Catfish Hunter, Reggie Jackson, Joe Girardi, Scott Brosius, Johnny Damon - What do these players have in common? They all played for multiple teams in their careers, and for a small portion of that career (4 or 5 years), they played for the New York Yankees.
Hunter and Jackson starred for the Oakland A's in the 70's, and Jackson for the Angels in the 80's. But in the public consciousness, after winning World Series in New York in '77 and '78, they will always be Yankees.
Joe Girardi played for the Cubs, Rockies and Cardinals, but because of one World Series triple, is best remembered as a Yankee.
Scott Brosius was a nobody with the Oakland A's. For the Yankees, he was and always will be a 1998 World Series hero.
Johnny Damon, World Series hero for both the Boston Red Sox (2004) and New York Yankees (2009), and currently of the Detroit Tigers, turned down a waiver claim on Wednesday that would have sent him back to Boston for the 2010 stretch run. Why? Not because he was still upset about the Red Sox not signing him after the 2005 season. Not because he "loves Detroit" (as he keeps saying). And not because he's an "idiot".
It was because he had the chance on Wednesday to choose his legacy. He had the chance to choose whether he'd be best remembered as a Yankee or a Red Sox. He in effect was choosing what cap he'd wear on his Hall of Fame plaque (if he somehow hangs on for 3000 hits and gets in). And was there really any other choice?
As a former member of the Boston Red Sox, he's been booed mercilessly every time he's set foot in Fenway Park since 2005. He was a vital cog in the 2004 World Series winning team, the first in 86 years, yet the Red Sox fans forgot. They wore shirts that said "Looks like Jesus, throws like Mary, acts like Judas". Thanks for the memories, Johnny!
As a former member of the Yankees, Damon was cheered upon his return to Yankees Stadium, as all Yankee World Series heroes are. Even David Cone and David Wells, who pitched for the hated Red Sox in the twilight of their careers, were never booed just for wearing a different shirt.
Along with Jackson, Girardi, Brosius, Paul O'Neill, Tino Martinez, Hideki Matsui and dozens more recent World Series heroes, he will be welcomed back to the Yankee Stadium every year on Old Timer's Day to hear those cheers again and again for the rest of his life.
Would going back to the Red Sox have really tarnished his Yankee legacy that much? Probably not. It certainly didn't hurt Cone or Wells. But unlike Cone or Wells, being a Yankee had gotten into Damon's blood. It's like Andy Pettitte said back when he was a free agent. I'll play for anyone...but NOT the Red Sox.
I think the decision came down to this: Johnny Damon isn't just a former Yankee player. He IS a Yankee. And even if he never puts on the pinstripes again, he always will be.
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