J.D. Drew is not someone who will play 150 games per season. If we are lucky, 100 is about all we should expect after his first 3 years with the Red Sox. He has a bad back which Francona needs to be concerned about. Typically, Drew will play 4-5 times a week, then sit out 2-3 games. For a guy that is now the highest paid player on the team, Drew does not have the blue collar ethic of a Youk, Pedroia, Varitek, etc.
Case in point. This week a story surfaced from Francona that Drew asked out of the Texas game on Friday in the 7th inning because of a sore ankle. In what was the Sox's biggest & best comeback victory of the year, Drew actually hit a 2-run homer in the 9th. Didn't seem to be limping or favoring his ankle to me?
Sad part of this story is the fact that J.D. Drew is a gifted player who can carry a team for weeks or a month like last June. We are a better team with him in the line-up as opposed to Baldelli, Reddick or Anderson.
Good luck, Tito, managing Drew's playing time for the rest of the season. 2 more years after this one still left on his big contract.
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