TAMPA, Fla. -- Johnny Damon officially checked in for his second season as a Yankee on Tuesday, flashing a natural smile and no regrets. One year after he dealt his 'Idiot' status with the frat-house Boston Red Sox for the corporate image of Yankees pinstripes, Damon said he is thankful to be right where he is.
"Everyone knew it was a tough situation and decision to come here," Damon said. "In the end, every part of me is happy."
His transition was evident; the large media swarms which blanketed Legends Field last year in anticipation of seeing a clean-shaven Damon have evaporated, with Damon now widely accepted as a part of the Yankees' present and future.
"The hardest part of the transition was probably the unknown," Damon said. "I wanted to be accepted so badly. ... I knew the Yankees and always wanted to be a Yankee, even dating back to when I was a [Kansas City] Royal.
"It was kind of like the time finally came, and you just always want to do good. The fear of failure gets a lot of people going."
Damon -- who batted .285 with 24 home runs, 80 RBIs and 25 stolen bases in his first year for New York -- was a natural fit, according to general manager Brian Cashman.
"He was one of the very few who had a seamless transition to success here from success elsewhere," Cashman said. "He was the same great player for us as he was for [Boston], from the beginning."
The 33-year-old center fielder reports that a broken bone in his foot has healed to the point where he is able to begin running again, and that his shoulder has gone through a few light throwing workouts with no complaints.
He has resumed weight lifting and said he has regained strength, though part of the spring will need to be spent getting into game shape.
"I was a little banged up," Damon said. "I wanted to rest a lot."
Damon also noted that his six-week-old daughter, Devon Rose, is already balancing and standing.
"I think she'll be walking or running by six months," Damon joked.
