When Grady Sizemore went on the 60 day DL for the Cleveland Indians this year, they knew they would have to find sometime to fill in the hole at center field. When the Indians began the season 1-4, they went out and signed the 38 year old veteran Johnny Damon in hopes to help spark the offense.Last season Damon hit .271 with 16 homers, 73 rbi's, and 19 stolen bases in 150 games. With Sizemore constantly getting injured year after year, to have a guy who is able to play that many games in a season is a big boost. Michael Brantley was currently in center field but will be moved over to left once the deal is officially completed.
This is a great pick up for the Indians because Damon brings so much to a team. His veteran leadership and experience can help mold this young Indians team and give them a better understanding of what it's like to be in the playoff race in October. Damon is always giving it his all on the field and hopefully that will rub off on the rest of the team. His baseball IQ is extremely high and he can teach the younger players the ins and outs on both sides of the field.
However, we can not ignore the milestone that Damon is 277 hits away from 3,000 in his career. Damon was drafted in 1995 and spent his early years with the Royals until being a part of the Athletics, Red Sox, Yankees, and Rays. He has appeared in 59 playoff games and has been apart of a few championship teams.
He will spend some time in the minors until he is ready to come back up to the big leagues, but I am confident he will return to his normal self, fielding and hitting the ball exceptionally well.
If Damon can come out and show that he still has it, then he could be on his way to being in the 3000 hit club soon. After last year it appeared he wouldn't be finished with baseball because he played so well and proved that age is just a number.
As an Indians fan, I enjoy watching Sizemore play, but it's been rough not seeing him on the field the past three years with injuries. This pickup is great for the Indians because he is such a great mentor and a positive life in the clubhouse.
The Indians are a very young team that has a lot of potential for the future, but after last year they showed that they are ready and looking to win now. Unfortunately, the tribe struggled on the road and the pitching had some issues. However, they may be able to make some noise in the playoff picture not that there is another wildcard team added to the playoff mix.
The opt-out clause in Damon's contract is especially interesting. Once Sizemore comes off the disabled list, Damon has the ability to opt out of his contract. So if he plays well between now and then, you'd imagine he'd opt out because he's proven he can still play and someone will give him a job with more playing time. But if he doesn't play well? Presumably, then, he'd remain with the Indians.
ReplyDelete