New Free Agent - J.D. Drew

[Elvis]

Drew surprises L.A., becomes free agent
Team RBI leader exercises escape clause in contract

By Ken Gurnick / MLB.com (http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20061109&content_id=1738384&vkey=news_la&fext=.jsp&c_id=la)


LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers essentially swapped 100 RBIs for $33 million Thursday when right fielder J.D. Drew exercised an escape clause to void the final three years of his $55 million contract and became a free agent.

Drew's agent, Scott Boras, said the move was a "business decision" and that Drew would like to discuss a new contract with the Dodgers.

General manager Ned Colletti said he was "surprised" and "disappointed" with the decision and was clearly annoyed, although Colletti paraphrased Boras as saying in a Monday meeting that there was a possibility this would happen and confirmation was faxed to Colletti Thursday.

Colletti said there was no request for a contract extension and sounded as if he had no desire to retain Drew.

"He moved on and we'll move on," he said. "We'll find a player who wants to stay here. Scott broached [the opt-out] and I said if that's what you decide to do ... I'm finished with it.

"In light of what J.D. said at the end of the year, about making a commitment and how much he loved playing here, I was surprised. J.D.'s a man of his word. I guess he changed his word. I think you expect things to be handled in a certain way. Based on what was written at the end of the season, you have to ask yourself, 'How did this happen?'"

Boras said it was a "business decision" to opt out, but that Drew was "very happy" playing for the Dodgers and wanted to continue discussions with the club.

"He would like to come back, and they can re-sign him," said Boras, who relayed that message to Colletti on Thursday night.

While the decision leaves the club short the team-high 100 RBIs Drew had in 2006, it also bolsters the war chest to chase high-profile free-agent targets like Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramirez, Jason Schmidt and Boras clients Barry Zito and Greg Maddux.

Drew was signed to the five-year, $55 million contract by former general manager Paul DePodesta after the 2004 season, but included was a provision that would allow the left-handed hitter to leave after two seasons.

At the time, conspiracy theorists suggested that Boras had outmaneuvered the Dodgers by taking then-free agent Adrian Beltre to Seattle, which created an opening in the Dodgers' lineup that could be filled by Drew, who was finding free-agent offers hard to come by.

Now those theorists are likely to believe that Boras is confident he will find a new home for Drew -- like San Diego, where DePodesta now works -- while creating enough payroll flexibility for the Dodgers to assure they can land Zito and Maddux.

But Colletti, already on the prowl for a potent bat, now must also replace Drew's.

"He led the club in RBIs. You don't just snap your fingers and find another player like that," said Colletti. "You don't go to the rotisserie room in the basement and pull a name out and say he's on your team."

"We were looking to improve the offense and starting pitching and now, with this, it's more incumbent upon us to make sure we have enough offense," Colletti said. "There aren't an overabundance of [free-agent] hitters. We'll have to be creative [through trades] or let the kids come from within.

"Do we have more flexibility? Yeah. It opens up payroll room the next three years, but it doesn't change the number of options out there. It does change what we have to spend."

Among the free-agent hitters are Soriano, Carlos Lee, Aramis Ramirez, Gary Matthews Jr., Moises Alou, Jim Edmonds and Luis Gonzalez, although the Yankees are likely to trade Gary Sheffield, if not Alex Rodriguez.

Colletti also said Drew's decision could impact the club's interest in retaining free agent Nomar Garciaparra. He also listed in-house outfield options of Matt Kemp, James Loney (a first baseman who has played a handful of games in the outfield) and free agent center fielder Kenny Lofton.

Colletti praised manager Grady Little's handling of Drew, which nursed a career-high 146 games out of the right fielder after he was limited to only 72 in his first Dodgers season, which was ended by a broken wrist.

In 2006, Drew also tied for the team high with 20 home runs, hit .283, and had team highs with 89 walks, 34 doubles and a .393 on-base percentage. He went 2-for-13 in the playoffs against the Mets.

Drew, who turns 31 later this month, is no stranger to surprising and contentious decisions. He was the second player taken in the 1997 First-Year Player Draft by the Phillies, but only after protesting that the draft was unfair and warning all teams it would take $10 million to sign him.

He held out the entire season and took Major League Baseball to an arbitration hearing over the legality of the draft, but finally re-entered the draft the following year, when the Cardinals made him the fifth overall pick and gave him a four-year deal worth $7 million guaranteed.

[Astro]

I saw it on the bottom of ESPN... When I saw J.D. Drew pop up I figured that the Dodgers were just placing him on the DL for 2007, to get it done early

[hellborn]

I think that it is astounding how little Drew has gotten out of his amazing talent.
He'll still get a healthy raise out of this. It's pretty funny that Colletti is acting all mad. Of course a player is going to take advantage of a thin FA market! Ned is a terrible GM if he didn't see this coming...

[DoubleX]

I don't know about this. The market is pretty thin for premiere hitters, but I can't really see teams that willing to give Drew more than the 3 year, 33 million he left. He came into the league with great expectations, but the fact is, he can't stay healthy and he isn't that good. In 8 years, he's:

- Just once had more than 494 ABs in a season (career high of just 518)
- Just four times in 8 years has had more than 375 ABs in a season
- Just four times played more than 109 games in a year (career high of 146, but only one other season over 135)
- Just once hit more than 27 homeruns (career high of just 31)
- Just once hit more than 28 doubles (career high of 34)
- Just once had more than 93 RBI (career high of exactly 100)
- Just twice had more than 73 RBI
- Just once hit over .300 in more than 375 ABs (.305 in 518 ABs)
- Just once had more 140 hits (career high of just 158)
- He averages 116 strikeouts per 162 (but that doesn't matter because he's never played more than 146 games anyway, and only twice more than 135)

He is nowhere close to being a reliable ballplayer, and is certainly not worth a 3 year deal worth more than the 33 million he had the Dodgers in for.

This guy has all along overestimated his own ability, going back to when he spurned the Phillies years ago, and he seems more concerned about squeezing out the most money than actually being a good and reliable ballplayer. I hope this backfires on him because I really don't see him as having done anything to deserve more than he was already getting (and I think that was too much). A team would be crazy to make a long-term investment to the oft-injured and underperforming JD Drew. He's more hype than actual on the field ability and performance. I'll be rooting against him more than anyone else this offseason because he was already getting more than he deserved in Los Angeles.

[DodgerBlue8188]

He did the Dodgers a favor. For a 11 million a year the Dodgers can go out and get a good starting pitcher who will pitch every 5 games or another good hitter than can easily top Drews stats.

[CROM]

i think he did the dodgers a favor.. for 11 million they can find someone a lot more reliable..

[Elvis]

Maybe he can join his buddy DePodesta down in PetsMart stadium. That way we can jeer him more often at the Ravine. What a prima donna. Good riddance.

:dance :waving

[KHenry14]

Drew has Scott Boras as an agent, and Boras saw that this FA class is thin plus a lot of teams have money to spend, so it's reasonable to think that Drew might get more than the 11Mil he was getting from the Bums.

Personally, I wouldn't want him on my team. Not only does he get hurt a lot, when he does get hurt he's slow to get back on the field. He's stated previously that he wont play until he's 100% healthy. Good thing for the Red Sox Curt Schilling didn't have the same attitude!

[ChrisLDuncan]

Maybe Boston will sign him to replace Trot in RF.

[Mattingly]

Maybe Boston will sign him to replace Trot in RF.
I can see that also. However, if Bill "Mr SABR" James decides he needs someone more reliable, then I'm not sure he'll be there much longer.

To leave simply because of a thin FA market seems to be self-serving. If he'd at least offered to leave to negotiate a better contract with LAD, that I could consider. However, his reliability contradicts whatever his potential offers. I'll pass.

[DodgerBlue81]

:waving Drew, good riddance

[Rookie1914]

I don't know about this. The market is pretty thin for premiere hitters, but I can't really see teams that willing to give Drew more than the 3 year, 33 million he left. He came into the league with great expectations, but the fact is, he can't stay healthy and he isn't that good. In 8 years, he's:

- Just once had more than 494 ABs in a season (career high of just 518)
- Just four times in 8 years has had more than 375 ABs in a season
- Just four times played more than 109 games in a year (career high of 146, but only one other season over 135)
- Just once hit more than 27 homeruns (career high of just 31)
- Just once hit more than 28 doubles (career high of 34)
- Just once had more than 93 RBI (career high of exactly 100)
- Just twice had more than 73 RBI
- Just once hit over .300 in more than 375 ABs (.305 in 518 ABs)
- Just once had more 140 hits (career high of just 158)
- He averages 116 strikeouts per 162 (but that doesn't matter because he's never played more than 146 games anyway, and only twice more than 135)

He is nowhere close to being a reliable ballplayer, and is certainly not worth a 3 year deal worth more than the 33 million he had the Dodgers in for.

This guy has all along overestimated his own ability, going back to when he spurned the Phillies years ago, and he seems more concerned about squeezing out the most money than actually being a good and reliable ballplayer. I hope this backfires on him because I really don't see him as having done anything to deserve more than he was already getting (and I think that was too much). A team would be crazy to make a long-term investment to the oft-injured and underperforming JD Drew. He's more hype than actual on the field ability and performance. I'll be rooting against him more than anyone else this offseason because he was already getting more than he deserved in Los Angeles.

I couldn't agree more. He isn't worth 5 million, let alone 11. Yeah, the Dodgers lucked out there. Drew hit 20 hr and 100 rbi??? Not even close to 11 million worth.

[Brannu]

I don't know about this. The market is pretty thin for premiere hitters, but I can't really see teams that willing to give Drew more than the 3 year, 33 million he left. He came into the league with great expectations, but the fact is, he can't stay healthy and he isn't that good. In 8 years, he's:

- Just once had more than 494 ABs in a season (career high of just 518)
- Just four times in 8 years has had more than 375 ABs in a season
- Just four times played more than 109 games in a year (career high of 146, but only one other season over 135)
- Just once hit more than 27 homeruns (career high of just 31)
- Just once hit more than 28 doubles (career high of 34)
- Just once had more than 93 RBI (career high of exactly 100)
- Just twice had more than 73 RBI
- Just once hit over .300 in more than 375 ABs (.305 in 518 ABs)
- Just once had more 140 hits (career high of just 158)
- He averages 116 strikeouts per 162 (but that doesn't matter because he's never played more than 146 games anyway, and only twice more than 135)

He is nowhere close to being a reliable ballplayer, and is certainly not worth a 3 year deal worth more than the 33 million he had the Dodgers in for.

This guy has all along overestimated his own ability, going back to when he spurned the Phillies years ago, and he seems more concerned about squeezing out the most money than actually being a good and reliable ballplayer. I hope this backfires on him because I really don't see him as having done anything to deserve more than he was already getting (and I think that was too much). A team would be crazy to make a long-term investment to the oft-injured and underperforming JD Drew. He's more hype than actual on the field ability and performance. I'll be rooting against him more than anyone else this offseason because he was already getting more than he deserved in Los Angeles.

Ditto ... Any team that offers more than $5mil/yr is taking a major risk, and more than that .... wasting money.

[Rapmaster]

Ditto ... Any team that offers more than $5mil/yr is taking a major risk, and more than that .... wasting money.

Meh, certain teams can afford that risk. Who knows, maybe he'll stop being a prima donna and start playing more than he has. He showed what he was capable of in 2004. The potential was there when he was drafted and nothing's happened to change that. I still believe that he's a dominant player, when he chooses to play.

I think paying J.D. Drew a large salary is a gamble, indeed. But is it really more of a gamble than posting a huge bid and signing a foreign pitcher for more?

[Brannu]

Meh, certain teams can afford that risk. Who knows, maybe he'll stop being a prima donna and start playing more than he has. He showed what he was capable of in 2004. The potential was there when he was drafted and nothing's happened to change that. I still believe that he's a dominant player, when he chooses to play.

I think paying J.D. Drew a large salary is a gamble, indeed. But is it really more of a gamble than posting a huge bid and signing a foreign pitcher for more?

If a team offers him a large contract, they would be wise to do it in a one year deal (monthly if possible), with options based on performance.

[hellborn]

I wouldn't mind seeing this backfire on Drew, either, but you've gotta think that Boras has something good more or less in the bag to pull this.
The only other thing I can think of...when an agent negotiates a long term deal, does he get his cut up front, or year by year? If Boras already got his money from Drew signing with the Dodgers, does he get a new cut that ends up increasing his personal take, even if the new deal isn't as good as the remainder of Drew's old one?

I think that Drew has amazing baseball ability, he just doesn't seem to care about using it every day. Last time I saw him play in person, he was nursing some nagging injury with the Cards. JD put on a truly awesome display in BP, popping shots deep into the RF bleachers at Fenway with very little apparent effort. Then, he tied the game in the late innings with a pinch HR right into the area he was peppering in BP, on the first pitch he saw.
What kept him out of the lineup that day...hangnail? Bad hair? Gotta be very frustrating for a manager to deal with a guy like that...

[hellborn]

Meh, certain teams can afford that risk. Who knows, maybe he'll stop being a prima donna and start playing more than he has. He showed what he was capable of in 2004. The potential was there when he was drafted and nothing's happened to change that. I still believe that he's a dominant player, when he chooses to play.

I think paying J.D. Drew a large salary is a gamble, indeed. But is it really more of a gamble than posting a huge bid and signing a foreign pitcher for more?
How much did the Mets end up paying to get Cliff Floyd? Similar player in many ways...although, Cliff seems like a good guy, and more genuinely troubled by real injuries than JD.

Maybe JD is just so embarrassed by his terrible baserunning in the playoffs that he can't show his face in LA next year...

[Goooooo]

Why would anyone want JD Drew? At 31, I dont think he will ever be in the upper tier of players. Sure a nice second tier guy, but for over $11 million dollars? Hes not clutch and he gets hurt too much.

[Rapmaster]

How much did the Mets end up paying to get Cliff Floyd? Similar player in many ways...although, Cliff seems like a good guy, and more genuinely troubled by real injuries than JD.

Maybe JD is just so embarrassed by his terrible baserunning in the playoffs that he can't show his face in LA next year...

I dunno, Cliff Floyd was a gamble. But J.D. Drew's ceiling (in my opinion) is much higher. I wouldn't be surprised to see him in a Mets uniform next season. Green in left, Beltran in center, and Drew in right. Bring up Milledge Lastings when Green's contract expires (after 2007).

[hellborn]

I dunno, Cliff Floyd was a gamble. But J.D. Drew's ceiling (in my opinion) is much higher. I wouldn't be surprised to see him in a Mets uniform next season. Green in left, Beltran in center, and Drew in right. Bring up Milledge Lastings when Green's contract expires (after 2007).
You know, Minaya is just the guy to take a chance on Drew with an eye to that high ceiling...and, Green seems to be pretty challenged in right these days.
I saw Milledge's 1st career HR at Shea last season! Great game, but SF pulled it out...much better game than seeing Beckett give up 11 runs at Yankee the next night. :ughh

[Rapmaster]

You know, Minaya is just the guy to take a chance on Drew with an eye to that high ceiling...and, Green seems to be pretty challenged in right these days.
I saw Milledge's 1st career HR at Shea last season! Great game, but SF pulled it out...much better game than seeing Beckett give up 11 runs at Yankee the next night. :ughh

Now that I think about it, the Mets could possibly be a big player in the Carlos Lee talks. Minaya might play the latino card again as he has the last few offseasons.

I think Milledge still needs another half year in the minors before he's called up permanently.

[bluezebra]

In two words: GREED, EGO.

Bob

[ChrisLDuncan]

This guy's an idiot if he thinks that he can make more money elsewhere.

[NewYork NewYork]

Apperently the Red Sox really like Drew. Supposedly there have been talks about a 4 year 52 million deal for Drew in Boston. I just don't get this deal from Boston's side. First they pay the 40 million posting fee on Matsuzka, and they will have to sign him for 13-16 Million a year, and now a 13 Million deal for Drew?

[hellborn]

Now that I think about it, the Mets could possibly be a big player in the Carlos Lee talks. Minaya might play the latino card again as he has the last few offseasons.

I think Milledge still needs another half year in the minors before he's called up permanently.

I hear a lot about NL teams being wary of Lee for the OF due to his size, and 1B is clearly taken for the Mets for some years now.
I did have the same thought about JD, that he's not latin...I would think and hope that Minaya is really more interested in getting a good player than worrying about adding more of a certain ethnicity!!
I'll bet that Minaya feels he needs to strike while the iron is hot and will use Milledge as a chip to get more proven talent. I have never actually studied that young man's minor league record and don't have a feeling for whether he can back up all the hype at some point.

[hellborn]

Apperently the Red Sox really like Drew. Supposedly there have been talks about a 4 year 52 million deal for Drew in Boston. I just don't get this deal from Boston's side. First they pay the 40 million posting fee on Matsuzka, and they will have to sign him for 13-16 Million a year, and now a 13 Million deal for Drew?

Wow...as a Bosox fan, I'm hoping that Theo is NOT interested in Drew. I can see that being a waste of tens of millions of dollars. If the guy would play to his potential, bring him in, but I have no confidence that he'll do that.

Would Crisp be traded then, or Pena, or Manny? It'd be a mistake to trade Crisp now with his value so low, unless there's evidence that his wrist problems are permanent. Pena may have looked rough in RF, but I think that bat deserves more of a chance. He'd fit in a lot better in LF if Manny actually does get traded somehow....
I feel that Crisp deserves a chance to prove that last year was an aberration caused by his injury, and that Pena just plain deserves a chance. Don't see how Drew fits in unless Manny is traded.