[bigboydan]

I don't know if you guys caught this signing or not today, but I just seen that J.D. Drew just signed a 5 year contract with Boston for 70 million dollars.

With Drew having well know Knee troubles I can't believe that the Red sox paid that type of coin for him. I know they need bolster there offensive numbers and all, but they needed to spend that money on more pitching!

[kdmfox]

Epstein is the most over rated GM in baseball ... Drew isn't worth half of what he got ... These are the same clowns that wouldn't give Damon 10 mil a year which I also agreed with ... Baseball must be awash with $ ... A box seat at Fenway next year is $107.

[bigboydan]

KDM, Whats the latest on Boston maybe picking up some pitching in the offseason?

[kdmfox]

Originally Posted by bigboydan

KDM, Whats the latest on Boston maybe picking up some pitching in the offseason?

They are trying to unload Manny for some pitching prospects, other than that they will be going with what they have.

[bigboydan]

I doubt they will end up trading Manny though. It seems like every year he wants a trade and just when they think they have a deal in place they back out. I understand it's hard to get fair market value for a player of his stature and all. However, after he basicly quit on the Red Sox last year after being swept by the Yankees in Fenway, I really think they need to take a little less and get rid of that clubhouse cancer.

[Razz]

This year the Manny discussions are for real. He has played his last game wearing a Red Sox uniform.
The biggest headscratcher of the day was the Cubs shelling out $10 million per year for Ted Lilly, AND LILLY TURNING IT DOWN!!!

[scottyy11]

amazing what a 4th or 5th starter is worth these days

[kdmfox]

Originally Posted by bigboydan

I doubt they will end up trading Manny though. It seems like every year he wants a trade and just when they think they have a deal in place they back out. I understand it's hard to get fair market value for a player of his stature and all. However, after he basicly quit on the Red Sox last year after being swept by the Yankees in Fenway, I really think they need to take a little less and get rid of that clubhouse cancer.

They put Manny on waivers once before so they were willing to get nothing for him at one time ... A few prospects will get him out of town now ... I'm predicting he won't be around come spring training.

[imgv94]

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[Willie Bee]

A most thought provoking contribution to the discussion at hand, GV.

I'm leaning to the 'Manny will be traded this time' thoughts that Razz put down. Interestingly, Boston is finally going to unload Ramirez' contract just as it's starting to look like he's not overpaid compared to other new deals we've seen lately.

Still, it's the same deal every offseason as fans drop their jaws and are shocked at the new salaries given. Been that way since about 1973 or so.

[EBone]

Us Cardinal fans know about Mr. Drew's whining and bitching and moaning about the smallest of issues. No doubt that this dude is a big league talent; he's got the pain tolerance of my 2 yr old daughter. Someone needs to drug test this "man" and see if he really has any testosterone running through those vains. I'd say there's a 50/50 shot that he has none. I'd love to see him live up to his potential but I'm afraid we won't see that. I'm afraid his story is a lot like many others...... Great talent, no grit.


E

[bigboydan]

Well said Ebone!

I'm just wondering how long it's going to take the Boston fans to start throwing batteries at him in the outfield, after his numbers tail off from last year.

[TexAg001]

Lets see. A guy that will take him self out of the line up if he has so much as a hang nail is going to be playing in front of one of the mopst demanding crowds in sports. In my opinion this is a train wreck waiting to happen.

I remenber seeing an interview with Chipper Jones talking about Drew. Chipper said that while he sees that JD thinks he is hurting his team by being in the line up at less then 100 percent...what JD maybe doesnt realize is that just JDs prescence in the line up helps out the other guys batting around him. In other words " grow some sac JD,all us other players are usualy not 100 percent and we play.

The Sox would be better off working a trade for the younger Drew...atleast we arent sure yet if he is a puss.

[LLXC]

I also agree that they over paid big time.

[bigboydan]

Whats the latest on this signing of Drew. The reports are coming out today saying he's damaged goods.

KDM whats the scoop up there in beantown right now on this one?

[kdmfox]

Originally Posted by bigboydan

Whats the latest on this signing of Drew. The reports are coming out today saying he's damaged goods.

KDM whats the scoop up there in beantown right now on this one?

JD Drew has a history of being on the DL ... The issue now is a shoulder ... The buzz around here is they want his contract reworked to emphasize incentives and # of games played.

A contract hasn't been signed yet.

[LLXC]

Missed his physical...now what?

[bigboydan]

The Redsox finally reach terms with Drew.

BOSTON (AP) -- The Boston Red Sox and J.D. Drew finally resolved their wrangling over the outfielder's five-year, $70 million contract -- more than seven weeks after agreeing to everything except what to do about his surgically repaired right shoulder.

A baseball official involved in the negotiations said Thursday that the language had been agreed to. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because an announcement had not yet been made.

Drew's agent, Scott Boras, did not immediately return a telephone message, and Red Sox spokesman John Blake said the team had no comment.

The Red Sox reached a tentative agreement with Drew on Dec. 5, but the deal was delayed over possible damage lingering from Sept. 2005 shoulder surgery. After wrangling for weeks -- interrupted by the holidays and Boston's pursuit of Japanese ace Daisuke Matsuzaka, another Boras client -- the sides agreed on language that would allow the team to opt out of guaranteed money in 2010 and 2011 if a specified pre-existing injury recurs.

The language is similar to that in Magglio Ordonez's deal with Detroit. Boras and the players' association agreed that if the Red Sox exercise their rights under that language, neither Drew nor the union would contend that the language is unenforceable.

Drew takes the place of longtime rightfielder Trot Nixon, who played his entire 11-year career in Boston but agreed to a $3 million, one-year deal with the Cleveland Indians last week. Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said after confirming the tentative agreement on Dec. 5 that Drew fits nicely into right field and the No. 5 spot in the lineup, behind David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez.

"With David and Manny, if they want to walk those guys, we want them to pay a steep price," manager Terry Francona said then.

The 31-year-old Drew has had injuries throughout his career, but he played in 146 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season and hit .283 with 20 homers and a team-high 100 RBIs. He became a free agent when he opted out of the last three years of his five-year, $55 million deal with the Dodgers.

The Red Sox eagerly pursued him.

Drew's deal calls for annual salaries of $14 million.

AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum in New York contributed to this report.

[kdmfox]

A big mistake for that kind of $.

[bigboydan]

Originally Posted by kdmfox

A big mistake for that kind of $.

I couldn't agree more KDM

[onlòóker]

Unreal. These teams just like to throw away money. No way Drew is worth that.

[Willie Bee]

This is one that I will agree with everyone on; would have never paid that kinda' dough for someone with his track record. If it was 'funny money,' like so many of the non-guaranteed NFL deals and such, then it wouldn't see like a big whoop. But it's not.

Saw a great line today on another board...Some columnist quoted a team exec along the lines that three pre-arbitration agreements were due to the great manner in which the team and the agents worked together for a fair deal. The poster chimed in, "It's a bigger tribute to the average fan paying 12-pack prices for a single beer."