Damon making presence felt with Indians
It didn't take long for Johnny Damon to endear himself to his new fan base. Damon
belted a huge two-out, two-run triple off the center-field wall in the seventh inning to
give the Cleveland Indians two big insurance runs in their 6-3 win over the Texas Rangers Friday.
It was just Damon's third game in an Indians uniform. He joined the club Tuesday in
Chicago, played the last two games of the White Sox series, and made his debut in
Cleveland Friday night.
In most games, Damon is going to hit leadoff and play left field. That's where he was
Friday night. After flying out to left field in his first three at-bats, Damon stroked his
triple in his fourth at bat, and seems to have made a fairly smooth transition from
working out at the Indians' spring training complex in Goodyear, Ariz., to facing major
league pitching in game action.
Damon signed with the Indians as a free agent on April 17, spent a couple of weeks in
Arizona working out, and now, at age 38, is beginning his 18th major league season.
"He's in tremendous shape. His legs are still there," said manager Manny Acta. "Our
coaches in Arizona were amazed at how quickly he got his timing down."
Damon comes not just with plenty of experience, but with plenty of postseason
experience. He has played on winners wherever he's gone, and he's starting out that way
with Cleveland. Damon has started three games since joining the Indians and the Indians
have won all three games.
