Red Sox Nation is likely planning a public burning at Government Center this morning after news leaked that Johnny Damon switched teams, taking a deal from the Yankees for four years and $52 million. They’re going to turn on him just like they turned on Nomar. They’ll call him a lousy bum, a traitor.

Which is, of course, nonsense. ESPN Radio’s Colin Cowherd nailed it this morning on his radio show The Herd. Boston wears its players out. If they hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to win a game, a fan will still say, “Well, what about last week, when you popped out to end the game?” New York, on the other hand, treats its players like stars. Is it any wonder why so many players go from Boston to New York, but very few go from New York to Boston? It makes me laugh to think that there was once talk of Derek Jeter playing for the Red Sox. Never in a million years would Jeter play for Boston.

Now that this deal is done, expect the Manny talk to heat up some more. You know he’s looking at that depleted offense and thinking, “Aye, carumba!”