Jason Varitek:
I wish the fans understood how much power they have. They can help J.D. Drew. They really can. ...
He's not the kind of guy that throws his bat. Is his hat going to be as dirty as Trot's was? No. But that doesn't mean he doesn't care. And that doesn't mean he isn't good. ... Is he having the year a lot of people hoped? No. But he can still help us. In fact, I really believe we are going to need him. ...
Why not give him a standing ovation when he comes to plate. They did it for Julio Lugo and it helped. It really did. The energy the fans give you can carry a team. Trust me, I know. I can feel it. But the fans can also make you want to get under a rock.
SoSHers offer their
comments, including Myt1:
I think Tek's comments may speak to the emotional state of JD Drew right now. Drew's usually seen as a very even-keel player, but perhaps the mask slipped a little in the clubhouse, and he's let on a bit about how he's feeling.
By the way, in 32 games since August 6, Drew is hitting .300/.390/.450.
Unfortunately BR doesn't do game by game splits, but:
ReplyDelete2 outs RISP: .185 .398 .385
8 of his 12 hits are for extra bases. Combine that with the .400 OBP, and it's pretty clear that his approach is to try not to make an out, he only swings when he can mash the ball. Although I'm not one to say how much more effective this is than any other approach, I think this is probably a contributing factor to the frustrations of dumb fans.
Why would you boo before the AB anyway? I think one of the few times I've booed *before* an event was the G**** L***** shennanigans.
When J.D. Drew had that long AB last night, where he was fouling off pitch after pitch (and finally walked and scored), I said to Mrs. Mugro "I think that he is coming out of it (the slump)." Sure enough, at the next AB, he hits a home run.
ReplyDeleteKudos to Tek for saying what he did. He is right. We should cheer JD on and encourage him to continue to climb out of his bad first year with the Sox.
Tek & Terry have said time and time again that "We need him. We can't win this thing without him." I think that they are both right.
SoSHer Eric Van breaks down the Drew stats:
ReplyDeleteAug 5-17: .425/.489/.625
Aug 18-Sept 6: .157/.274/.235
Sept 7-now: 6-12, 2 2B, HR, 4 BB, 1 K
Drew's seeing the ball very well right now. He gets my cheers for that. He got them last night, too. That long at-bat was his best of the season, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteWow, an emotional plea from Varitek of all people.
ReplyDeleteDuring opening day introductions one year, the fans booed rather loudly for Ramiro Mendoza as he trotted out in his sparkly white uniform. And he just looked so crestfallen. I felt so bad.
It was OPENING DAY for christ's sake. My sister rather awesomely shouted, "Oh, get OVER it, it was LAST YEAR!"
Drew's numbers (after tonight's game):
ReplyDeleteAug 5-17: .425/.489/.625
Aug 18-Sept 6: .157/.274/.235
Sept 7-now: 8-14, 3 2B, HR, 6 BB, 1 K
Sox record:
Aug 5-17: 6-6
Aug 18-Sept 6: 12-7
Sept 7-now: 4-2
i'm not a big drew fan but they did pretty good while he struggled. it's a team game. i just hope the fans remember that and get behind him for the playoffs.
"They did it for Julio Lugo and it helped. It really did."
ReplyDeleteI remember the 'Lets Go Lugo' cheer as being one of the classiest (and surprising) things that happened at Fenway this year. And like Tek said it really did make a difference. It would be nice to hear that sentiment again.
& how about Drew last night, head down running straight out of the box to leg out a double thanks to a bad hop over Pena's glove at first. Nice hustle.
ReplyDelete