Johnny Damon addressed an SI.com story from yesterday that he nearly retired last year. He said he did consider it, but was never on the verge, and is fully recommitted this season.
Alex Rodriguez somehow stirred up controversy with a throwaway line that he got tested for steroids nine or 10 times last year. Players are highly unlikely to be tested that many times, unless they have previously tested positive for an illegal substance, which was brought to the Yankees and Rodriguez's attention. He put out a statement later through Yankees PR director Jason Zillo:
“My quote from earlier today was taken literally. I was not tested nine or 10 times last year. I was just using exaggeration to make a point.
“My intent was simply to shed light on the fact that the current program being implemented is working, and a reason for that is through frequent testing.
“I apologize for any confusion I may have caused.”
Now back to Damon. Here are a few comments from him:
"Last year wasn't the only year I thought about it."
Now, though, he said: "I feel great. I had a great offseason."
The reason he stayed, he said, was: "I think the fact that the Yankees needed me, that I have a job to do."
As for the final two years of his contract: "I plan to see it out. ... Absolutely, and hopefully I'm good enough at the end of this contract where they would want me to come back for a year or two."
Comments (13)
AR still has a virulent case of 'foot in mouth' disease, I see.
Oh Alex and his 8th grade education...
Diane
I think Alex needs to take "Yankee Media Relations 101" with the youngsters.
He could learn a thing or two from Joba and Phil ;-)
See Michael, his disadvantage is that they give MR 101 (lecture course) in AA, and MR 201 comes at a guy's first ST, when he gets the lab course.
There seems to be no remedial course offered for transfers.
Maybe they could do that locker thing, where they put a guy next to another player who has a skill he needs to learn? DJ could give clinics in this. But they've got Tabata next to him, and I'm sure Tabata has already had the NYY course...
This is why A-Rod can never win in New York. Ever.
Quote today from Wally Matthews:
"Somewhere out there, a mystery blonde is lurking to set his world right again."
You've gotta be kidding me. This is the kind of remark one reporter makes to another over a beer, or something a Red Sox fan would write in the message section of a fan blog. But Wally Matthews? In Newsday?
I always thought -- and still think -- that Wally Matthews was the best sports talk radio host in New York, when he had his show. When it comes to boxing, he's the best commentator in the business - - bar none. But when he uses his position as a columnist in one of the New York area's top sports pages to say, essentially, "If you think the steroid issue is bad, wait until Alex cheats on his wife again..." That's a bridge too far. It really is.
You sound like me, Ed. Nudge the Fudge.
You could be right, Ed. I never cared for Matthews' baseball writing and stopped reading him quite a while ago. I never would have known about his AR remark if it hadn't been repeated here.
On the other hand, *sometimes* when reporters give out hints and digs it's because they know something that they're not going to report on in full.
I really feel for Alex, my god, the guy wins two MVP's in 4 years, has the best season since Mantle wore the pinstripes, yet Yankee fans continue to hate him. This reminds me of Knicks fans with Patrick Ewing. Everyone said he was a bum, never won a ring...then after he left,,,the Knicks fans were crying for a C..we still haven’t filled that spot.
Note to Yankee fans…THE ONLY REASON THE YANKS WERE IN THE PLAYOFFS LAST YEAR WAS BECAUSE OF AROD!!! THE REASON THE YANKS DIDN’T ADVANCE WAS BECAUSE OF WANG NOT AROD!!!! You don’t hear anyone hating on Wang, but any chance Yankee fans have they bash Arod.
Then Arod makes a general statement saying, "Ive been tested 9 or 10 times"...then the blood sucking NY media spins it into some BS and he has to issue another statement to not take it literally????? How silly is that. Maybe it was 4 maybe it was 5...would the media have been pleased if he gave exact figures or just said...a half dozen times..or a bunch...or a lot... They missed the entire point of what he was trying to say.
What a bunch of b*llsh!t, it makes me angry that he has to clarify every single f'in word he says. Usually Im in the side that says he should just shut up...but Im pinning this ridiculousness on the media. They make me sick. If I was Alex, I would have opted out and said FU to the NY fans and media.
Don’t worry Alex….if your reading this…you have some fans that back you.
Dru,
Sadly it's not just the media. Look at some of the comments from "fans" about this nonsense and you will see this guy will never win the fans over in NY no matter what he does. This guy could jump into an ice cold river and save dozens of kids and puppies and he'd get criticized for shivering. I just don't get it.
Jim A...lol...indeed.
Jim A
"This guy could jump into an ice cold river and save dozens of kids and puppies and he'd get criticized for shivering. I just don't get it."
HAHAHAHAHAHAH
Well done ;-)
CHRIST I'M TIRED OF THIS F$%KING SECURITY CODE
PLEASE KAT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD GET RID OF IT!!
IT'S BEEN A PLAGUE ON YOUR READERSHIP!!
I CAN PERSONALLY ATTEST I'M HERE EVERYDAY!!
GO BACK AND LOOK YOURSELF.
EVER SINCE THIS MALFUNCTIONING CODE WAS INSTITUTED THERE'S BEEN ATLEAST A 40% DROP OFF IN TRAFFIC COMMENTS AND RETURNING "REGULARS"
I never used to visit other blogs EVER!!!
Not like I don't criticize the press for plenty of reasons, but come on guys. If an athlete says he's been tested the number of times that a guy who tested positive would be tested, are they supposed to ignore it?
You know, no matter how much you adore AR, he does make a lot of his own trouble by running his mouth before he puts his brain in gear. Great, great player, and I'm glad we have him, but don't his groupies feel a little silly attributing every thing written about him (if it isn't completely adoring) to 'hate'?
I prefer to think of it as 'Alex being Alex'.
Indeed Diane...I do agree that he sets himself up for some fire. But really...did the media really have to go into JFK conspiracy theory based on him saying 9 or 10 times?
Oh well this must mean…..
Well if we look into this deeper….
They completely ignored the purpose of the statement and dissected the words. Its like when the media quotes someone…takes only the part they want and leaves out the other relevant information. Its about the context of the statement that matters, not the bits and pieces of it separately.