128 replies to this topic

[ragecage]

fwiw, I happened to be at that 7/3 game and was lucky to have a seat very close to the RS on-deck circle. There was a whole group of fans that were talking to Lugo, encouraging him, etc. He seemed sincerely touched by it, and made multiple points to acknowledge the group (more so than I have usually seen). Sure it can seem odd that something like that can have that influence on a professional athlete making millions of dollars (and maybe it's coincidence), but yeah, it can't hurt.

Edited by ragecage, 12 September 2007 - 12:14 PM.

[glennhoffmania]

Whether you agree with Ted's comments or not, he should be applauded for going out of his way to stand up for a teammate. Compare this with Jeter's actions, or lack thereof, regarding ARod. I'd like to see the fans get behind Drew and maybe it'll help jumpstart him a little bit. And like rage said, it can't hurt.

[ObstructedView]

Not to get all hokey here, but I'm sure it can't hurt to have The Captain support him so publicly -- regardless of how the fans respond. Whether there's a tangible outcome or not, it's nice to hear Tek take such a vocal leadership role. This is one of those cheesy things about sports that makes it worth being a fan. And I love the comment about the dirty helmet. Could have come straight from this board.

[William Robertson]

I agree with Corsi and I agree with Tek. He's doing his Captain thing, and good for him.

The Lugo story is a great one, and I guess maybe the difference between Lugo and Drew may be, ah, about 70 million bucks. But money isn't peace of mind, so yeah, give Drew a hand. As Tek says, he's our guy.

And you don't boo your own guys, unless there is obvious lack of effort. What kind of fan does that?

[PedroKsBambino]

I don't understand the purpose of booing JD Drew. It simply doesn't make sense to me.

There are situations which can change---you can pull a rookie/low-salaried player out of their spot, or fire the manager. But JD Drew has a massive, essentially immovable contract and still remains the teams best option vs RHP in RF (at a minimum). Booing him is self-defeating and silly as far as I can tell.

He is not a terrible human being, nor has he done anything specifically to merit being booed other than perform poorly relative to expectations. I don't see any evidence he isn't trying hard, and thus I really dislike the booing.

I'm glad Tek stood up for him publically and I hope the fans respond appropriately. Wanting your team to win does not mean you can't criticize it, and so I am hoping against hope that this isn't characterized as a fanboy commentary, but I think it does mean criticism should be rationally based and designed to generate some positive change. In this case, I don't see those applying.

[dcmissle]

Source: http://www.newburypo...55120133?page=0

FWIW, Lugo received his standing ovation on July 3rd. Prior to the standing-o, he was batting .189/.260/.281. Since the standing-o, he's gone on to bat .300/.339/.429.

It can't hurt, right?

No, it cannot. This usually elicits sneers among the commentariat, but there is little question in my mind that a supportive fan base can help a player, particularly one who has vastly underperformed his contract in a high-pressure town with family issues besides.

Even unremitting critics of this signing (and I belonged to that club) have every incentive to wish Drew well and to support him, unless he's being a jerk, which Drew is not.

A corollary of this is that players should NOT read hometown sports pages or (gasp) listen to talk radio.

[xjack]

If Tek thinks giving Drew a standing O will heat up Drew's bat, then I'd willing to give a try. (At this point, I'd try anything.)

[Razor Shines]

Since August 1st, J.D. is hitting .291/.391/.445. That's a pretty decent performance in an important stretch of baseball.

It is what it is. Every season there is one whipping boy on the Red Sox, and J.D. is that guy this season. Personally, I don't boo players who play for the Red Sox, but I guess I can't really fault people for being frustrated with him this year.

I just think it's awkward whenever one of these "appeal to the fans" stories come out. Hopefully, the people at Fenway will have the good sense to cheer him on their own accord.

[smastroyin]

Do you think Tek went a couple weeks telling Drew that they were really calling his name instead of booing him before deciding to go public?

I don't see the point of booing any player. A lot of people think they have a right to boo and I agree. Boo the other team if you like. And go ahead and boo the play. If JD Drew hits into another bases loaded DP, boo the DP. But to sit there and boo him before he's done anything or whenever he is announced is dumb.

[OilCanShotTupac]

Sure it can seem odd that something like that can have that influence on a professional athlete making millions of dollars (and maybe it's coincidence), but yeah, it can't hurt.

Why wouldn't it?

You know these are human beings, right?

Do you really think that any human being would be immune to the emotional effect of 35,000 screaming people?

Yes, ballplayers have to function regardless of a hostile crowd because they're professionals. That's true, but it could also be said about other adverse external factors (bad weather, fatigue due to travel, shitty officials, etc.)

But it's preposterous to think that the crowd has no influence.

[Lefty on the Mound]

As someone who has been accused of "crackpot theories" when suggesting that vocal fan support (or lack thereof) can affect the performance of the athletes on the field, I await the deluge of naysayers and stat geeks who continue to expect players to behave as robots whose actions are dictated solely by probability and past performance.

Here is evidence that the players themselves believe that fan support affects their own performance. Players are human beings much like the rest of us. Many of us regular folks perform better when given support by those around us: friends, family and co-workers. If we had 30,000 people around us cheering we might perform even a little bit better than that.

I'm not saying that we would perform on the field as well as the players do. They obviously possess a level of talent that few others have. But they are regular people in almost every other way.

I am saying that positive reinforecment in the form of cheering absolutely does have a positive affect on player perfomance and that negative reinforecement in the form of booing does not help at all and likely decreases player performance.

Say all you want about them being professionals and how they should be above such things but the fact remains they are people, not robots and are affected by their surroundings.

[Jimy Hendrix]

Do you think Tek went a couple weeks telling Drew that they were really calling his name instead of booing him before deciding to go public?

I don't see the point of booing any player. A lot of people think they have a right to boo and I agree. Boo the other team if you like. And go ahead and boo the play. If JD Drew hits into another bases loaded DP, boo the DP. But to sit there and boo him before he's done anything or whenever he is announced is dumb.

[Moleman]I was saying Dreeeeew[/Moleman]

These kind of things always smack of being a little kid and getting dragged to see the play version of Peter Pan, the whole "I do believe in fairies! I do believe in fairies!" audience participation nonsense.

That said, why not? There's no conceivable downside to this.

[TheRealness]

Interesting that The Captain is taking such a public role defending someone whose prior reputation was that of a bad clubhouse guy. I have never once gotten the impression that Tek would ever defend someone, or openly ask the fans to support that person, if he didn't have faith in his character and ability.

The man has a lot of talent. Last night, for the first time I've seen in a while, he looked like he visibily gave a shit (the 11 pitch AB), and he hit an absolute BOMB to Center. Tek picked a great time to come up and support JD because not only has he been playing well since 8/1, but he had one of his better games in a RS uniform last night. The timing of this thing could really be big, because its not trying to build a man up from falling down as JD has seemingly picked himself up, but its more like he's giving him a shove to make sure that momentum continues.

Edited by TheRealness, 12 September 2007 - 12:30 PM.

[amarshal2]

You will almost never hear me boo a current Red Sox player (don't think I ever have and don't plan to). It's counter-productive and mindless.

That said, it's about time this happened. I gave Pedroia a standing-o every time he came to the plate in April/May and cheered as loudly as possible. You don't feel as stupid as you think you would feel, people just kind of look at you funny.

I'm going tonight. I'll give him a standing ovation for every at bat. Hope to see others doing the same.

[SOXFANUWS]

Source: http://www.newburypo...55120133?page=0

FWIW, Lugo received his standing ovation on July 3rd. Prior to the standing-o, he was batting .189/.260/.281. Since the standing-o, he's gone on to bat .300/.339/.429.

It can't hurt, right?

Varitek's intangible qualities exemplify team work and leadership. It makes him worth every dime and not just for the few things we hear publicly, but for the things he does in the clubhouse and on the practice field that we KNOW happen regularly, to improve the morale and performance of his team.

There's every reason to believe that JD Drew realizing that he's got the support of the most powerful fan base in professional sports, will relax at the plate and produce the way we know he can.

[LynnRoyalRooter]

I think that the public support by Tek shows that Drew has more respect in the clubhouse than is generally thought. His power really picked up as the season ended last year to the point where he was LADs best hitter in September with a 1145 OPS and 6 HRs. The average and on base % is there over the last month or so...maybe the power's on it's way? I don't think so as he's not really driving the ball (last night excepted).

Also, this is in STARK contrast to the "support" that CI has shown Arod over the last couple years as well.

Maybe Tek could suggest a Standing O for himself, especially with 2 outs and RISP? Line of 175/297/286/583.

[satyadaimoku]

I'm going tonight. I'll give him a standing ovation for every at bat. Hope to see others doing the same.

It would be interesting of Drew, apropos of nothing but Tek's comments, got a standing O tonight. It would be an interesting statement about the increasingly direct interaction between players and fans. I don't know if I've ever seen such a direct appeal between a player and a fan before. If I were there, I'd give Drew a standing ovation too, just for the hell of it. Why not? It could become a turning point for the guy. Probably not, but you never know and it can't hurt.

[Rudy Pemberton]

Maybe Tek compared his stats to Drew's and realized that he could be booed next?

In all seriousness, there's really no reason to boo Drew from the get go (if he whiffs looking, I see nothing wrong with a smattering of boos as it's a reaction to what just happened), as it certainly doesn't help.

Has Drew generally been booed at home this year, when he comes up to bat? I haven't really noticed it on TV.

I think it's quite likely that his power numbers are down so dramatically because his shoulder is injured. Received this message from lurker bosockboy a few days ago that probably belongs here.

Player A:
Career: 283/372/507 (879 OPS)
2007: 265/331/398 (729 OPS)

Player B:
Career: 283/389/497 (886 OPS)
2007: 253/356/381 (737 OPS)

Player B is JD Drew, who is down 149 points of OPS from his career average and 116 points in SLG.
Drew also has 7 HR's this year.

Player A is down 150 points in career OPS and 109 points in SLG.
This player has 8 HR's this year.

Any guesses?

Drumroll......Scott Rolen, who is out for the year having his shoulder surgically repaired. I think this makes it pretty obvious Drew's shoulder is toast and why he is unable to drive the ball in any shape or form. He has probably played hurt the entire year to save face on the contract and for fear of the Sox having recourse to ditch him when the time arises.

Edited by Rudy Pemberton, 12 September 2007 - 01:07 PM.

[5belongstoGeorge]

"I wish the fans understood how much power they have," said Varitek. "They can help J.D. Drew. They really can."
--'Tek

"If we all think really hard, maybe we can stop this rain. No rain, no rain, no rain..."
--Dude at the microphone during Woodstock.

Whatever works... I'll light a candle for Drew tonight myself.

[Myt1]

I think Tek's comments may speak to the emotional state of JD Drew right now. Drew's usually seen as a very even-keel player, but perhaps the mask slipped a little in the clubhouse, and he's let on a bit about how he's feeling.

The guy's switched leagues, had the worst/close to the worst season of his career, and dealt with a serious family issue during the season. Maybe his teammates can actually see that he's hurting or a bit down now, and they want to help him. The last time I remember hearing something like this was the Bellhorn situation.

Drew's been incredibly frustrating to watch at points this season, but I personally don't understand booing hometown players. Even an on the field screw-up is more likely to make me curse under my breath if at the game.

Give the guy a standing O. I'm not saying that it will magically grant him the ability to hit a low inside pitch, but maybe it will get him to stop feeling unnecessary added pressure (which I believe Tek might have seen evidence of).

[86spike]

did any of the bigger papers decide to carry Tek's ideas about Drew?

kind of shameful that they apparently don't think this type of story is worthwhile.

[SoxFanSince57]

Great thread and good posts by really good posters.

I agree with the analysis and sentiments expressed herein.

As all know, booing a player for poor performance is boorish while booing a player for lack of effort may be called for. I have always been a "fan" of JD Drew. I have always seen him as someone who respects the game and the uniform and who plays the game "right". It is certainly tough to watch him under-perform at bat this season. I want him and all the players to do well. I continue to hope and 'fantasize' that Drew will revert to his mean against the NL when the Sox get into the WS and JD will be the MVP of the 2007 WS.

Certainly the game threads are not the same as the ball park. Ragging on a player to one's "virtual friends" is entirely different than booing the player in public at the ball park. In the context of this board I understand the scorn and frustration being vented and recognize that posters are in a vastly different medium at SoSH than we would be at Fenway.

I certainly pass on my hopes that if folks go to the park that they use their energy to encourage on our players and rag on the umps and MFYs. Good post on Jeter's relationship with A-Rod IMO. Jeter has let A-Rod "twist slowly in the wind" numerous times and I am sure that the MFY fans have noticed it. Captain, my f'n ass.

[xjack]

fwiw, I happened to be at that 7/3 game and was lucky to have a seat very close to the RS on-deck circle. There was a whole group of fans that were talking to Lugo, encouraging him, etc. He seemed sincerely touched by it, and made multiple points to acknowledge the group (more so than I have usually seen). Sure it can seem odd that something like that can have that influence on a professional athlete making millions of dollars (and maybe it's coincidence), but yeah, it can't hurt.

When you have a player performing far below his abilities and his past performance, then I agree that booing him is probably counter-productive.

But I wouldn't push this too far. Sometimes the booing is less directed at the player than at the manager who continues to rely on the player despite boatloads of evidence that he shouldn't. The case in point is Mark Bellhorn. Bellhorn's meltdown in '05 was actually completely in-line with how he'd hit in the majority of his major league seasons up until that point. Fans started to realize that '04 was a happy fluke, and they couldn't understand why it took so long for Francona and Theo to make a change.

[Ted Cox 4 president]

I'd say the gauntlet's been thrown down, and pretty emphatically, too. Any SoSHers going to tonight's game? If so, they should start a "J. D. DREW!, J. D. DREW!, J. D. DREW!" chant. Really whoop it up. And then see what happens. Some consecutive multi-hit games, crooked RBIs, and a HR or two or three from our RFer over the next week or so would be delightful.

[jtn46]

I actually was saying "Drew" last night at the park. He really had the AB of the night last night. The team as a whole had an outstanding approach once they started mounting that comeback and I think Drew's AB epitomized it, he was just absolutely determined to get on base and to keep that rally going and he fouled off a lot of tough pitches to draw that walk.

The guy clearly does care. If he didn't care, he wouldn't press so much.

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

When you have a player performing far below his abilities and his past performance, then I agree that booing him is probably counter-productive.

But I wouldn't push this too far. Sometimes the booing is less directed at the player than at the manager who continues to rely on the player despite boatloads of evidence that he shouldn't. The case in point is Mark Bellhorn. Bellhorn's meltdown in '05 was actually completely in-line with how he'd hit in the majority of his major league seasons up until that point. Fans started to realize that '04 was a happy fluke, and they couldn't understand why it took so long for Francona and Theo to make a change.

I completely disagree. The booing was directed at Bellhorn, and only Bellhorn, for playing so poorly. Definitely not at Tito or Theo or anyone else. Every time Bellhorn struck out that season he was booed. They were booing him down in Pawtucket for crissakes.

[William Robertson]

Why wouldn't it?

You know these are human beings, right?

Do you really think that any human being would be immune to the emotional effect of 35,000 screaming people?

Yes, ballplayers have to function regardless of a hostile crowd because they're professionals. That's true, but it could also be said about other adverse external factors (bad weather, fatigue due to travel, shitty officials, etc.)

But it's preposterous to think that the crowd has no influence.

Amen, brother, amen. The key point here is the corrosive effect not so much of 35K enemy observers, but when the people who are supposed to be your fans do it. As you say, no one is immune to that. Hitting a baseball is a complex event in which you must operate mostly unconsciously to do well. If one part of your brain is saying, "if you screw this up, they're gonna scream at you," that Zen state becomes very hard to achieve. As you say, this really isn't too hard to understand.

And a third amen for SoSHers who may actually try to get this going at the park. Sure, you can call it uncool fanboyism, but as noted above, it could be a very interesting fan to player interaction, particularly since (at least so far to my knowledge), this is circulating more in the underground than in the MSM.

[TheoShmeo]

fwiw, I happened to be at that 7/3 game and was lucky to have a seat very close to the RS on-deck circle. There was a whole group of fans that were talking to Lugo, encouraging him, etc. He seemed sincerely touched by it, and made multiple points to acknowledge the group (more so than I have usually seen). Sure it can seem odd that something like that can have that influence on a professional athlete making millions of dollars (and maybe it's coincidence), but yeah, it can't hurt.

I was at that game, too, and I was at all the games that week (Fenway vacation). While my seats weren't as close to Lugo as yours, I agree that the warm feeling caused by that cheering was real and noticeable. I remeber several fans saying things like "that's pretty cool." Whether the cause and effect is as linear as it appears, I don't know, but it's not hard to believe that the support helped him relax.

And I love that Tek said this. I'm a little surprised in that he's ordinarily not all that vocal, and I don't recall him doing anything like this before, but it's fitting for a team leader to speak out from time to time. I can't help but enjoy the favorable comparison to Captain Intangibles, but that's really a side benefit.

Last: This was a nice, temporary tonic to Videogate.

[xjack]

I completely disagree. The booing was directed at Bellhorn, and only Bellhorn, for playing so poorly. Definitely not at Tito or Theo or anyone else. Every time Bellhorn struck out that season he was booed. They were booing him down in Pawtucket for crissakes.

I'm a season ticket holder, and while I don't go to as many games as I used to, I have to say you're wrong on this. There was an incredible amount of frustration that given the zero he'd been at the plate (a sub-.700 OPS) Bellhorn was still in the lineup three months into the season.

Moreover, Bellhorn's performance that year makes Drew look like an All-Star.

Edited by xjack, 12 September 2007 - 02:12 PM.

[Morassofnegativity]

I don't believe in the power of standing ovations. I don't believe it will make a difference. I think JD Drew is the only person that can bring himself out of a slump. The guy is a professional for God's sake...not some little leaguer.

Julio Lugo got out of his slump b/c he's a better than a .180 hitter.....not b/c the fans were nice to him.

I don't boo players on the Sox. I don't boo players in general. However, I've seen enough of JD this season to know that he scares me at the plate with runners on base. The numbers do not lie.

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

I'm a season ticket holder, and while I don't go to as many games as I used to, I have to say you're wrong on this. There was an incredible amount of frustration that with a sub-.700 OPS halfway through the season, Bellhorn was still in the lineup.

Moreover, Bellhorn's performance that year makes Drew look like an All-Star.

You're really going to argue that the fans were booing Tito when they were booing Bellhorn that year?

I remember tons of wailing and teeth-gnashing at all the Ks. The guy was being regularly booed in every at bat that year by the middle of May.

[Everybody Loves Rey Quinones]

I applaud Tek's leadership and agree that perhaps cheering for the guy might help while also noting that they share the same agent. I wonder if Boras had a little talk with Tek prior to him going public with his sentiments. Regardless, I hope the Fenway crowd starts cheering Drew tonight moving forward just to see if it does actually have any kind of positive impact.

[someoneanywhere]

I agree with those of you who find Tek's action -- although Captain-like -- certainly out of keeping with how he has gone about wearing the C since 2005. I can't think of another case in which he has done this (or anything comparable). I don't recall, for instance, that he stood up for Lugo earlier this year. But then again, as Tek himself alludes to, this is a special case, since JD was brought in to replace the Original Dog.

All that said, is there any particular reason for his choice of media? (I am not asking rhetorically; I really want to know.) He could have gone to the major players in print and TV/radio, but chose instead a paper off the beaten path. I can't believe either that the reporter was the only one to ask him (he is the captain, after all) or that Tek, a veteran of the Boston media scene, simply chose the first tape recorder he saw.

[The Allented Mr Ripley]

If I were playing like crap and one of my teammates implored the fans to give me a standing O, I'd be a little pissed at him. I guess the sentiment is OK, but it's kind of like, "Let's cheer the ree-ree for bagging these groceries so well, even though he put the eggs and bread on the bottom." I wouldn't want unbidden pity/sympathy, let alone a co-worker putting other people up to it.

[xjack]

I remember tons of wailing and teeth-gnashing at all the Ks. The guy was being regularly booed in every at bat that year by the middle of May.

Because they didn't want him in the lineup. With Drew, I think there's a genuine belief that he should be better. With Bellhorn, I think most fans realized that 2004 had been a fluke.

[TomRicardo]

I think that the public support by Tek shows that Drew has more respect in the clubhouse than is generally thought. His power really picked up as the season ended last year to the point where he was LADs best hitter in September with a 1145 OPS and 6 HRs. The average and on base % is there over the last month or so...maybe the power's on it's way? I don't think so as he's not really driving the ball (last night excepted).

Also, this is in STARK contrast to the "support" that CI has shown Arod over the last couple years as well.

Maybe Tek could suggest a Standing O for himself, especially with 2 outs and RISP? Line of 175/297/286/583.

Generally thought? See this statement makes no sense. Why would people in the clubhouse dislike Drew? It is the herds of mouthbreathers like Ordway that whine about him not throwing a temper tantrum like Youkilis every time he strikes out that don't respect Drew. I guarantee you Drew holds more respect than Youkilis in the clubhouse.

[Razor Shines]

If I were playing like crap and one of my teammates implored the fans to give me a standing O, I'd be a little pissed at him. I guess the sentiment is OK, but it's kind of like, "Let's cheer the ree-ree for bagging these groceries so well, even though he put the eggs and bread on the bottom." I wouldn't want unbidden pity/sympathy, let alone a co-worker putting other people up to it.

The thing is, Drew has been placing the proverbial eggs and bread at the top of the bag recently. He's riding a legitimate hot streak. The applaud wouldn't be out of pity, it would be well deserved. I fully acknowledge that overall his year has been disappointment, but I'll also point out that a large amount of fans here tend to have tunnel vision (or "Irish Alzheimer's") when it comes to certain players. Drew is one of those guys.

[dauber23]

You're really going to argue that the fans were booing Tito when they were booing Bellhorn that year?

I remember tons of wailing and teeth-gnashing at all the Ks. The guy was being regularly booed in every at bat that year by the middle of May.

Just from reading game threads, it's obvious that some of the frustration is with the player who is not performing well, and some of the frustration is with the manager for continuing to send the player out there night after night. This is particularly true of Tito and his love for veterans.

Moreover, in Drew's case, some of the frustration is with Theo for attaching this JD Drew Albatross to the team for 5 years (money that many believe could be better spent).

These are not my views by the way; I am not a boo bird myself.

But having said that, when Manny returns and Tito benches Jacoby and keeps sending Drew out there every night....I can only imagine how much the intesity of the boos will increase when JD looks at a called third strike right down the middle or hits a weak little roller with the bases loaded for the third out.

Edit: But on the other hand, if Drew hits a grand slam instead of a little roller, the old ball park will rock with delight. And if he keeps on delievering, there won't be a problem for Drew, for Tito, or for Theo.

Edited by dauber23, 12 September 2007 - 02:45 PM.

[gcapalbo]

It's been very easy to get down on Drew, especially as the 2nd half has played out.

How many times did he hit into a DP with RISP, one out, or strike out to kill a rally? If that's repeated enough the fans are going to get down on anyone. I know I lost confidence in him.

That being said, I hate it when a player gets booed (Unless he's a Yankee, of course). I especially despised what was done to Mark Bellhorn seemingly every time he stepped to the plate in 2005-- this after he got it done in a big way for the old town team in the 2004 ALCS and WS.

There's a lot to like about Drew. He does have an unbelievably sweet swing (even when it doesn't make contact). I also appreciate a quiet guy who doesn't seem to make trouble in the clubhouse. He gets it done with the leather in the field, and that counts for something. We also know he has undisclosed troubles at home, and likely a huge factor in what ails him.

Lugo wears his heart on his sleeve, and I think this was the thing the fans picked up on which lead to their encouragement.

You knew it was killing Lugo to be in the depths of a slump. Drew is obviously Mr. Spock-like in his approach to the game and shows no such emotion. But even Mr. Spock appreciated support from his captain and the rest of the crew, and I'm sure so would Drew.

You've just gotta love Varitek for doing this.

I say if you're going to Fenway tonight, a big standing O for Drew is in order, captain's orders.

Show Drew the love.

[Rudy Pemberton]

Hey, at the end of the day...JD Drew is a guy making $15M and he has 50 RBI. There's probably no real need to overanalyze why he's getting booed; that's why. He was brought in to be a big bat in the middle of the lineup, and overall...he hasn't performed. If he was making a lot less money or didn't have the reputation he came with or had 100 RBI, this wouldn't be an issue. Frankly, he'd be hearing it a lot more if the team wasn't doing so damn well.

At the end of the day, though, he's a heralded FA who cost a ton of money but has a SLG 100+ points lower than his career average. That he's hitting .136 against the Yankees this year doesn't help, nor does all the excuses he made awhile back. I don't think he should be booed, but a standing O also seems a tad ridiculous. He's not a little boy.

The good news is that he can turn that all around with a big series against the Yankees, and a good post-season. Fans have short memories.

Edited by Rudy Pemberton, 12 September 2007 - 03:05 PM.

[TheYaz67]

I guarantee you Drew holds more respect than Youkilis in the clubhouse.

On what information do you base this? You're saying a guy who came in to the organization on a huge free agent contract to be the big #5 hitter and has not come through in that role (and has been "destined" to be great since before being drafted and holding out), would be more respected than Youks, a guy who wasn't rated as a top prospect, busted his ass to work up through the system, was patient with being shuttled back and forth from Pawtucket and just being a good role player, and eventually played himself into the starting rotation by force of effort? What am I missing? Don't you have to "earn" respect from your teammates, something that takes time? I certainly think the guys who have come up with Youks through our system have lots of respect for him.

I certainly hope folks give this a try and see if we can't help get Drew going. As disapointed as I and many other have been with year 1, I recognize that our chances in the postseason would be hugely improved with the "real" JD Drew showing up over the next 2 months....

[Bowlerman9]

Hey, at the end of the day...JD Drew is a guy making $15M and he has 50 RBI. There's probably no real need to overanalyze why he's getting booed; that's why. He was brought in to be a big bat in the middle of the lineup, and overall...he hasn't performed. If he was making a lot less money or didn't have the reputation he came with or had 100 RBI, this wouldn't be an issue. Frankly, he'd be hearing it a lot more if the team wasn't doing so damn well.

At the end of the day, though, he's a heralded FA who cost a ton of money but has a SLG 100+ points lower than his career average. That he's hitting .136 against the Yankees this year doesn't help, nor does all the excuses he made awhile back. I don't think he should be booed, but a standing O also seems a tad ridiculous. He's not a little boy.

The good news is that he can turn that all around with a big series against the Yankees, and a good post-season. Fans have short memories.

Leave it to Rudy to completely miss the point of the entire thread and once again post about how JD Drew sucks.

To summarize: JD Drew sucks. He knows it. Everyone knows it. Thats not being debated in this thread, despite the fact you enjoy reminding us with every post you make. We get it. Varitek wants us to give him support going forward. That doesnt involve throwing out his old stats. Or taking back the boos he has received. It is about supporting him moving forward.

Thank you once again for reminding me that JD Drew is getting paid 15M to suck. I had forgotten that after reading Varitek's quotes.

[Eric Van]

Since August 1st, J.D. is hitting .291/.391/.445. That's a pretty decent performance in an important stretch of baseball.

He hit .425 / .489 / .625 from 8/5 to 8/17, the went into another funk and hit .157 / .274 / .235 from 8/18 to 9/6. Since then, he's 6-12, 2 2B, HR, 4 BB, 1 K.

[URI]

Coming from a guy with the handle "Morassofnegativity," this doesn't surprise me in the least. Have you ever met a professional ballplayer? These guys are as insecure and vulnerable as the rest of us. Christ, some of them may even be more so. Saying "he's a professional" is such a copout. These guys have feelings just like everyone else. You're just extremely ignorant.

This is exactly why I sent Drew a cake with kittens and flowers on it.

Wub U Big Guy!!!

[TomRicardo]

On what information do you base this? You're saying a guy who came in to the organization on a huge free agent contract to be the big #5 hitter and has not come through in that role (and has been "destined" to be great since before being drafted and holding out), would be more respected than Youks, a guy who wasn't rated as a top prospect, busted his ass to work up through the system, was patient with being shuttled back and forth from Pawtucket and just being a good role player, and eventually played himself into the starting rotation by force of effort? What am I missing? Don't you have to "earn" respect from your teammates, something that takes time? I certainly think the guys who have come up with Youks through our system have lots of respect for him.

OK, and every time the strike zone gets squeezed for a pitcher because Youkilis throws a mad fit after striking out, I am sure the pitcher goes "Hell, that Youkilis is home grown, got to respect that." What you mentioned is reasons for a fan to respect Youkilis. Why would a team full of guys that came over from free agency hold coming up the system in high regard? I am not saying guys don't respect Youkilis, but com on, a quiet professional will always gather more respect that a whiny hot head.

[Rudy Pemberton]

I propose that Sox fans give every player a standing ovation.

[amarshal2]

OK, and every time the strike zone gets squeezed for a pitcher because Youkilis throws a mad fit after striking out, I am sure the pitcher goes "Hell, that Youkilis is home grown, got to respect that." What you mentioned is reasons for a fan to respect Youkilis. Why would a team full of guys that came over from free agency hold coming up the system in high regard? I am not saying guys don't respect Youkilis, but com on, a quiet professional will always gather more respect that a whiny hot head.

It sounds like you're talking about the opposing teams clubhouse. On that point, I'd agree. However, not with his own guys. Big Papi argues after every bad call. You think they don't respect him down in the home teams' locker room on Yawkey? I think you're purely speculating.

[jayhoz]

I propose that Sox fans give every player a standing ovation.

I've changed my avatar in hopes that in some small way it helps J.D. Drew.