- Thread starter
- #1
Adamsince1981
New member
- Aug 7, 2008
- 4,745
- 1
For starters, let me say that I was a huge Drew fan and a serious player collector from 98-03. I still like him and have some descent cards, including all my base, inserts, and parallels from his Cardinals years.
Other than being injury prone, he is a class act and a heck of a baseball player, so I've defended him over the years.
1995-1997
"At Florida State, he was the winner of the 1997 Dick Howser Trophy and the 1997 Golden Spikes Award, was named the 1997 Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year, the 1997 Sporting News Player of the Year, and was a consensus All-American (1997). He also was named the 1997 ACC Player of the Year. He was a 1996 member of Team USA. Drew was First Team in 1996, Freshman All-American in 1995 and was named to the College World Series All Tournament Team in 1995. He was the first player in college baseball history to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season. He set a Florida State record by batting .455 in 1997 while managing to become one of only three players in college baseball history to have 100 hits, 100 runs and 100 RBIs. During his college career, Drew broke 17 school and conference records."
1997 - Golden Spikes Winner
1998 - drafted and was called up in same season - .417 w/ 5 HR in 14 games - Hype was through the roof.
2001 - .323, 27 HR (only 109 games played). Was on pace for 56 HR when hit in hand by Wells fastball.
2004 - Traded to ATL - .305, 31 HR, 93 RBI, 1.005 OPS
2005 - Signs with LA - hand broke by fastball - .286 w/ 15 HR's in 72 games.
2006 - LA - Full Season - .283, 34 doubles, 20 HR, 100 RBI, .891 OPS.
2007 - Signs with Boston - Battled a few small injuries - .270, 30 doubles, 11 HR, 64 RBI
2007 Post Season - Red Sox win World Series - .314, 7 runs, 3 doubles, 1 HR, 11 RBI
2008 - Player of the month (JUNE) - Carried Boston during Ortiz injury - missed last month or so with injury.
2008 All-Star Game - MVP
2008 Post Season - .263, 2 HR, 6 RBI
2009 - 137 Games: .279, 30 doubles, 24 HR, 68 RBI, .914 OPS
Notes:
* I left out much of his Cardinals playing days because he battled patellar tendonitis and other various injuries and TLR platooned him during his entire stay in St. Louis.
* JD has a career slugging % of .504 (90th on all-time list)
* He has lost 2 seasons to broken hands due to being struck in the hand by a fastball. 2/11 seasons lost due to something out of his control.
* His back is injury prone.
* That being said, he cameback from patellar tendonitis and has played and played will when in the line-up in and around his back injuries.
There is the defense...Here is my 1 major knock on JD and his entire career...
Why leave Atlanta? JD is a small town guy, with no superstart personality, and doesn't seem to respond to pressure very well. He is a hunter, fisherman, Christian, Family man, and seems to desire the quiet small town life. His best year came in Atlanta which is 229 miles from his home in Valdosta, GA.
If he played baseball for the love of the game and not for money, I see no reason why he signed with LA and then Boston. He could have signed an 8 figure contract for 5+ years to stay in Atlanta and he could have lived his normal life to a greater extent and played pressure free baseball in Atlanta for his entire career and been a fan favorite.
I had to get that off my chest. I need to stop wondering what if and move on. I'd love to see him have a nice next 2 years in Boston.
Other than being injury prone, he is a class act and a heck of a baseball player, so I've defended him over the years.
1995-1997
"At Florida State, he was the winner of the 1997 Dick Howser Trophy and the 1997 Golden Spikes Award, was named the 1997 Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year, the 1997 Sporting News Player of the Year, and was a consensus All-American (1997). He also was named the 1997 ACC Player of the Year. He was a 1996 member of Team USA. Drew was First Team in 1996, Freshman All-American in 1995 and was named to the College World Series All Tournament Team in 1995. He was the first player in college baseball history to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the same season. He set a Florida State record by batting .455 in 1997 while managing to become one of only three players in college baseball history to have 100 hits, 100 runs and 100 RBIs. During his college career, Drew broke 17 school and conference records."
1997 - Golden Spikes Winner
1998 - drafted and was called up in same season - .417 w/ 5 HR in 14 games - Hype was through the roof.
2001 - .323, 27 HR (only 109 games played). Was on pace for 56 HR when hit in hand by Wells fastball.
2004 - Traded to ATL - .305, 31 HR, 93 RBI, 1.005 OPS
2005 - Signs with LA - hand broke by fastball - .286 w/ 15 HR's in 72 games.
2006 - LA - Full Season - .283, 34 doubles, 20 HR, 100 RBI, .891 OPS.
2007 - Signs with Boston - Battled a few small injuries - .270, 30 doubles, 11 HR, 64 RBI
2007 Post Season - Red Sox win World Series - .314, 7 runs, 3 doubles, 1 HR, 11 RBI
2008 - Player of the month (JUNE) - Carried Boston during Ortiz injury - missed last month or so with injury.
2008 All-Star Game - MVP
2008 Post Season - .263, 2 HR, 6 RBI
2009 - 137 Games: .279, 30 doubles, 24 HR, 68 RBI, .914 OPS
Notes:
* I left out much of his Cardinals playing days because he battled patellar tendonitis and other various injuries and TLR platooned him during his entire stay in St. Louis.
* JD has a career slugging % of .504 (90th on all-time list)
* He has lost 2 seasons to broken hands due to being struck in the hand by a fastball. 2/11 seasons lost due to something out of his control.
* His back is injury prone.
* That being said, he cameback from patellar tendonitis and has played and played will when in the line-up in and around his back injuries.
There is the defense...Here is my 1 major knock on JD and his entire career...
Why leave Atlanta? JD is a small town guy, with no superstart personality, and doesn't seem to respond to pressure very well. He is a hunter, fisherman, Christian, Family man, and seems to desire the quiet small town life. His best year came in Atlanta which is 229 miles from his home in Valdosta, GA.
If he played baseball for the love of the game and not for money, I see no reason why he signed with LA and then Boston. He could have signed an 8 figure contract for 5+ years to stay in Atlanta and he could have lived his normal life to a greater extent and played pressure free baseball in Atlanta for his entire career and been a fan favorite.
I had to get that off my chest. I need to stop wondering what if and move on. I'd love to see him have a nice next 2 years in Boston.