His departure from Boston was nothing if not acrimonious. Fans felt betrayed by the goofy center fielder, who wasn't really known for his cannon of an arm but could always be counted on for a solid year at the plate as well as some character-building antics behind the scenes. Damon was one of the poster boys of the Idiots in 2004, joining Pedro Martinez, Manny Ramirez and Kevin Millar as the faces of that particular movement.
That year, Damon also became one of the poster boys of the first Red Sox team to win a World Series since 1918. He finished the regular season with a .304 average, 20 home runs and 94 RBIs. He also registered one notable plate appearance in Game 7 of the ALCS against New York, officially putting the game out of the pinstripes' reach with a fourth-inning home run to put Boston on top 8-1. He finished the ALCS with a .171 average, and that long ball helped Red Sox Nation breathe a sigh of relief. Its leadoff man was back — but not for long.
After one more season, he'd never return to Fenway Park again in a Red Sox uniform.
For all the fans who were shocked that Damon would leave the Red Sox for their most bitter rival, there were just as many fans who were completely unsurprised that Damon would go to the highest bidder, personal loyalties not withstanding. That's part of the business of baseball, and when someone offers you $52 million over four years, you take it — even if it's coming from the team you've spent a huge chunk of your professional career hating.
According to Damon, the Red Sox didn't match George Steinbrenner's offer, and that's all it came down to. It was a business decision, not a personal one.
"Sad to say bye to some of the greatest fans in the world. Unfortunately, they had to see this day, but it's time for me to move forward," Damon told WBZ after signing with New York in December of 2005. "[The Yankees] were coming after me aggressively. We know George Steinbrenner's reputation."
When Damon returned to Fenway Park in pinstripes on Monday, May 1, 2006, fans gave him the welcome they thought he deserved. But over the course of the next four seasons, the Fenway Faithful got used to it. The former Boston fan favorite was every bit as successful with the Yankees as he was with the Red Sox. In four years in Beantown, Damon hit .295 with 56 homers, 299 RBIs and a .362 on-base percentage, and in four years in pinstripes, the older version hit .285 with 77 bombs, 296 RBIs and a .363 OBP.
While the sting of Damon's departure was assuaged by a world championship in 2007 — and by a young and upcoming prospect named Jacoby Ellsbury — the Nation's collective Band-Aid came off when Damon got his own World Series victory with New York last season. Seeing Damon win it all while wearing enemy colors was the worst it could get, and now that he's in Detroit, it's all over. The center fielder signed with the Tigers for one year and $8 million after the Yanks allegedly lowballed him during the 2010 offseason.
On Friday evening, Boston will get its first look at Damon as a part of Jim Leyland's club — but will it sting more than seeing him with New York, less or not at all? Now that he's no longer wearing Boston's least-favorite uniform, can he be forgiven for leaving the Red Sox in the first place?
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May 12: Should AL pitchers be required to hit in NL parks during interleague play?
