’d he get in the show in the first place?

By: turdfurgerson68

turdfurgerson68 — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 00:08:11 +0000

Lotta guys fit the description you mention..Rizzuto, Murray, etc.

Bottom line is that Damon is very close to 3,000 hits

3,000 hits = HOF

If he can somehow get 231 more hits he’s a HOF…end of story.

By: turdfurgerson68

turdfurgerson68 — Sat, 04 Aug 2012 00:04:53 +0000

its a fine line between a great career vs a HOF career…

In Damon’s case that fine line is 231 hits.

By: eldannyboy1

eldannyboy1 — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 22:37:48 +0000

Can u say dodgers

By: brewcrewfan54

brewcrewfan54 — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 21:58:35 +0000

Great career, not a Hall of Fame career.

By: bigharold

bigharold — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 21:49:05 +0000

Yeah but is there that much Bengay in New England?

By: mybrunoblog

mybrunoblog — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 21:38:33 +0000

Some give Damon the phone number of the Sugarland Skeeters.
All good things Johnny…..

By: butchhuskey

butchhuskey — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 21:15:19 +0000

When asked what A-Rod could have done that would have been worse than using steroids, Damon responded with,

“Um… Murder someone.”

And after injuring his hand as a Yankee, he said, “You don’t realize how much you use your hand”

Johnny Damon, you had a very good playing career, but I will always remember you for those brilliant quotes

By: churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged

churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 20:50:10 +0000

He shouldn’t even sniff the HoF. The best attribute of Damon’s was his longevity, as he played in 140+ games every year after his rookie year. He was never the best player on his team, never had a peak, let alone a great peak that HoFers should have. He’s the epitome of a compiler.

By: churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged

churchoftheperpetuallyoutraged — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 20:47:59 +0000

Have you watched the Browns in the last 10 years that Randy Lerner has owned them? Not exactly a model owner! Then he chooses Aston Villa in the Premier League over Arsenal, or even Fulham? Again, well done….

By: turdfurgerson68

turdfurgerson68 — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 20:40:08 +0000

I agree, Damon probably isn’t a HOF player.

But if he had made it to 3,000 he’s in 100%…as is every other player who has 3,000 hits not named Pete Rose.

300 wins…3,000 hits…500 (non steroid) Home Runs = Welcome to Cooperstown!

By: willclarkgameface

willclarkgameface — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 20:32:29 +0000

not his fault if he can’t latch on with a team. besides, if he does get there, people will talk about him like Blyleven and Rice, saying they just amassed their numbers only because they were able to stick around.

Damon isn’t a HoFer. He’s really good, but NOT WORTHY.

By: turdfurgerson68

turdfurgerson68 — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 20:29:11 +0000

I agree, but for Damon its a short walk (231 hits) away from Cooperstown.

Its like running a marathon and cramping up at mile 24…

By: sdelmonte

sdelmonte — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 20:23:54 +0000

Next stop, Hall of Very Good!

By: willclarkgameface

willclarkgameface — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 20:23:00 +0000

Ben Cherrington says, “Time to get the band back together. We’re bringing in Damon, Lowe, Varitek and Pedro out of retirement, and telling Millar to get that glove out of the closet.”

Jesus, that would be a better team than what the Red Sox currently have.

By: Glenn

Glenn — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 20:06:45 +0000

Thanks for 2004, Johnny.

By: blantoncollier

blantoncollier — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 20:06:12 +0000

Johnny Damon, Derrek Lowe, Grady Sizemore,Travis Haffner, Aaron Cunningham, Shelley Duncan, Jack Hannahan—thank you Larry Dolan for providing Tribe fans with a quality team made up of injured players, those past their prime and AAAA quality. I cant wait to see the investment you make next year to stay within your budget.

Larry–please find Randy Lerner’s phone number. Maybe he some of the guys that lost out on the Browns would be interested in buying the Tribe. Tribe fans deserve better.

By: henryd3rd

henryd3rd — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 19:57:17 +0000

Looks like the end of great career. Father Time is still undefeated

By: bigharold

bigharold — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 19:45:26 +0000

If he had a hard time getting a spot this year then this might be it for Damon.

He was a great personality for MLB. He played hard, was clutch in big moments and seemed to be liked by his teammates and opponents. Of course he threw like a girk but hey, .. he always gave it his best shot.

If this is it, .. From a Yankee fan that hated you when you you played with the RS but loved you as a Yankee, … Hail and Fare Well!!