Red Sox, RF Drew close to agreement

[WhosyourPapi????]

Done deal according to SI.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...sox/index.html
EDIT: Fixed link

[MuffinMcFluffin]

Originally Posted by WhosyourPapi????

Drew isn't that good against lefties. But he is a good player. Earlier this year Gary Matthews got signed to a 10 million dollar a year contract. Drew will probably be signed for about 14 million a year. If you compare there stats Drew is much better then Matthews who only had one good year. Is Drew worth 14 million??? I dont know but look at his stats compared to some other outfieders signed this year.

Gary Matthews 5 years 50 million

Year Ag Tm  Lg  G   AB    R    H   2B 3B  HR  RBI  SB CS  BB  SO   BA   OBP   SLG   TB   SH  SF IBB HBP GDP 
 2006 31 TEX AL 147  620  102  194  44  6  19   79  10  7  58  99  .313  .371  .495  307   0   8   5   4   8 AS

And his 162 career average is:

 162 Game Avg        516   79  136  29  4  14   58  12  5  57 103  .263  .336  .419  216   2   4   3   2   8

Juan Pierre 9 million a year 4 years

Year Ag Tm  Lg  G   AB    R    H   2B 3B  HR  RBI  SB CS  BB  SO   BA   OBP   SLG   TB   SH  SF IBB HBP GDP 
2006 28 CHC NL 162  699   87  204  32 13   3   40  58 20  32  38  .292  .330  .388  271  10   1   0   8   6

His Average:

  162 Game Avg        661   98  200  24 10   2   46  52 19  42  40  .303  .350  .377  250  12   2   1   8   8

JD Drew 14 million a year(?)

 Year Ag Tm  Lg  G   AB    R    H   2B 3B  HR  RBI  SB CS  BB  SO   BA   OBP   SLG   TB   SH  SF IBB HBP GDP 
2006 30 LAD NL 146  494   84  140  34  6  20  100   2  3  89 106  .283  .393  .498  246   1   6   8   4   4

His career average:

 162 Game Avg        533  102  153  27  6  27   86  12  4  89 116  .286  .393  .512  273   3   4   4   7   7

I'm not saying the other guys got what they deserved but with the way signings are going Drew at 14 million isn't bad. A 3-4-5 of Ortiz-Manny-Drew would be awesome.

Disregarding any possible steroid suspicions, it's kind of funny how the new $18 mil/year (Bonds 2001 - 2004) is probably about $25+ mil/year if said players are being paid this much for said statistical performances.

I'm a big Boston fan, so I'm hoping just as much as anybody that they're making the right choice signing Drew, knowing his average games/year and his reputation for not being able to stay healthy all season. I hope he stays healthy as long as possible.

[Kodiak]

I really like JD Drew. He was one of my favorite players here in St. Louis. Having said that...he may run into issues in Boston.

JD likes to keep to himself which can turn some people off (fellow players etc...). He has got a WORLD of talent. There is a reason why he came up being compared to Mantle. He's got all five tools and a TON of power when he utilizes it.

The way I see it is that JD has two problems.

1) He doesn't utilize all his talent. Which may be a good thing because if you can get him to play 100% then there is no telling what kind of numbers he could put up. People have accused JD of not caring in the past but it just stems from the fact that he doesn't put in full effort. Playing laid back like he sometimes does isn't going to go well in Boston and you have to worry that he may just not fit in...i.e. Edgar Renteria syndrome.

Of any team in baseball that JD would fit in it would have to be LA where things are laid back, not Boston where the intense baseball fans create a whole different atmosphere.

2) He's injury prone. This may stem from the first reason. If he played through more pain and gave it 100% then maybe he would be on the DL less. Of course he could just be one of those players that gets injured a lot....

Well there is my 2 cents. I hope you guys treat JD well. He has been given a huge contract and I hope he works out well. He's got some major talent and has yet to have his career year so I hope you guys can get him to do what the Cardinals and Dodgers (to a lesser extent I suppose) failed to do, give 110%.

[RTT]

I think Drew will do very well in Boston.


This isn't on a statistical standpoint, I just think he'll be great and continue to be.

[cjelephant]

I don't understand this move. He's a good player and I like him, but Drew is not worth 14 million a year X 5.

Were there even any other teams mildly interested in this guy?

they made a better offer for him than Damon?!

Huh?!

[Navin Johnson]

I can't wait until all of Boston starts crying about this guy. 14 mil a year? For a guy who has shown he cannot finish a full season? Who, when healthy, puts up rather mediocre numbers for a corner outfielder? The really sad part is when the Sox do get fed up with him, he will be all but untradeable.

[cjelephant]

I do like what Drew said in the recent Boston Globe interview. He said the right things.

He only lives about 15 mins from me - do you guys want me to go over to his house? What should I tell him?

[AutomatedTeller]

Tell him hi and welcome to Boston!! Give him some cookies and ace bandages and tell him to stretch a lot!!!

[AutomatedTeller]

So, is Drew going to get signed? Any bets? My guess is that the Sox will get him and the guaranteed money will be less.

[steeplechase3k]

Wait 'til next year - Extra Bases - Boston.com

That seems right AT, I'm guessing the Red Sox want something that allows them an out if he is injured...

[Zen653]

CJ, Drew already bought a place in the Boston area or do you live somewhere else?

[cjelephant]

Originally Posted by Zen653

CJ, Drew already bought a place in the Boston area or do you live somewhere else?

JD was interviewed by the Globe from his home in Hahira GA when I wrote that.

Is his deal ever going to get done?

[AutomatedTeller]

well, I am sure it will be done once the Sox have some time... wait, they aren't doing anything right now, are they? Maybe once Boras gets Zito signed... wait, that happened...

I have no idea why this is still being hung up...

[ingagi]

Something about his shoulder(?)--my take on him: good player/hitter, for about 100 games, then always seems to get hurt. Sox have a right to be careful re: his health before forking over so much money. Like to have him in RF etc. healthy, of course, the guy can def. play.

[steeplechase3k]

6 weeks later the deal is done!

http://www.boston.com/sports/basebal...nce_drew_deal/

The five-year, $70 million agreement was reached on Dec. 5 but not finished until the lawyers worked out an arrangement that would allow the Red Sox to opt out of the guaranteed money for 2010 and 2011 if Drew's right shoulder injury recurs. Drew had surgery on the shoulder in September 2005, and the Red Sox wanted to make sure that they wouldn't be responsible for all of the money if he was damaged goods.

Sounds like the Red Sox got the coverage they wanted, but knowing Boras I'm sure the language is ver uspesific to the existing injury...