Theo's man

By Dean Geddes

J.D. Drew is one lucky guy. Never in Red Sox history has a high profile free agent not been crucified for playing this badly. That's what winning will do. A double digit lead in the A.L. East can pacify even the most rabid Red Sox pessimist. It also helps having free agent classmate Julio Lugo stealing the lowlight with a .079 June batting average, including a spectacular 0-33 hitless streak.

Make no mistake, Drew has been bad. Really bad. He was billed as the man who would finally give Manny Ramirez the much needed protection he deserves. He was supposed to create nightmares for opposing managers, who would either have to keep their left-handed specialist in to face Manny or let Drew feast on a righty.

Don't worry opposing managers, Drew isn't going to be keeping you up late at night. Nope. Somebody who is slugging .388 on the season, somebody whose .260 batting average drops to .225 with runners in scoring position and an abysmal .200 with runners in scoring position and two out, well he's the kind of guy you dream about facing after Ortiz and Manny.

Terry Francona came to this sad realization too, and in order to stop playing into the hands of the opposing managers, he was forced to find a new spot for Drew. Last night it was the lead off spot. Where the $70 million "slugger" and his inability to drive in runs and lack of power will hurt the team least.

Drew was never one to shine under pressure. His career .249 average with runners in scoring position and two out can attest to that. Dodger fans were all too eager to say goodbye. When he's at the plate, you just don't expect him to do anything, they would say. They're right. What makes it worse is his seemly oblivious demeanour. It's tough watching him take strike three to end an inning with runners on base. But does it bother him? Watching him carelessly stroll back to the dugout, you sure wouldn't think so.

It was a puzzling off-season acquisition to begin with. Not often does a front office go after a "star" player in his prime much to the disgust of its fan base. Gerry Callahan summed it up nicely in his column in the Boston Herald on Nov. 29, 2006:

"While Sox fans are starved for someone, anyone, who represents an upgrade from last season's roster, it is not easy to find a fan who is excited about the prospect of seeing Drew in a Sox uniform. For some reason, the paying customers seem to understand better than the Sox front office wonks that it ain't all about OPS. Sometimes you've got to look at the character and the personality of a player before you walk down the aisle with him."

The majority of Red Sox fans were against the Drew acquisition from the get go. Credit Theo for revamping the bullpen, for stopping at nothing to make sure the Red Sox got Daisuke Matsuzaka, for signing Beckett to an extension last year for a bargain basement price. But $70 million for Drew? Theo, you got fleeced. Not a single team in the big leagues would take Drew and that contract if you tried giving it away.

What made the Drew signing even more bizarre was that it seemed the Red Sox already had their man. They traded away hometown favorite Bronson Arroyo, for the raw but powerful Wily Mo Peña. Last season the 25-year-old slugger played in 84 games for the Sox. In 276 at bats he hit .301, clubbed 11 homers (a handful of the jaw-dropping variety), and drove in 42 runs. The best part about Wily Mo is he's $70 million cheaper than Drew. The worst part about Wily Mo, he has 428 career strikeouts to only 85 career walks. He also plays an atrocious right field, and center field, and left field. In 139 games in a Red Sox uniform, Wily Mo has put together a blooper real that most players couldn't dream of compiling in a lifetime.



Nonetheless, the Red Sox did invest in him. The gave up a young, solid, middle of the rotation fan favorite for him. After an impressive 2006 performance, it was time to roll the dice with him. He's young, and he can't get any worse in the outfield. Maybe he can learn how to track fly balls. Maybe he can learn a little plate discipline. Worse comes to worse, the Red Sox rent a right fielder at the trading deadline. But by signing Drew, Wily Mo is now the fourth outfielder for the foreseeable future. And the Red Sox are stuck with an overpaid, injury-plagued right fielder for the next five years.