“This is where I wanted to be from Day 1,” he told reporters at his coming out news conference. “I’m sorry it took so long.”

Damon sounded like playing in New York for the past four seasons was just a hiccup in his journey from Boston to Detroit.

Apparently, Damon’s speech writer isn’t aware of the economic climate assailing this country nowadays.  Damon complained that he was offered a pay cut by the Yankees after having what anyone would call a great season.

“We’re coming off a great year and you’re told you’ve gotta take a pay cut,” Damon said to the media present. “You’re kind of like, ‘A pay cut? What the heck?’ It’s a little humbling.”

“You’re like, ‘Wow, is that what they really think of me? Or what I do for the ballclub?’ I did a lot for the ballclub. I even recruited (free agents) for those guys. I did everything.”

Talk about losing touch with reality.  Does Damon realize there are people who have been out of work for years, losing their homes, businesses and having trouble putting food on the table or in their stomachs?  How anyone could complain about being offered $14 million for two years, playing what in essence is a kid’s game, is ridiculous.

Gee, Johnny what were the Yankees thinking?

Maybe Damon should have spoken to Andy Pettitte before turning down the Yankees offer or making these insensitive statements.

In 2009, Pettitte took a sizable reduction in pay when the Yankees offered him a 1-year, $5 million contract to stay in the Bronx.  Pettitte’s salary in 2008?  $16 million.

However, Pettitte had to weigh out what was most important to him.  Turn down the offer and move on or accept it and remain in pinstripes.  Pettitte chose the latter.

“I had to eat a lot of pride,’’ Pettitte said in an interview this past Friday in the New York Post. “But they gave me a chance to make $5 million more in incentives.’’

Pettitte responded by having one of his better seasons over the past four seasons.  After going 14-8 with a 4.16 ERA and 4-0 with a 3.58 ERA in the playoffs the Yankees rewarded Andy with a 1-year, $11.75 million contract to stay in New York.

After turning down the Yankees initial offer Damon remained on the market while the Yankees went looking elsewhere.  After trading Curtis Granderson (Detroit Tigers), resigning Pettitte, signing Nick Johnson (Florida Marlins) and trading for Javier Vazquez (Atlanta Braves) there wasn’t enough money to interest Damon.

“I was in the same position and I could see it coming,’’ Pettitte said about the smaller pot of money. “That’s where I was last year. You need to be careful in that situation.’’

Damon and his agent Scott Boras overplayed their hand with the Yankees and got burned.  If Detroit hadn’t offered this one-year deal what then?  Damon would probably still be sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring.

After the season was completed, the playoffs and World Series over Damon made it clear where he wanted to play.

On November 23 Damon was contacted by the New York Daily News and was quoted as saying,

“I want to continue to be on a team that can win and to play in front of great fans – and we know that the Yankees fill both of those,” Damon said. “I think everyone knows my desire to come back. Still, every time I’ve been a free agent, I’ve ended up switching teams. It’s the nature of the beast. If people are interested, I’m going to listen.”

In another interview with Andrew Marchand of ESPN 1050 Radio in New York Damon told him, “I know where I want to be next year.  I want to be here in New York.”

If Damon would’ve stepped back and looked at the big picture instead of having a myopic view he would probably be a Yankee today.

Perhaps, Yankees’ General Manager Brian Cashman summed it up best.

“When we signed him (for four years, $52 million), he was playing center field, a premium position, and the market was high. Now he’s a left fielder, he’s 36, in a collapsed market. Why would he not expect to take a pay cut?”

Hopefully, for Damon his ego didn’t get the best of him, because he is going to have to go through all of this again next year.  The Tigers, in addition to Damon, got highly touted prospect Austin Jackson from the Yankees in the Granderson trade.  Jackson will get a year in the Tiger organization and will be ready to go in 2011.  Damon will be 37, and probably looking for a new employer.  For the difference of $2 million ($8 million x 2) Damon let the Yankees slip through his fingers.

Damon will be missed, but he is not irreplaceable.  If the new guys in pinstripes can play and hit up to their projected potentials Damon’s departure will be a distant memory.

In the end Johnny Damon will again wear the number 18 on his back, but he’ll wish he was playing for the number 28 in October.

However, that didn’t prevent the Renegades from spoiling the fun putting a damper on the Baby Bombers’ 2009 home opener- outpitching Staten Island (1-5) 3-1 before a disappointed packed house (7,171) at Richmond County Bank Ballpark in St. George Thursday night.

“It was nice. The fans did a good job of supporting us. It was nice to finally get a game at home but…would like to have had a different outcome but it’s early in the year,” Baby Bomber DH Luke Murton said.

The night began alright for losing starter Arodys Vizcaino, who retired the first six including an impressive five in a row by strikeout. However, the righty lost composure in a three-run (all unearned) Hudson Valley third. Given a one-run lead thanks to a wind aided two out second inning run scoring double by right fielder Zoilo Almonte, Vizcaino couldn’t handle prosperity committing a pair of costly errors that led to the only runs the Renegades scored.

Following a leadoff walk to Dustin Biell, a botched pickoff immediately put him in scoring position. Center fielder Chris Murrill followed up with an RBI single to left, tying it on Hudson Valley’s first hit of the night. A little disjointed in an otherwise sparkling debut, Vizcaino failed to field a sacrifice bunt and then loaded the bases with another walk. With nobody warming up, he got the next batter to pop out to short right and fanned Tyler Bortnick for the second out. But just one away from limiting the damage, he allowed a two-run base hit to Eli Sonoqui putting Staten Island behind for good.

That’s cause the Bombers had their hands full with Renegade starter Albert Suarez, whose only hiccup in four-plus came in the second. After Almonte’s RBI double, he retired the last nine batters before departing with two out in the fifth due to a leg injury which prevented him from getting the win. But Kyle Ayers came in and did a solid job tossing two and a third scoreless to pickup his first win.

“[Suarez] pitched well. He had good stuff. He threw a lot of his pitches for strikes. He did a good job but there were some times where maybe we could’ve done a better job swinging the bat as a team. But you gotta give their pitchers credit,” Murton added.

While their hitting shoes weren’t on held to a run on five hits, Staten Island certainly got inspired pitching from Vizcaino and a trio of relievers in Mike Solbach (2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 K’s), Gavin Brooks (1 IP, 0 HR, 0 R, BB, 2 K’s) and Ryan Flannery (2 IP, 2 K’s) with each giving them every opportunity for a comeback.

“I felt good today,” Solbach assessed while referencing a rough outing the day prior in a loss. “It was good to get back out there and throw the ball well.”

“The bullpen did a good job tonight keeping it at 3-1 like we’re supposed to do, trying to give the hitters a chance to come around. We’ll get it all figured out.”

While there weren’t a ton of chances, Staten Island twice brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh and eighth but couldn’t capitalize.

“We gotta stop stretching ourselves,” pointed out first baseman Rob Lyerly, who paced the home club with a pair of singles including a lead off hit to start the seventh before the next three went in order. “We’re still getting acclimated to everything around here. Especially to the curveball. So it’s a little bit of an adjustment here.

“We got a great team here. We just gotta start playing better.”

The Baby Bombers had one more chance after left fielder DeAngelo Mack’s double to start the eighth. But after being sacrificed to third by second baseman Hector Rabago, he was stranded there. Renegade closer Rich De Los Santos buckled down getting center fielder Francisco Santana to chase and shortstop Carmen Angelini to bounce into a 5-3 putout.

De Los Santos tossed a 1-2-3 ninth getting catcher Kyle Higashioka to bounce out to third, notching his third save.

New skipper Josh Paul emphasized how it’s the organization’s job to guide these kids along with many first-year players new to pro ball. The former veteran backstop has been around the block and understands what his pupils are going through.

“Exactly. That’s a perfect point,” he remarked to our insight about how pro ball gives players the chance to bounce back the next day. Something that’s not as prevalent in college. “Teams are gonna say, ‘Okay. That one’s over. Let’s move on.’ … The guys that succeed move on. So we got something to teach them.”

Notes: Vizcaino took the loss falling to 0-2 with all three unearned on three hits, walking a pair and fanning seven. In nine innings, Baby Bomber pitchers struckout 14 Renegades. … The start of the game was delayed nine minutes due to opening ceremonies. It took a manageable two hours and 27 minutes still finishing 15 minutes before 10. For one night at least despite hazy conditions, the rain held off.

… Following the game, traditional fireworks were set off lighting up the sky. They’ll also be on display later tonight when the same two teams get together. Cory Arbiso will get the start out of the pen and is on a 55 pitch count. … On this six-game opening homestand, the Bombers will host the Renegades twice more including Saturday before Aberdeen comes in for three starting Sunday afternoon at 4.