Samson and Delilah

I've been asked to comment on the Johnny Damon situation, but I think my mother said it best: "He really is an idiot!"

Why did this happen? One reason: Scott Boras. Scott is a dollar man, and he makes his players see things his way. Here's how I see the respective negotiating positions:

Damon: Like Samson, he needed his hair. With the cult status he had in Boston, he was beginning to make quite a name for himself beyond MLB circles. He wants to be a rock star, and I don't think he realizes just how straight-edge George III wants his ballboys to be. The hair will go, and, I think, an awful lot of promotion opportunities with it. Damon has been told that he'll have a bigger stage, bigger numbers, and easier access to major TV interviews, etc, in the Big Apple, but I think he'll suddenly find that he's no longer a rock star, and now just a baseball player.

Red Sox: Let the pitching era begin! We'll always score some points, with Manny and David in the middle of the order, and 'Tek et al around them. No worries. Really. Damon was nice, but not necessary. So I applaud the Jed & Ben for not passing the $10 million line. He wasn't worth more than that.

What happened: Damon was convinced that it all boiled down to the top-line salary figure and was seduced by the glitz of New York. Maybe he wasn't Jesus after all; he was Samson. I cringe at comparing Steinbrenner to the comely Delilah, but he's seducing Damon and cutting his hair... yikes.

For next season, I strongly support a pitch-and-field Red Sox model. The team presently has a surplus of pitching: HOLD ON TO IT! Pitching is twice as valuable in July as in December, and by carrying extra starters, we can (a) afford to make a big deal to fill a hole or cover an injury during the season, and (b) keep our pitchers well-rested so they can compete into October. The "Big Stick" offense couldn't deliver better than 93 wins in 2005, and the smart money in baseball has always been on pitching-strong teams. So roll with the punches, and go for it in '06.