Damon Hoping To Be Back By Sunday

Johnny Damon

Ed Price/The Star Ledger:

Johnny Damon said yesterday (Wednesday) he thinks he can rejoin the Yankees lineup "definitely in a week."

"I'm trying to shoot for Sunday," Damon, who has been getting treatment at the Yankees' facility in Tampa, Fla., said by phone. "I would love to be back on Sunday. But we'll just have to see. I think definitely in a week."

Damon is the leadoff hitter and leads the team in doubles (23), hits (100) and stolen bases (13).

"I'm feeling better today," he said. "Two days prior, it wasn't too good because I picked up doing a little more activity. The last two days we curtailed that, just got treatment, and it feels better."

Damon is expected to be ready to hit before he can throw, but the Yankees could use him as a designated hitter until he can return to left field.

"We'll see how I feel (tomorrow)," he said. "Maybe I can start swinging on that day."

Damon said he and the team want to be sure he can play every day when he returns. And he believes he can come off the DL without going on a minor-league rehabilitation assignment.

"I'm mostly a feel guy at the plate," he said.

Damon May Be On RSVP List To DL Party...Wow

Johnny Damon

This little tidbit of sadness comes from Kat O'Brien of Newsday:

"Not to scare you all with another potential injury (Oop's you just did Kat), but Johnny Damon had a huge wrap around his upper left leg after the game. I asked him what was wrong, and he said he tweaked his left groin during the day game in Cleveland. I asked if he's OK, and he said: "I've got to be. We've got too many guys out."

Yay!!!

What great news this is...I finally get to party with A-Rod, Posada, Hughes, Damon, Karstens, Betemit, and the lovable Carl Pavano all at the same time!!!

I'll bring the Budweiser and pretzel's!!!

Unbelievable...

Big Bats Make Debut In Chi-Town

Johnny Damon

AP/Fox Sports:

Bobby Abreu hit a go-ahead grand slam in the seventh, Johnny Damon added a three-run shot in the eighth and Jason Giambi also homered, helping gritty Chien-Ming Wang get his 50th career win in a 9-5 victory Tuesday night.

"The guys did a good job of getting on base and we scored eight of our runs off home runs," Damon said. "When you are able to get a grand slam and a three-run homer, it makes things a lot easier."

The Yankees had struggled scoring runs with only 85 in their first 20 games. But with the injured Alex Rodriguez missing his first game while in Miami for the birth of his second daughter, New York's offense took off.

"We're supposed to score runs. We're an offensive team. That's what we're here for," said Abreu, who's used to having Rodriguez bat behind him.

"You have a guy like behind you like Alex, they are going to just come right at you. It's a different thing. You just have to get yourself prepared when Alex is not here," Abreu said. "I just make my adjustments and that's pretty much what it is."

Abreu connected for his seventh career grand slam off Octavio Dotel with two outs in the seventh to rally New York from a 3-2 deficit. It was his sixth homer in only 14 games at U.S. Cellular Field.

"I like to hit here. It's a very nice ballpark to hit. The first time I came here it felt good," Abreu said.

Join Johnny's Homerun Club

Johnny Damon

Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News:

The Children’s Health Fund is looking to recruit new members for the “Johnny Damon Yankees Home Run Club,” which gives Yankees fans an opportunity to root for their team and help bring quality health care to homeless and low-income children. For 20 years, the CHF has helped provide health care to thousands of disadvantaged children via mobile medical units.

The Yankees Home Run Club launched back in 1988 with the help of Don Mattingly, raising money and awareness for the CHF’s programs. Bernie Williams took the baton from Mattingly, and has since passed it on to Damon, who took over the role in 2006 after he joined the Yankees.

Becoming a member is easy, and there are two ways to do it: make a pledge for every home run hit by the Yankees this season, or make a one-time gift donation for the entire 2008 season.

Members may be eligible to win field-level box seat tickets to a game in this final season at Yankee Stadium. According to Patricia Abrams of the CHF, the Yankees Home Run Club has raised more than $1 million since its inception thanks to people just like you.

For more information, you can visit the Children’s Health Fund by clicking here.

Damon Reaching Out To Veterans

Johnny Damon

Excerpts courtesy of Bryan Hoch at Yankees.com:

Before Wednesday's exhibition game against the Twins, Damon accompanied three soldiers who recently returned from Iraq to the mound for ceremonial first pitches, drawing a standing ovation.

As Petty Officer 3rd Class Robert Roeder (U.S. Navy), Capt. Jonathan Pruden (3rd Infantry Division, U.S. Army) and Sgt. Jace Badia (1st Infantry Division, U.S. Army) threw baseballs to players behind home plate at Legends Field, Damon smiled with pride.

The son of a career Army NCO and Vietnam veteran, Damon has developed a lasting connection to the military, making time during his schedule to visit wounded soldiers around the country, engage them and listen to their stories. After Wednesday's game, he recruited as many teammates as possible to organize a visit to the Tampa VA Medical Center.

Chris Britton, Nick Green, Alan Horne and Ian Kennedy were among the players who visited the hospital, located about 20 minutes from Legends Field. Several of the wounded veterans recognized the Yankees, including Britton and Kennedy, who pitched in Wednesday's nationally televised game.

Fortunato said that Damon and the three veterans taped public-service announcements on Wednesday at Legends Field. The spots will air on national television and radio beginning in April and will also be shown before or during games at Yankee Stadium this season.

A salute to wounded servicemen and servicewomen is also planned for this season in the Bronx. More than 29,000 soldiers have been injured in the current war on terror, wounds that will retire them from military service.

"It's the least I can do," Damon said. "There are so many people that help me out to make my job easier. If I can lend my time to help these proud veterans out and make a difference, it is definitely worth it."

Johnny Almost Retired

Johnny Damon

We kind of knew this last year but I wanted to get the part about Girardi on the Blog.

SI.Com's Jon Heyman has the story:
When Johnny Damon walked out of spring training early last year, he thought he was walking away from the game, SI.com has learned. The Yankees explained Damon's absence early last spring as "personal reasons,'' and there was a lot of wrong speculation about something or other happening with Damon's family that would necessitate the time off.

"I was just exhausted .... burnt out,'' Damon explained to SI.com Tuesday. "It (retirement) definitely crossed my mind.''

After a few days, Damon decided to return. "I knew these guys needed me,'' Damon said with a smile. How true that was.

New manager Joe Girardi, who had a special sitdown meeting with Damon at the GM meetings in Orlando in November, was well aware Damon nearly retired last spring. Girardi told Damon how vital he is to the team's success, and that seems to have helped rejuvenate the Yankees' leadoff hitter. "Johnny sets the tone,'' Girardi said. "And he's a great presence in the clubhouse.''

That definitely seems to be the case now that Damon is back to being himself. However, he knows he won't last forever, and that when the time comes to walk away, he can deal with it. "I'm OK with looking in the mirror and knowing when it's time to go,'' Damon said.

The Yankees are very glad Damon isn't ready to do that just yet.