J.D. Drew?

by Landfill on Nov 20, 2006 5:02 PM CST Comment 19 comments

This is a diary entirely untethered to any source or substantiation, but how about Williams making one of his patented under-the-radar quick-strike moves and signing J.D. Drew? Our friend, Criminal Appeal, at the Ron Karkovice Fan Club (http://ronkarkovicefanclub.blogspot.com/) floated this last week and the more I thought about it, the more I liked it. In an inflated market like this, you will get killed bidding for the medium range guys. Guys like Speier and DeRosa are not sufficiently better than the (almost) freely available replacements to justify the extra cash. But stars are still scarce and J.D. Drew is a star. He'd fit in beautifully in left and be able to slide over to right if Dye leaves in 2008. He's a fine outfielder and gets on base a ton. His most comparable players are Jim Edmonds and Larry Doby, which is fine company to keep. Drew just opted out of 3 years and $33 million so we'll have to pay notably more. Maybe 4 years and $60 million gets it done?

Reasons this won't or shouldn't happen:

Drew is represented by Boras. I'm sure Boras would be happy to take our money but the Sox hate him and will be reluctant to deal with him at all.

4 years and $60 million may not be enough to get it done. The Red Sox with their Jamesian management know how good Drew is and are in the bidding. After dropping $51.1 million for the PSL to Matsuzaka, they may figure why not give Drew a $75 million deal?

Injuries, injuries, injuries. Drew has a pattern of alternating decently durable seasons (135-145 games played) with clunkers where he puts up 75-100 games. You could spend a lot of money for a lot of DL time.

No stolen bases. Drew was a crafty but not prolific base stealer when he was younger but now he doesn't run at all. Ozzie wants a stolen base guy to "put pressure on the defense" (tm) and Drew isn't that. Kenny does what he wants to do, but he'll pay attention to what Ozzie thinks and Ozzie will want someone like Pierre.

Attitude. Drew has had a bad reputation since he held-out after being drafted by the Phillies and he hasn't done much to correct it. He's an even keeled kind of guy who doesn't display much emotion so hyper-fans get on him. He's a classic lightning-rod for fan blame. For a recent examply, check out Bill Simmons latest column where he begs the Red Sox not to sign Drew. (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/061117)

Despite all these issues, I'd still like to see the Sox take a stab at it. I think Drew will be a better investment than Soriano or Drew for the life of his contract, assuming he stays healthy. I'm willing to bet on Herm and luck that Drew has the Edmonds career path, not the Bobby Higginson one. I don't care about Boras, stolen bases or attitude. Drew is very good ball-player, he fits a serious hole in our line-up and, compared to the other contracts being handed out, he may be reasonably valued. He's the place I'd put my chips.

Comments?

SouthSideSox is a community driven site. As such, users are able to express their thoughts and opinions in a FanPost, such as this one, which represents the views of this particular fan, but not necessarily the entire community or SouthSideSox editors.

0 recs | Comment 19 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

My question...

What's Kenny Williams' cap regarding the 2007 team's budget? During the roundtable discussion, the participants generally agreed on a number in the $105-110 million range. If that's the case, I don't think Drew fits in the Sox plans.

But over at Soxtalk, fellow SSS poster 3E8 put together a graph that related revenues to the payroll, and the estimation he came up with was closer to $120 million. If that's the case, than Drew certainly makes sense, and I'd say he's a better bet than any of the other OFers that are going to get signed this winter.

If there's one FA outfielder I want the Sox to go hard after, it's Drew. His skills fit this team most appropriately. It would even allow you to switch up the top of the order, leading off with Iguchi and hitting Drew second followed by Dye, Thome, then Konerko. I'd overpay in $$$ to take a year off the contract; say, 3 years, $50 million. In this market, I don't think that's a bad contract at all.

by CWSKeith on Nov 20, 2006 5:18 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I like it

beause of OBP and fielding. Creative too, in that noone seems to be talking about it. Of course, Drew would represent a massive improvement over Scott Podsednik.

I dislike the idea for Drew's lack of fire, which is a perception of mine grounded only in superficial observation and rumor. I'd be willing to bet, though, that Drew will never be anything like the sparkplug Rowand was, and the Sox did seem to be lacking that sparkplug in 06. Drew's brother Stephen has exactly the same phlegmatic demeanor in Arizona, BTW, so I think there is something to it.

Since JD Drew will cost a revolting amount of money, have you considered dealing to the pitching-starved Mets for someone cheap like Lastings Milledge in LF? OK, he's not a character guy either, but while we're talking about non-Rowands, Milledge seems like a star waiting to happen, despite his bumpy cup of coffee in 06.

(Can a cup of coffee actually be bumpy?)

I'm with you, though, I don't want anything to do with Pierre, and since the Cubs have taken Soriano off the market, that question is moot.

by spengler on Nov 20, 2006 5:31 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Upgrade, but in the area we need?

Drews' performance against LHP the last two years is disappointing, .716 and .695 OPSes respectively, and that after being great against lefties in '04.

We have some of the best left-handed pitchers in the league in the AL Central and faced LHP more than any other team I believe last season. For as much as it would take to invest in Drew with the variety of question marks he brings as stated above, I would prefer it be spent making the offense more complete in an area of need.

Is Pat Burrell still available? I know the Phillies were looking to move him if they could land an outfield bat, but after they got outbid by the Cubs on Soriano, he might be staying put. He can't play a lick of defense, but absolutely dominates left-handed pitching. Average .440 OBP against them past two seasons. Career .950 OPS against LHP. Also, his backloaded burden of a contract looks less intimidating after the deals we've seen thus far this offseason. Maybe he could be a nice stopgap while Sweeney continues development.

by 3E8 on Nov 20, 2006 10:20 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

i'll pass

I don't doubt Drew's skills and #s, but the fact that he can never stay healthy tells me to stay away. Players like CLee and Soriano are going to get outrageous contracts, but atleast they have a history of being on the field. There is something to say about that.

AIM: shaftr01

XBL: TheMattressMan

by shaftr on Nov 21, 2006 8:53 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I don't understand the health argument

Earlier in his career, I'd agree with it. Over the past 3 years, he's missed significant time one time, and that was due to a broken wrist he received on a HBP. How does getting hit on the wrist signify a player being injury prone?

In his St. Louis days I would have no doubt agreed, but I just honestly, truthfully, don't think he's that injury prone anymore.

by wite on Nov 21, 2006 10:29 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

hmmm

I have to admit, I thought he had missed more time the past 3 years. I was wrong.

AIM: shaftr01

XBL: TheMattressMan

by shaftr on Nov 21, 2006 10:45 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'd rather wait

Until Vernon Wells hits the market.

Sox Machine

by Sox Machine on Nov 21, 2006 10:02 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Is Wells realistic?

I'd rather wait for Wells too, but what would it take to get him? Assuming the Jays lose Lilly, they will demand at least a starter in return.

by onlysoxfaninboston on Nov 21, 2006 10:13 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

wait til 08

isn't he a FA after next year?

AIM: shaftr01

XBL: TheMattressMan

by shaftr on Nov 21, 2006 10:15 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yup

And Toronto's not going to be able to retain him. Given what Soriano got, I can't imagine him bypassing free agency, even if traded midseason.

Sox Machine

by Sox Machine on Nov 21, 2006 10:29 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

He's from Texas

Is a friend of Michael young, and supposedly really wants to play for the Rangers.

I don't see the Sox as willing to pay the money or years that Wells will want to come to Chicago.

by hitlesswonder on Nov 21, 2006 10:41 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

vernon wells news (per rotoworld)

Vernon Wells says he has been told the Blue Jays first want to iron out their pitching issues before beginning talks on a contract extension.

It was just last month that Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi indicated he wouldn't be willing to give Wells a Carlos Beltran-type deal ($119 million for seven years). Now it seems almost unrealistic to expect him to go that cheap. Wells is three years younger than Alfonso Soriano, and while he's a little overrated offensively, he's clearly the superior bet of the two players going forward. The odds favor him getting a $150 million deal if he hits free agency. If the Jays don't want to pay it, they might go ahead and cash him in now.

AIM: shaftr01

XBL: TheMattressMan

by shaftr on Nov 21, 2006 12:32 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

only 2 problems here..

1. Drew's agent is BORASS. So, that will not happen .

2. Thankfully, his agent is BORASS because we don't want J.D. Drew. We don't want him because he is J.D. Drew.

by White Sox Randy on Nov 22, 2006 9:53 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

The way

Drew dropped out of his contract, on principle alone Jerry R. won't give the OK for KW to go after Drew. Not to mention the baseball argument against Drew. Drew isn't and shouldn't be on the sox radar.

by cfisk72 on Nov 23, 2006 3:59 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I'd take Drew over Wells...

Drew would only cost money. Wells would cost both top prospects and money. With both Drew and Dye in your outfield, you don't have to worry about Anderson's offense at all. And Drew's career .393 OBP makes him a great #2 hitter...

2B Iguchi
LF Drew
RF Dye
DH Thome
1B Konerko
3B Crede
C Pierzynski
SS Uribe
CF Anderson

by SSH2005 on Nov 23, 2006 12:23 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Wells will only take money, too

It'll just be a year. No reason to rush into an older, more injury-prone player who doesn't help us with our problems against left-handed pitching.

Sox Machine

by Sox Machine on Nov 23, 2006 12:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Ummm, okay...

Do you realize how many free agents we have after 2007?

by SSH2005 on Nov 23, 2006 5:29 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Ummmmmmmmm, yes.

But I'll bypass the passive-aggressive BS posturing and assume you meant to phrase that like, "But we're going to have a lot of free agents after 2007, and I'd like to ensure that we don't lose a big bat in the lineup. Why on earth would you want to gamble on Wells?"

That is an excellent topic of debate! Allow me to offer a response.

1) Drew's represented by Boras, which means he's not anywhere near an actual possibility for the White Sox. But let's say for the hell of it that he has a different agent. I'm still not crazy about it because...

1a) We're already hinging a lot of at-bats on Thome, who is locked up through '08. The risk-reward for having two injury-prone, damn near untradeable sluggers doesn't work out in our favor, in my opinion.

He's lefty, and the Sox will still be facing a ton of those guys for the forseeable future.
Wells will be 29 when angling for the big contract. Drew will be 32 at that time. For big money, I'd rather have the guy not entering the downside of his career.

Plus, if you're into patterns, Drew seems to be the anti-Bret Saberhagen: Healthy enough in even-numbered years, out of the lineup in odd ones.

Sox Machine

by Sox Machine on Nov 23, 2006 6:32 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Plus

There's value in knowing that you're going to have Wells out there for 140-150 games per year. Not to mention the spectacular defense. If he hits like he did last year, you could make the argument that he's one of the 15 most valuable players in all of baseball.

I'd pay him more money for less years than Soriano. Four years, $80 million. Sorry, Jermaine, but you're not in your prime years nor do you play great defense at a premium position. Get the two picks or a whopping package of players back...

by CWSKeith on Nov 23, 2006 1:44 PM CST reply actions 0 recs