page_title: Johnny Damon
section_title: Boston Red Sox (2002–2005)
hierarchical_section_title: Johnny Damon / Playing career / Boston Red Sox (2002–2005)
caption_attribution_description: Johnny Damon is skeptical of an umpire's call, Spring Training 2005. Photo by Googie Man. 22:40, 22 June 2005 . . Googie man . . 800×738 (364 KB)
context_page_description: Johnny David Damon is an American former professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball from 1995 to 2012. During his MLB career, Damon played for the Kansas City Royals, Oakland Athletics, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers, Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Indians. Damon also played for the Thailand national baseball team and was a member of the squad for the 2013 World Baseball Classic qualifiers.
context_section_description: On December 21, 2001, Damon signed a four-year, $31 million contract with the Boston Red Sox.
  In 2002, he led the league in triples (11) and was third in infield hits (25), becoming the first player selected by the fans in the inaugural American League All-Star Final Vote.
  On June 27, 2003, Damon became only the second player in MLB history since 1900 to record three base hits in an inning, when he did so against the Florida Marlins. During Game 5 of the 2003 American League Division Series, Damon collided head-on with teammate Damian Jackson while both players were attempting to chase down a pop fly. Damon suffered a severe concussion and had to be removed from the field on a stretcher. Jackson was also concussed, but was able to walk off the field with assistance.
  In 2004, Damon was second in the league in runs (123) and began to re-establish himself among the premier lead-off hitters and center fielders in the game. In arguably his best season in the Major Leagues, Damon batted .304 with 20 home runs and 94 RBIs and showed improved patience at the plate. According to his autobiography, he was only the fourth leadoff batter in the history of Major League Baseball to drive in more than 90 runs in a season. Damon batted a torrid 7-for-15 during that year's Division Series against the Angels but struggled in the ALCS against the Yankees, going only 3-for-29 from the plate through the first six games. In Game 7, Damon hit two home runs, one of which was a grand slam, to lead the Red Sox to the pennant. In the World Series, he also hit a home run as the Red Sox won the series against the St. Louis Cardinals in a four-game sweep. This was the first Red Sox World Series championship since 1918.
  Through his four-year career with the Red Sox (2002–2005), Damon appeared in 597 games (590 in center field and seven as a designated hitter) and hit 56 home runs. Of his 2,476 at bats, 2,259 were as leadoff hitter.  Damon batted second in the lineup for 156 at-bats in 2002, accounting for nearly all of the rest except for occasional pinch hit.  He started two games as the third hitter in 2004, and in 2005, he had 624 at-bats, and all but three as the lead-off hitter. He also earned his second All-Star selection, starting as the American League's center fielder. He led the AL with 35 infield hits, and matched the 35 doubles he had hit in 2004.
caption: Damon at bat for the Red Sox in spring training 2005
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