Johnny Damon and 10 Players Who Played for Both Sides of a Big MLB Rivalry

If there's one thing I love about baseball, it's the rivalries between certain teams.  Whether it's the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox or the two times a season that the Yankees play the New York Mets in the famous "Subway Series", these matchups are just a ton of fun to watch.  Even more entertaining is the intensity that is seen with some of the players on either side.

Yet, what is probably the most entertaining of all is how enraged the fans get when one of the players on their team becomes a free agent and signs a contract with the most hated rival.  One of the most famous cases of this involves Tampa Bay Rays outfielder/designated hitter Johnny Damon, who famously left the Red Sox to sign a contract with the Yankees following the 2005 season.

That being said, let's explore some of the famous rivalries in sports and 10 of the players who were on both sides at one point.

No. 10: Todd Zeile

In 16 MLB seasons, Todd Zeile played for 11 MLB teams.  While he was an average (although solid) player at best, Zeile will be in the annals not only for his talent but also as one of many players to play for both the New York Yankees and New York Mets.

His first stint with the Mets was from 2000-2001.  In his first year with the team, he hit .268 with 22 homers and 79 RBI and was instrumental in helping the team reach the World Series, where they coincidentally lost to the New York Yankees in five games.

After spending 2002 in Colorado, he signed a contract with the New York Yankees to be a backup first baseman who could hit lefties well.  He only appeared in 66 games with the team and was batting just .210 with six home runs and 23 RBI before being released.  When he re-signed with the Mets the following season, he ripped the Yankees organization.

No. 9: Ron Santo

Ron Santo is easily one of the most beloved players in Chicago Cubs history.  He was the team's star third baseman for 14 seasons and while with them, he won five Gold Glove awards and made nine All-Star teams.

Yet, towards the end of his career, the Cubs looked to trade Santo despite him still being a top producer at age 33.  He wished to stay in Chicago so he stated that to team management if they truly wanted to trade him.  In the end, he was sent to the Chicago White Sox and spent one forgettable season with them before retiring after the 1974 season.

He may be considered a Cub by those who love him, but it must not be forgotten that Santo had a brief tenure on the South Side as well.

No. 8: Dwight Gooden

Dwight "Doc" Gooden first burst on the scene in 1984 when he made his debut for the New York Mets.  That year, the 19-year-old fireballer went 17-9 with a 2.60 ERA while striking out a league-leading 276 batters in 218 innings.  Not surprisingly, he was the NL Rookie of the Year.

Next season, Gooden went 24-4 with an astounding 1.53 ERA while once again leading the league in strikeouts.  Sure enough, he won the NL Cy Young Award and next season was instrumental in leading the Mets to their second World Series win.  In 11 seasons with the Mets, Gooden went 157-85 with a 3.10 ERA before drug problems essentially forced him out of the game.

In 1996, however, Gooden was reinstated and signed a contract with the New York Yankees.  He wasn't the same, going 11-7 with a 5.01 ERA.  Yet, Gooden's season was highlighted by a no-hitter thrown against the Seattle Mariners and the Yankees winning the World Series against the Atlanta Braves.

He spent the 1997 season in the Bronx before leaving for the Cleveland Indians the following year.  He returned to the Yankees as a reliever in 2000 and went 4-2 with a 3.36 ERA.

Gooden may be best known for his days with the Mets, but his days with the Yankees should not be forgotten either.

No. 7: David Cone

In another case of Mets-Yankees, it's time to discuss David Cone.  He first appeared for the Mets in 1987 and quickly established himself as a dominating complement to teammate Dwight Gooden.  Cone went 80-48 in five and a half seasons with the team before being traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for Jeff Kent and Ryan Thompson.

In 1995, Cone was traded from Toronto to the New York Yankees and he quickly became a fan favorite there as he helped the Bronx Bombers win the first ever AL Wild Card.  He remained with the team through the 2000 season, going 64-40 and winning four World Series rings in the process before his dominance just disappeared.

After retiring in 2001, Cone attempted a comeback with the Mets in 2003 and went 1-3 with an ERA of 6.50.  It was a forgettable end to a once great career, but it cannot be denied that Coney was a fan favorite on both sides of the rivalry.

No. 6: Robin Ventura

After 10 years with the Chicago White Sox, third baseman Robin Ventura signed a four-year contract with the New York Mets prior to the 1999 season.  He was solid there despite bad knees, hitting .260 with 77 home runs and 265 RBI in three seasons.  In his first season with the team, he hit the famous "Grand Slam Single" against the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS.

After the 2001 campaign, the Mets famously traded him to the New York Yankees for David Justice and then shipped Justice to the Oakland A's for Mark Guthrie.  He only hit .247 in 2002 but also had 27 homers with 93 RBI.

He was once again traded, this time to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2003 but no matter whose side he was on, Yankees or Mets, Ventura made the rivalry fun and was a fan favorite.

No. 5: Mike Scioscia

As a player, Mike Scioscia was not one who played on both sides of any rivalry.  All 13 of his seasons were spent with the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Yet, as many of you are aware, Scioscia is still in Los Angeles but as the manager of the Dodgers' AL-rival Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Scioscia was an average player at best, batting just .259 with 68 home runs and 446 RBI.  Yet, as a manager, he is a virtuoso.  Since taking over the Angels in 2000, he has gone 1,040-853 and won the World Series in 2002.  Besides that, he has been to the playoffs five more times.

He may not have really "played" on both sides, but Scioscia should get some recognition just the same.

No. 4: Miguel Tejada

Most recently, Miguel Tejada was released by the San Francisco Giants in what is probably the final chapter of his career.  Yet, despite his career being tainted by steroid use, one must not forget the productive start to Tejada's career when he was on the Giants' across-the-bay rivals, the Oakland A's.

Tejada made his debut in Oakland in 1997 and became a regular the following year.  In seven seasons with the team, he hit .270 with 156 homers and 604 RBI.  In 2002, he made his first All-Star team and was named AL MVP.

Some may have forgotten his productive days before his reputation was tainted by age controversy and use of PEDs, but Tejada is still one of the best players to ever play on both sides of a rivalry.

No. 3: Johnny Damon

Johnny Damon joined the Boston Red Sox on a four-year contract in 2002 and was instantly a fan favorite.  His long hair and scruffy beard earned him the nickname "Caveman" and his leadership was essential to a World Series win in 2004.  It was Boston's first championship in 86 years.

Yet, as Damon's impending free agency loomed large during the 2005 season, many speculated as to whether or not the New York Yankees would make a play for the outfielder's services.  At that point, Damon famously stated, "There's no way I can go play for the Yankees."

However, in December of 2005, Damon did a complete 180 and signed a four-year deal with the New York Yankees.  In keeping with team policy, he cut his famous hair and shaved off the equally famous beard.  Sure enough, Red Sox fans were outraged and were sure to boo Damon whenever the Yankees came to Fenway Park.

As he was in Boston, Damon became a fan favorite in New York.  His clutch hitting and baserunning were welcome additions to the lineup, especially in 2009 when he was a key contributor to the Yankees' World Series win against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Damon is still in the AL East playing for the Tampa Bay Rays, but his contributions to both the Yanks and the Sox will never be forgotten.

No. 2: Nolan Ryan

Easily one of the most dominating pitchers in MLB history, Nolan Ryan is now known as the owner of the Texas Rangers, for whom he played from 1989-1993.  Yet, before heading to Arlington, Ryan spent nine years with the Houston Astros and was the ace of that staff, throwing his fifth career no-hitter there in 1981.

The Rangers and Astros didn't have much of a rivalry back then since interleague play hadn't been implemented yet, but the rivalry that exists now is intense.  Considering how the Astros could be moved to the American League and placed in the same AL West that houses Ryan's Texas Rangers, the rivalry could reach new proportions.

Fans of my generation may know Ryan best for his time with the Rangers, but that doesn't mean his time with Houston should be ignored.

No. 1: Babe Ruth

Had it not been for the famous Babe Ruth trade, this slideshow might not ever have been written.  Allow me to give the history and reasoning behind the trade.

From 1914-1918, Ruth was a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox.  On days he didn't pitch, he would sometimes play in the outfield and the power he exhibited with his bat made him a full-time position player in 1919.  That year, he hit .322 with a league-leading 29 home runs and 114 RBI.

Yet, that offseason, Red Sox owner Harry Frazee found himself in one hell of a pickle.  He was producing a show on Broadway and needed money, so he famously sent Ruth to the New York Yankees in exchange for $125,000.

The rest, as they say, is history.  Ruth went on to become one of the greatest hitters of all time (if not the greatest) while Boston struggled for many years afterward.  They did not win another World Series until 2004, thus breaking the fabled "Curse of the Bambino."