It seems one well-timed grand slam goes a long way in Boston.
The Boston Red Sox have apparently, and inadvertently, honored J.D. Drew by retiring his number.
During five years in Boston, Drew batted .264 with power that flickered on and off like an old light bulb. He averaged 16 home runs and 57 RBI during those five years, during which he robbed was paid $70 million by the team. During his final Red Sox campaign, Drew batted .222 with four home runs and 22 RBI in 81 games.
He leaves behind a Boston legacy filled with games missed due to injury, strike threes looking, a facial expression that never changed, production that was probably underrated by irritated fans and, yes, the first-inning grand slam in the 2007 Game 6 against Cleveland that preceded the Red Sox winning their second World Series title of the decade. As Jay-Z once noted, "Even a broken clock is right at least two times a day."
The Boston Globe's Peter Abraham wrote that Drew "was a friend to many a backup outfielder by giving them bountiful chances to play."
Drew is now a free agent. Sources tell me Ben Cherington will not offer him another five-year, $70 million deal.
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