Batter-up with Bruno: I won't welcome back Johnny Damon with open arms

Johnny DamonHe was a hero in 2004. A self proclaimed "idiot."

He put the icing on the cake in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series with a grand slam to the right field upper deck making it 10-3 and sending the Boston Red Sox to its first World Series appearance since 1986.

Then Johnny Damon did the unthinkable. From looking like Jesus Christ with the long hair and beard, the then free agent in the 2005 off-season went to the dark side and signed with the Yankees, shaving off the beard and chopping off his long hair.

He'd be forever booed by Red Sox Nation everywhere and even as a Detroit Tiger he was still booed for what he did.

Now back to 2010, the Red Sox decided to claim Damon off waivers.

Say what!?

And now he has the power to accept or veto the deal because he has a no-trade clause in his contract.

As a Red Sox fan this disgusts me. First off, we all know the Sox only claimed Damon to block a deal to the Tampa Bay Rays. Boston doesn't need another outfielder, plus Damon's arm is even worse than when he left Beantown.

Boston doesn't need a designated hitter either. They have David Ortiz. So it really doesn't make any sense.

Damon is a traitor, a pure traitor. He cannot come back and pretend like nothing happened. The way he did it too was just inexcusable too.

Yes he was a hero in 2004 and had a career year: .304 BA, 20 HR, 94 RBI, but I don't believe Red Sox Nation will take too kindly to him or at least I won't anyway. If Damon does indeed accept the deal and returns to Boston all I have to say is as long as the team accepts his return (which Tim Wakefield and David Ortiz expressed they would) and he contributes then fine, but I still believe he won't be welcomed by a standing ovation like Nomar Garciaparra.

This might even be worse than Manny Ramirez.

Red Sox Nation shouldn't welcome back Damon and at this point it'd be a miracle if this team made the playoffs. As long as Tampa Bay keeps winning each day it's going to be harder and harder to catch up.

Just sayin'.Like what you see? Follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/batterupbruno