Damon still wonders why Red Sox became wrong fit

Johnny Damon stood behind the batting cage at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday. He wore pinstripes, was clean-shaven and his hair was cut. He still wanted to talk about the days when his socks were red, his hair long and his face beard-covered.

“I still don’t know what happened in Boston,” he said. He wanted to stay with the Sox, but he never got the feeling the desire was mutual.

“Around the All-Star break last year I thought we had a deal done. I kept telling the Sox to just do it. Let’s get it done, I want to stay,” says Damon.

The deal was never done and Damon left as a free agent to sign with the Yankees.

“When we got to crunch time after the season was over,” said Damon, “I was dealing with one of the owners. Theo [Epstein] was not there then. I still thought we would get a deal done, but the owner started to tell me, ‘That’s the offer. Take it or leave it. We are ready to move on to sign Coco Crisp or someone else to play center.'”

This was happening during the time the Red Sox were exploring Alice in Wonderland. Epstein had left the Sox in a dispute with team president Larry Lucchino, only to return for the start of the 2006 season.

Damon was willing to take a three- or four-year deal, hoping for option years as well, but he was willing to negotiate that point. The Sox were not.

“The Yankees weren’t in the picture all along. They thought I would sign with the Sox, but when that wasn’t happening, the Yankees wanted to talk,” said Damon.

Damon hoped once the Yankees’ interest become known to the Sox, Boston would get serious and get the deal done. Again, that did not happen.

“Wells [Boston pitcher David] kept telling me that if the Yankees wanted to talk, do it,” smiled Damon. “David said that they were a first-class operation and that nobody treated their players better.”

At some point – the exact time still eludes Damon – the Sox had decided Damon was not worth the price. Consistent with Epstein’s previous thinking, a player seeking a four- or more-year deal who was in his mid-30s created a dangerous situation.

Players in that age range were susceptible to breaking down during the deal and it could prove to be money ill spent, especially if a viable alternative existed. The Sox viewed Crisp as that alternative, and they signed him for a year at $2.75 million.

Interestingly, on Wednesday, Crisp’s deal was extended for three years for $15.5 million, with an option year worth $8 million.

Damon got his 50 million-plus for four years with the Yankees and did not do an option year. “I will be a free agent at the end of four,” said Damon, “and that is fine with me. I’ll decide then if I want to try for one more deal.”

For now Damon is happy. “Bernie [Williams, the long time Yankee center fielder, now DH and extra outfielder] told me to just enjoy the time. He said now that he is close to the end he realizes what joy it is to play.

“The Yankees are first class just like he [Wells] said,” smiles Damon.

He already has circled in his mind the day in May when he returns to Fenway in pinstripes.

“I don’t know what it will be like,” he says wistfully. He clearly wants it to be positive.

All words about his Boston days are joyous. He just doesn’t know why the deal that could have kept him there never happened.

Old Town native Gary Thorne is an ESPN and ABC sportscaster.