Mostly Yankees: March 2009

In 2006, Yankees Left Fielder Johnny Damon, found himself an unwilling participant in the inaugural World Baseball Classic.

"You know, when they (USA) approached me about playing the first time I was just like 'Okay, I like playing baseball,' but the team didn't do so good and I didnt feel like they appreciated me defensively..."

An obviously distracted Damon was depressed with their Round 2 exit, for multiple reasons. He had been given a hard time for not 'keeping his head in the game' by Manager Buck Martinez

"You could tell Johnny had his mind on other things. I think the breaking point was when he had a shouting match with an airplane overhead. He yelled something to the effect of 'Giant Metal Bird'... I hope thats what he said...."

In actuality, Damon was bothered more by his lack of Patriotism. He felt no kinship towards his fellow dugout members. Their pointing and laughing did not help.

"I looked down at the colors.... Red... White... ummmmm Blue. Yeah Blue. And I just didnt feel right."

A native of a remote part of the Arctic Wilderness, Damon decided then and there, in that USA locker room, while his teammates beat him with soap-filled-socks, 2009 would be different. Representing his territory with pride, Damon would wear the official colors of his home country, and the International landscape of Nova Scotian Baseball would never be the same again. After receiving recognition from the U.N. , Damon and his 4 drinking buddies began the complicated legislation for entry into the 2009 WBC.

"You know, me and my buddies couldn't make tails or tails of those complicated lines and numbers and such.... I handed them to (Yankees GM Brian) Cash(man), and he told me he'd do them. I even saw him put them in a special basket under his desk."

MLB player reactions to Damon's activities have been mixed to say the least.

"I wish Johnny all the luck in the world, you know?" says fellow Yankee Jorge Posada while casually slipping bars of soap into a pillowcase. Yankee reactions were not limited to the backstop however, Second Baseman Robinson Cano also weighed in:

"Chu know... He playin the... He play the WBC... He hit the ball, chu know.... He make his own team... WBC...." Former Team Captain Derek Jeter added: "Are you shitting me?"

When asked about any possible injuries to his starting LF, recovering Yankees Manager Joe Girardi said: "Well, you know 'the Iceman' knows what he's doing.... It's 162 game season, you have to put one foot in front of the other.... That's baseball.... It's still 60'6".... Iceman..."

The road to being a contender is a long one. Made even more impossible by the team's inability to actually participate in the WBC. Without the properly filed paperwork, the Nova Scotian's quest for legitimacy was doomed from the start. Officials have not had the heart to break the soul-crushing news to him.

Damon's "team" has their first exhibition game scheduled Thursday at 6:23am agaisnt the New Mexico Tryers at the Poughkeepsie Learning Annex Auxilary Field B Parking lot.
"The tune-up will give fans a look at what the Nova Scotia Team's all about! I'll be playing Pitcher, Center Field and Right Field and my friends Asungaq, Cupun, Kanosak and Asunguq will play everywhere else. We're not 'flashy', " Damon remarks with air-quotes, "But we get the job done. We do share a glove though....."

Nova Scotia's team caravan, and fan will arrive in the U.S. shortly, bringing all the pomp and circumstance of a championship snow dog team (above) and Damon's Wife (or Mother?) (below)