Boston Red Sox

Damon to DH

By Eric Wilbur

2 minutes to read

Don’t expect to see Johnny Damon in center field at Fenway Park for at least the next two nights. But don’t expect to see him riding the pine either.

“I knew that wasn’t going to be an option,” New York manager Joe Torre said this afternoon amid a crush of reporters in the Yankees dugout at Fenway Park. Damon, who will DH and still bat leadoff tonight, has been hurting recently with bone chips in his right foot.

“We’ll try to keep him out for a couple of days,” Torre said. “That foot has been bothering him.”

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When Damon made his return to Boston with the Yankees just three weeks ago, fans in the bleachers littered his outfield space with fake dollar bills, a sign of their frustration after watching the former Red Sox star jump ship to the rival Yankees. They won’t have the same opportunity for the next two nights at least, unless some still harbor any ill will toward Bernie Williams for using the Red Sox to drive up New York’s price for his services back in 1998.

Williams gets the center field duties tonight, while New York newcomer Terrence Long will play the Wall in left. The Yankees purchased his contract from Triple-A Columbus earlier today.

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“He’s experienced, and that’s what we cling to,” Torre said.

The 30-year-old Long batted .279 with the Kansas City Royals last season.

  • One reporter told Torre he was on the receiving end of a lot criticism in New York today for pulling a double switch involving Alex Rodriguez in last night’s 4-3 loss to the Mets. Rodriguez ended the eighth inning grounding into a double play. But even though the Yankees were down just a run, Torre elected to replace him at third with Miguel Cairo. Cairo came up in the pitcher’s spot in the ninth inning, only to ground out and end the game.

    “The people making a big deal about it know nothing about baseball,” Torre said. “Let’s leave it at that.”

  • Gary Sheffield will play in a rehab stint in Trenton tonight, and could be back in right field for tomorrow’s game at Fenway if all goes well. Torre confirmed he was leaving the decision up to Sheffield whether he was healthy enough to return from his sore left wrist.

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