JD Drew

Gerry Callahan of the Boston Herald has a column today where he basically rips JD Drew and Theo Epstein for believing in and signing Drew. Callahan points out that a team leading its division by 10 games makes for good cover for players like JD Drew and Julio Lugo who were the two traditional big free agent signings of the Red Sox last offseason.

I hate to be the one to defend Drew but it should be noted that when the Red Sox started off the season - Drew was their hottest hitter and it was his offense that kept them in many games and allowed them to get off to a 12-6 start. At that point in the season (April 23rd) Drew was hitting .350 with a .413 OBP and a .500 SLG mark. For whatever reason - its been all downhill at the plate for Drew from that point on.

When the rumors about Drew signing with the Red Sox first surfaced I was definitely not on the bandwagon:

But why sign JD Drew in the first place? Why let the 32-year old, lefty, NASCAR loving Trot Nixon leave as a free agent but bring in the lefty, redneck, 31-year old Drew to take his place? Letting Nixon leave is a good move but bringing Drew in to replace him in the current situation makes no sense unless there is some MLB affirmative action policy quota for rednecks that I don't know about.

Drew is often-injured (you can't read a story about him without that qualifier being attached to his name) but he's also lost a step (witness just 2 stolen bases last year with 3 caught stealing). His power also seems to be slipping (witness his HR per AB rate which went from 1 HR every 16.8 AB in 2005 to 1 HR every 24.7 AB in 2006). All the red flags are there with Drew so why would the Red Sox ignore them and sign Drew? It makes no sense to me.

Having said all this - let me say that I have not given up on Drew. I think he may be hurting but is unwilling to go on the DL because of his past reputation and is trying to play through whatever is physically bothering him even though it is killing him at the plate.

I did not like the Drew signing because I thought locking him up would preclude the Red Sox from signing a Torii Hunter or Ichiro (and it probably does). Now that Drew is signed though - I see no reason to give up on the guy this early into the contract. Have people like Callahan learned nothing from the Dustin Pedroia bashing that was going on the first month of the season?