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Damon: "I want to finish my career as a Tiger."


scenario

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"I want to finish my career as a Tiger."

 

Summary: Damon professes his love for the Tigers organization... describes how he always wanted to be a Tiger, etc. Excuse me while I go take a shower because I now feel unclean after typing (and reading) this tripe...

 

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Little did anyone know just how much Damon always wanted the day to arrive that he would put on a Detroit uniform.

 

But after signing a one-year contract for $8 million, followed by his first news conference, he insisted he's hoped for years it would happen.

 

Damon even said he wanted to sign with the Tigers as a free agent when he signed with the Yankees instead.

 

He also said when it became clear this winter he would not return to the Yankees, the Tigers were his choice -- even before they knew it.

 

"Sorry if you didn't know," Damon said with a laugh to general manager/president Dave Dombrowski while the two spoke to the media.

 

Why Detroit?

 

Because Damon feels the Tigers have a chance to win.

 

"The sky is the limit," he said. "We have someone who can win the Cy Young Award and someone can win the MVP award.

 

"But most importantly, if things go well, we can win a lot of games."

 

Because Lakeland is close to his Orlando home, he can take his kids to school before a workout and pick them up after.

 

Because his father, "who doesn't travel any more", can watch him play in spring training. "My family played a big part in this," Damon said.

 

Because he has a high regard for Jim Leyland.

 

"He's a Hall of Fame manager who warrants respect," Damon said. "Getting a call from him (three days ago) was very important. He said he'd love to have me, that I would be great for the kids."

 

Because he knows many of the Tigers players -- and likes them.

 

"It's going to be an easy transition," Damon said. "They've made me feel at home already. Over the years, I've gotten to know a lot of these guys."

 

And, without Damon saying so, he signed with Detroit because the Tigers' offer turned out to be the best -- although a two-year offer was never there for him to accept or reject.

 

"We tried to work it out to be a two-year contract," he said. "It was talked about and I was ready to jump on it. But I'm at peace with this. I'm O.K. with one year. There's a good chance to be back.

 

"Contrary to some reports out there that my wife preferred Chicago, this is where I wanted to be and she supports me.

 

"I've been going to Detroit the last 15 years. It's a great city. She was onboard from day one about this."

Edited by scenario
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QUOTE (scenario @ Feb 23, 2010 -> 10:44 AM)
"I want to finish my career as a Tiger."

 

"It's going to be an easy transition," Damon said. "They've made me feel at home already. Over the years, I've gotten to know a lot of these guys."

 

Over the years of being on the Red Sox & Yankees, who on the Tigers roster did you become such good friends with?

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QUOTE (scenario @ Feb 23, 2010 -> 11:56 AM)
Dontrelle Willis has been telling Damon what a great organization the Tigers have.

 

Well ****... what is Dontrelle expected to say? If somebody grossly overpaid me for doing absolutely nothing I'd be thrilled too.

 

You should get a job working for the State of Illinois, we have a lot of jobs like that. :D

 

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