It took some time for Boston Red Sox fans to warm up to J.D. Drew. His emotionless demeanor on the field was almost robotic and the graceful way he played the game appeared effortless. This created a misconception that Drew simply didn’t care, a perception magnified by his disappointing debut season with the club after signing a lucrative free-agent deal. Fans were ready to run Drew out of town but that all changed with one shining postseason moment.
The Red Sox inked Drew to a five-year, $70 million deal prior to the 2007 season. Players making that much money are expected to deliver star-caliber production and for hitters that often means 30 homers and 100 RBI are benchmarks they should at least approach annually.