May 29, 2007
IT'S A LOT HARDER GAME WHEN YOU GO OFF THE JUICE:
Mr. 3,000?: Hitters with the best shot at joining the exclusive club (Tom Verducci, May 29, 2007, Sports Illustrated)
On the cusp of 2,000 hits this week at age 33, and having cranked out at least 165 hits for nine consecutive seasons, Johnny Damon would seem to have 3,000 hits in his long-term sights. Indeed, the Bill James Handbook projects Damon to a career total of 2,922. (Only one player in the stat-savvy modern era ever exceeded 2,900 hits and didn't continue to 3,000: Frank Robinson at 2,943.)But when I asked the Yankees center fielder if the occasion of his 2,000th hit brought to mind the possibility of 3,000, Damon gave me an answer that might surprise you -- or not if you've watched him struggle somberly through this season.
"I don't know," he said. "I'll enjoy this, and then we'll see what happens. You're talking about six more productive years, maybe five if I finish this year strong. Five [more] very productive years with 180 hits or so.
"It's not out of the question, but right now I don't know if this is what I want to be doing when I'm 37, 38, 39 -- playing baseball. I don't know about that."
Who could have predicted that Damon, the chief Idiot of the frenetic Red Sox teams and the rabble rouser last season of the otherwise placid Yankees clubhouse, would lose his mojo suddenly at 33?
The Red Sox, who let him walk? Posted by Orrin Judd at May 29, 2007 1:05 PM
I wonder if Ichiro gets to 3000 hits and how many would he have had his first 8 years been here?
Posted by: Benny at May 29, 2007 6:11 PMThe Globe has a nice feature on all the Red Sox players who left: http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/gallery/05_28_07_the_departed/. The Sox are well rid of all the older players. The only player I really regret losing is Hanley Ramirez, but we got Beckett for him, which is a pretty fair trade.
I doubt Damon was juiced. I think he is just one of those play hard types who starts to break down after a while. The Sox have certainly let good players go but the recent trend of departed players breaking down early in their multiyear deals with other teams (Martinez, Damon) shows they may be getter better at it.
Posted by: AWW at May 29, 2007 8:07 PMThey "let" him go?
No, they tried to resign him, for a lot of money.
He chose the Yankees, who admittedly stupidly offered him 4 years rather than, iirc, the 3 years the Sawx offered.
Posted by: Jim in Chicago at May 29, 2007 8:53 PMYes, the Sox low-balled him. Even he said at the time that the Sox didn't really make an effort.
Posted by: oj at May 30, 2007 6:37 AMAlas, the Red Sox may not have Brian Cashman to help them many years longer.
Posted by: pj at May 30, 2007 6:51 AMI don't really like the Yankees but Stray-Rod will get 3,000 hits and Jeter will get 3,000 hits. I don't think Vlad G will get it because he gets hurt too often. I think Albert P will get it (if he stays healthy - he has to lose weight) but I think he is a lot older than he claims.
Posted by: pchuck at May 30, 2007 9:48 AMAs long as they don't bring back the Stick, who was the only GM they've had with a clue.
Posted by: oj at May 30, 2007 11:42 AM