Johnny Damon Returns to Fenway

Did you know that Johnny Damon grew out his beard as a member of the Red Sox because it hurt to shave following a concussion in 2003? (He played with that concussion in the playoffs that year, mind you. That explains the beard...not sure about the speech thing.)


Did you know that, in 2003 and '04, Damon was third and fourth respectively in assists for Major League center fielders, and that his .992 fielding percentage is 14th best all-time at the position? (source)


Did you know that in the video game Major League Baseball Featuring Ken Griffey, Jr., Damon is black??? (It's true - check it out. And play the game, because it's simply classic.) 

The player some called the caveman and others called Baseball Jesus returns to Fenway tomorrow night for the first time as a non-Yankee visitor. Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe believes it's time to give him his long overdue ovation.


If you're on either side of the Sox/Yanks rivalry, it's worth a look, along with this gallery of Damon through the years.

Yanks/Sox Rivalry Eighth Commandment

Ted Williams set his own success aside when he said, "Baseball is the only field of endeavor where a man can succeed three times out of ten and be considered a good performer." While four out of ten was his claim to fame when he hit .406 in 1941, his point is clear - it's hard to succeed in baseball.


It's no surprise, then, that in the two organizations where succeeding is imperative, the Red Sox and Yankees, fans adore an overlooked but vital breed of player - the surprise summer call-up.


Over 162 games, players inevitably get hurt or struggle. This paves the way for the minor leaguers who get that fateful call to join The Show. And when they help the Red Sox or Yankees keep winning, you better believe they'll be remembered fondly for a long, long time regardless of their career path afterwards.


They're usually not the top talent either. Those No. 1 studs need to be eased into a comfortable situation when the timing is right (or the financial roadmap - see Strasburg, Stephen). The unsung call-ups are also given a great deal of responsibility early in their careers - they're a Band-Aid fix for an injured regular, perhaps even a star.


But when they succeed, they earn their place in the hearts of Yanks and Sox fans who witness it.


Shane Spencer and Shelly Duncan did it with homers. Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner did it with stolen bases. Aaron Small did it with perfection (10-0).


And unfortunately for the A-Rods and JD Drews of the rivalry, these players are given "worthy" status almost immediately, in a few short summer weeks. (Being homegrown doesn't hurt either.)


I was there in 2006, just a over a month into Melky Cabrera's first full Major League season, and sitting in front of me was a young girl with a sign: "The Melk Man Delivers on Sundays" (it was a Sunday game). I was there in 2008 when Brett Gardner laced a single to right for his first hit and RBI. And I can tell you firsthand that the fans cheered louder for these two than almost any player except the Core Four.


Why? Because they prove themselves quickly in big spots and help their team continue winning despite the players they're called up to replace. They're succeed on grit in a game that values getting your hands dirty.


Speed is also king. The big boppers are nice, but the speedsters are endearing because they're scrappy- never THE MAN or athletic specimens but contributors who fit in.


Despite not being the prize players groomed for future success, and despite being thrust into the thick of a summer divisional race, these players respond, "Screw you, watch me succeed."


Few things scream New York and Boston more.

• Speaking of speedy former call-ups, is Jacoby Ellsbury really all the Sox need to claim first in the division?
• It's a slow trade market, but the Sox and Yanks are at it again over big names like...Scott Downs. Nevermind. (And should the Sox be sellers instead?)
• Curt Schilling's bloody sock is now the center of a political campaign, as yet another New England politician angers Sox fans.
• Dom Amore at the Hartford Courant wonders, Why is no one watching the Red Sox?

Yankees/Red Sox Rivalry Commandments

1. Thou shalt choose a side. Forever.

2. Thou shalt not accept bandwagon fans.

3. I am your announcer. You shall have no other announcers before me.

4. Honor thy baseball forefathers.

5. Keep holy Opening Day.

6. Thou shalt hate the jersey.

7. Thou shalt win at all costs.