Its very interesting that Johnny Damon turned down a trade to the Red Sox from the Detroit Tigers.  While its hopeful to think that the Red Sox are any more in the race for the playoffs than the Tigers- the Tigers are most definitely not winning the Central- it does seem like he is going to miss some fun in playing meaningful games in September.

Dan Shaughnessy writes beautifully about the wonderful things Damon did for Boston when he was a member of the Red Sox.  He includes a near death experience running into Damian Jackson,  that left him unconscious on the field for several minutes in the 2003 ALDS.  Damon played hard for the Red Sox, even though he went to their hated rival- he did it for significantly more money, not just a couple of dollars, as Shaugnessy points out.    Perhaps it was the booing from those Red Sox fans on his return in pinstripes.  Perhaps it was something that was said to him when he was offered that $40 million for 4 years contract by the Sox management.  Did they really think Coco Crisp was the same player or better than Damon?

One thing is for sure, Damon’s story about why he is staying in Detroit is not the entire story.  While I have no doubt Damon is a loyal guy, the Tigers do not have much chance of making a run in the Central.  Though Justin Morneau being out makes the Twins weaker, the Tigers are missing a few key bats as well.  Magglio Ordonez has gone through season ending surgery. The funny thing is, if Damon really wanted to help the Tigers he would have gone to Boston.  The $1.8 million left on his contract could have helped the Tigers, and hurt the Red Sox, if only a tiny bit.

Shaughnessy gets it wrong when he writes that Damon will have to live in boarded up downtown Detroit rather than return to the Boston.  Damon is not living downtown.  There are beautiful suburbs in Detroit that match just about anything that Boston has to offer in terms of luxury.

This is a curious one though.  If he went to Boston he could have helped them, won back so many fans, and then left them come October to return to any other team of his choosing.  Damon didn’t do that.  And I, like Shaughnessy, wonder if we will ever know why.