July 1, 2011

J.D.: "I'm Surprised They Didn't Boo Drew Sutton. He Plays On The Red Sox With The Name Drew. Figured They'd Hammer Him, Too."

Happy Canada Day!

J.D. Drew pinch-hit in the seventh inning yesterday in Philadelphia and was loudly booed by Phillies fans. Drew was Philadelphia's #1 pick in the 1997 draft, but he chose not to sign with them - the team's only #1 pick to not sign since 1965.

(I assume, though, there are a few other top picks the Phillies have been unable to sign over the years; are they hated, as well? Also, Drew was drafted by the Giants in the 1994 amateur draft, yet I have never heard of San Francisco fans venting their disgust at any time over the last 17 years.)
I thought, "I've got to get at least one hit. I can't come to Philly and not get one hit." ... That's my only sense of revenge when you've got 45,000 people on your case out there. ... I don't think they recognize me when I walk off the field. It's just when I've got Drew on the back of my shirt. Then, it's like, "There he is. I think that's the guy."
Drew's younger brother, Stephen, who plays for the Diamondbacks, also gets booed in Philadelphia. I don't know how Phillies reliever Drew Carpenter is treated.

Drew, in what may be his last season in baseball, is having a dismal year at the plate (.234/.332/.328), but believes he is making progress.
I think I've found something the past week or so in my swing. ... I'm hitting some balls hard and before this I wasn't even doing that. ... It's been frustrating.
Since June 19, Drew is 6-for-19 (.316), all singles.

Kevin Youkilis, on his bruised left ankle:
After I iced [Wednesday] night, it swelled up pretty good and I had a tough time sleeping -- it was throbbing. Hopefully it's just a day, get some treatment and get it going for [Friday].
With Yook injured, the Red Sox need some possible assistance in the infield led them to designate Mike Cameron for assignment and called up Yamaico Navarro. Theo Epstein said Navarro could play right field, in addition to second, third, and shortstop.
Navarro has shown a pretty potent bat against lefties down in the minor leagues. He's got a lot of bat speed and he's an aggressive hitter ... We've exposed him a little bit in the corner outfield. ... [He has] limited experience out there, but has done a nice job so far in a few games out in right field. ... In an ideal world, we'd have somebody more experienced, but he's a versatile guy ...
Yesterday, Jason Varitek batted fifth for the first time since July 8, 2007 - and hit two dongs. It was his 10th career two-HR game; the first homer was his 500th career extra-base hit. Varitek has already had 11 more plate appearance this year than he had in all of 2010, with remarkably similar stats:
       PA   R   H 2B HR RBI  BB   K  AVG  OBP  SLG  OPS
2010  123  18  26  6  7  16  10  35 .232 .293 .473 .766
2011  134  18  29  5  5  17  13  33 .248 .333 .419 .752
Since mid-May, the Red Sox have been getting some solid hitting out of the catching spot, something that seemed like a pipe dream in April. Since May 9, Varitek is batting .329, with five homers, 15 RBI, and a .991 OPS. Since May 15, Jarrod Saltalamacchia is hitting .301 with a .973 OPS, with 13 of his 25 hits going for extra bases.

Josh Reddick is 11-for-23 (.478/.519/.870/1.388), with five extra-base hits - and only one strikeout - since June 19. ... Daniel Bard has not allowed a run in his last 12 appearances, dating back to May 23 (14 innings, 4 hits, 3 walks, 13 strikeouts). ... Drew Sutton turned 28 yesterday. ... David Ortiz is 0 for his last 17. ... Jon Lester is the first Red Sox lefthander to win 10 of the team's first 80 games since Bill Lee in 1975.

Theo Epstein said he would "take the hit" on the signing of Mike Cameron not working out.
Mike was still a productive player when we got him, but - this is all speculation - maybe because of his advanced age, despite the great shape he keeps himself in, he had the significant internal injury, the double hernia, double groin surgery this winter, maybe it just made the recovery that much more difficult at his age. ...

Mike's obviously got a great track record. Even last year, I mean, he was hurt, he still raked left-handed pitching [.357/.438/.690/1.128]. I think the expectation coming into the year is that he would help us against lefties, and it ended up just being a tough adjustment for him to a role he wasn't that familiar with.
Cameron:
I need to sort some things out. But if all goes as planned, I'll be back playing. ... People think Father Time has got me. But it wasn't Father Time. It was not getting much of a chance to go out there and run around and play.

8 comments:

Kyle said...

Allan, I was hoping you would hand it to Carfardo for his anti-Red Sox article again this morning.

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2011/07/01/right_angle_part_of_the_red_sox_lineup_solution/?page=full

How can he be permitted to continue covering our beloved team?

allan said...

I linked to it ("believes", above), but only skimmed it for quotes. I try not to actually read most of his stuff, to be honest. If anyone else wants to rip Cafardo or FJM the article, feel free.

tunameltzer said...

It's not that JD didn't simply sign with the Phillies, it was that he turned down what was then the largest bonus ever offered to a drafted player. It was that level of chutzpah that forever turned Philly against him.

laura k said...

It was that level of chutzpah that forever turned Philly against him.

And it's that level of stupidity that keeps Philly booing him more than a decade later.

laura k said...

While the Drew non-signing was going on, I was listening to NYY radio broadcasts. Michael Kay made a second career out of bashing J.D. Drew. He was beside himself with indignation - often laced with a healthy dose of sexism, because supposedly Drew was following the advice of his mother.

Some years later, Michael Kay left that radio network to do TV on the new YES network. Apparently it was acceptable for Kay to make his own decisions about his own career.

Funny how that works.

tunameltzer said...

Laura: I appreciate his ability to control his career, but that's not how a draft works. I believe that if a player chooses to enter the draft (which is a choice, not something he is forced to do) and that player is drafted, and given a more than reasonable bonus, a team can reasonably expect the player to sign.

If the player has other motives, such as play another sport, play in college, or simply not to play baseball, there is no issue. If the player chooses not to accept a highly reasonable financial offer in order to either; a) try to play for another team; b) try to make even more money, then the purpose of the draft is defeated.

I certainly understand the Philadelphia fans' rage, even if it might be time to let it go. Please understand I'm a huge Sox fan, and read this blog daily. But, imagine if we had the first overall pick, and took Bryce Harper last year. Then we offered him the highest bonus ever. If he had turned it down simply because he wanted more money or wanted never to play for the Red Sox, I think fans would be justifiably angry.

This is the difference between the draft and free agency. The draft does not give players complete free will about their careers, and that creates a reasonable expectation of performance from the fans.

laura k said...

Please understand I'm a huge Sox fan

My defense of Drew and my contempt for booing Phillies fans has nothing to do with Drew being on the Red Sox. I was defending him at the time, although my team was not involved.

imagine if we had the first overall pick, and took Bryce Harper last year. Then we offered him the highest bonus ever. If he had turned it down simply because he wanted more money or wanted never to play for the Red Sox, I think fans would be justifiably angry.

I have no doubt Sox fans would be angry, but I wouldn't be, and I wouldn't agree that their anger was justified or justifiable.

I support any player's autonomy and right to choose what they believe is the best course for their career. If that's primarly a financial decision, I don't take issue with that - and I don't know why anyone else does, either.

My difference in viewpoint does not mean I don't understand the difference between the draft and free agency.

allan said...

I appreciate his ability to control his career, but that's not how a draft works. I believe that if a player chooses to enter the draft (which is a choice, not something he is forced to do) and that player is drafted, and given a more than reasonable bonus, a team can reasonably expect the player to sign.

So you state something is a fact and the evidence you offer is your opinion. ... That is not how making your case works.

I certainly understand the Philadelphia fans' rage, even if it might be time to let it go.

Having "rage" over Drew's decision -- even 14 years later -- is understandable. Really?!?!?! Oh, but it "might" be time to let it go.

If [Bryce Harper] had turned it down simply because he wanted more money or wanted never to play for the Red Sox, I think fans would be justifiably angry.

Anger is an emotion and it does not follow logic. So, yes, some Sox fans would be angry. That would not lend the emotion or reaction any common sense, though.

The draft does not give players complete free will about their careers

Yes, it does. The player can do whatever he wants. He does not become less of a human being or a semi-slave when he enters the draft. What nonsense. He can sign, not sign, go back to school, go live at the North Pole, whatever he wants ... That's why teams do due diligence on the guys they are interested in.

Almost every player who is drafted will not be a star - 9 out of 10 will never be called up to the majors -- so they will likely take the offer that is made. Even postponing that decision and deciding to go in a later year's draft is a huge gamble, because of the risk of injury.