J. D. Drew
Encyclopedia
David Jonathan "J. D." Drew (born November 20, 1975, in Valdosta, Georgia
) is an American professional baseball
right fielder who is a free agent. He is a left-handed
hitter, and began his major league career in with the St. Louis Cardinals
. He is the older brother of the Arizona Diamondbacks
shortstop Stephen Drew
.
, where he played under head coach Mike Martin. At Florida State, he was the winner of the Dick Howser Trophy
and the 1997 Golden Spikes Award
, was named the 1997 Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year, the 1997 Sporting News Player of the Year, and was a consensus All-American (1997). He also was named the 1997 ACC
Player of the Year. He was a 1996 member of Team USA. Drew was First Team in , Freshman All-American in and was named to the College World Series
All Tournament Team in 1995. He was the first player in college baseball history to hit 30 home run
s and steal
30 bases in the same season. He set a Florida State record by batting
.455 in 1997 while managing to become one of only three players in college baseball history to have 100 hits
, 100 runs
and 100 RBIs
. During his college career, Drew broke 17 school and conference records.
by the Philadelphia Phillies
. Drew and his agent Scott Boras
chose not to sign with the Phillies, sticking to their guarantee that they would not sign for less than $10 million. The Phillies had no plan to pay an unproven player this amount of money, and despite Boras' warnings, drafted Drew nonetheless. Consequently, Drew ended up playing for the St. Paul Saints
of the independent
Northern League. Boras had Drew sign with the Northern League because of a loop hole in the rules of the MLB Amateur Draft.
After playing for St. Paul in the 1997 season, Drew was selected fifth overall in 1998 by the St. Louis Cardinals
. He signed a contract and blew through the minor leagues, hitting .316 through 26 games with the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds
. He was called to the big club with the rest of the 40-man roster and made his debut on September 8, 1998, the night Mark McGwire
broke Roger Maris
's single-season home run record. His first at bat
, in the 6th inning, ended in a strikeout
, and he finished the night 0-for-2. He would heat up, however, going 15-for-36 (.417) during 1998 with five home runs.
On August 10, , in Drew's first appearance at Veterans Stadium
in Philadelphia, he was booed loudly, and even had "D" batteries thrown at him by two fans. Drew struggled to stay healthy, landing on the disabled list
every season he played in St. Louis.
In his book Three Nights in August, Buzz Bissinger mentions former manager Tony La Russa
's frustration with Drew's lack of passion. La Russa tells Bissinger that it seems Drew has decided to "settle for 75%" of his talent, in large part because of his enormous contract.
along with catcher
Eli Marrero
for starting pitcher Jason Marquis
, relief pitcher
Ray King
, and rookie prospect Adam Wainwright
. There, he had the best season of his career while finally managing to stay healthy. In , he displayed excellent power, patience, and defense hitting .305 with 31 home runs, 118 walks
, and 93 RBI, finishing 6th in the MVP voting.
, which included an escape clause after the second year. Roughly halfway through the 2005 season, Drew's season was again cut short after being hit on the wrist by a pitch from Arizona Diamondbacks
' pitcher Brad Halsey
.
On September 18, , Drew was part of only the fourth ever set of back-to-back-to-back-to-back home runs with fellow Dodgers Jeff Kent
, Russell Martin
, and Marlon Anderson
.
In 2006, Drew exercised his contract option clause, forgoing $33 million over the next 3 years to become a free agent
. The Dodgers' General Manager Ned Colletti
said in a teleconference that he was "surprised how it came down. Everything we had heard, everything that had been written led us to believe the player loved being here." This was especially a surprise since a few days before, Drew had told an LA Times columnist on how happy he was in LA and that he was looking forward to the upcoming 2007 season. Drew had a very good season, batting .284 with 20 home runs and 100 RBIs.
On April 22, 2007, Drew was again part of a set of four consecutive home runs on April 22, 2007, in a game against the New York Yankees
, this time joining with Manny Ramírez
, Mike Lowell
, and Jason Varitek
. He is the only player to participate twice in a string of four straight home runs, and, oddly enough, he was the second player to go deep in each instance. Drew finished the 2007 season with a .270 batting average, 11 home runs, and 64 RBI.
On October 20, 2007, Drew hit a grand slam
in Game 6 of the 2007 ALCS
with the Red Sox facing elimination. The home run, along with brother Stephen Drew's
for the Arizona Diamondbacks
, marks the third time that two brothers have both hit home runs in the same postseason.
In 2008, Drew finished with a .280 average, with an OBP of .408 and a slugging percentage of .519. At the end of June, Drew was named the AL Player of the Month after hitting .337 and hitting 12 home runs while taking over for David Ortiz
's three-spot in the lineup while he was on the disabled list. Drew was officially announced as an A.L. All-Star reserve on July 6. This was Drew's first All-Star game appearance. He hit a 2-run homer in his first at-bat as an All-Star and scored the winning run en route to winning the game's MVP award
. In what was to become the longest All-Star Game time-wise in MLB history, the American League (and Drew's Red Sox) manager Terry Francona
, having almost run out of pitchers, contemplated putting Drew, a former high school hurler, on the mound to close the game. "I'd have been ready," Drew said. "I've had an opportunity to throw a lot in the outfield. I don't know if I would have gotten anyone out, but I'd have thrown something up there." Drew later visited the 15-day disabled list, spending from August 27 to September 8 on the DL with a strained lower back.
On October 3, in Game 2 of the 2008 ALDS against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
, Drew hit a go-ahead two-run home run. On October 16, in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series against the Tampa Bay Rays
, Drew helped to bring the Red Sox back from a late-inning seven-run deficit with a two-run home run in the eighth inning and then delivered a walk-off hit in the ninth. However, the Red Sox lost to the Rays in the seventh game.
In 2009, Drew hit .279 with an .392 OBP while hitting 24 Home runs and 68 RBI.
For 2010, Drew hit .255 with 22 HR & 68 RBI. He also played in 139 games, his highest total since 2007 when he joined Boston.
In 2011, J.D. hit .222 with 4 home runs and 22 RBI. He played in 81 games and had a .315 On Base Percentage(OBP). His 2011 salary was
$14,000,000.
The Boston Globe once praised him as "a five-tools player with an uncanny batting eye, a swing smoother than butter, and long, measured strides that eat up great chunks of real estate, whether running the bases or tracking down fly balls."
, was also drafted in the first round in 1997, making them the first brothers drafted in the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft in the same year. J.D., Tim, and their brother Stephen
have all been on MLB rosters. Tim was last with the Atlanta Braves
and Stephen is currently the Arizona Diamondbacks
starting shortstop
.
Drew married his girlfriend Sheigh, on November 10, 2001, in Hahira, Georgia
. Drew identifies himself as a Christian
, and has made his religious views known several times.
Valdosta, Georgia
Valdosta is the county seat of Lowndes County, Georgia, United States. It is the principal city of the Valdosta Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of 54,518. The Valdosta metropolitan area, according to the 2010 estimate, has a population of 139,588...
) is an American professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
right fielder who is a free agent. He is a left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
hitter, and began his major league career in with the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. He is the older brother of the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
shortstop Stephen Drew
Stephen Drew
Stephen Oris Drew is a shortstop in Major League Baseball who plays for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is the younger brother of Boston Red Sox outfielder J.D. Drew and former major leaguer Tim Drew....
.
College
Drew attended Florida State UniversityFlorida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
, where he played under head coach Mike Martin. At Florida State, he was the winner of the Dick Howser Trophy
Dick Howser Trophy
The Dick Howser Trophy, considered to be the Heisman Trophy of college baseball, is an award presented annually to the national college baseball player of the year, presented by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association ....
and the 1997 Golden Spikes Award
Golden Spikes Award
The Golden Spikes Award is awarded annually to the best amateur baseball player. It is awarded by USA Baseball and sponsored by the Major League Baseball Players Association. Though the award can be presented to any amateur player, it has always been given to a college baseball player.-Past...
, was named the 1997 Collegiate Baseball Player of the Year, the 1997 Sporting News Player of the Year, and was a consensus All-American (1997). He also was named the 1997 ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
Player of the Year. He was a 1996 member of Team USA. Drew was First Team in , Freshman All-American in and was named to the College World Series
College World Series
The College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...
All Tournament Team in 1995. He was the first player in college baseball history to hit 30 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and steal
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
30 bases in the same season. He set a Florida State record by batting
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.455 in 1997 while managing to become one of only three players in college baseball history to have 100 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, 100 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
and 100 RBIs
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
. During his college career, Drew broke 17 school and conference records.
1997: Drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies
Drew was the second overall pick in the 1997 Major League Baseball Draft1997 Major League Baseball Draft
The 1997 First-Year Player Draft, Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, was held on June 2 and 3, 1997...
by the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. Drew and his agent Scott Boras
Scott Boras
Scott Boras is an American sports agent, specializing in baseball. He is the founder, owner and president of the Boras Corporation, a sports agency based in Newport Beach, Calif. that represents roughly 175 professional baseball clients, including many of the game's highest-profile players...
chose not to sign with the Phillies, sticking to their guarantee that they would not sign for less than $10 million. The Phillies had no plan to pay an unproven player this amount of money, and despite Boras' warnings, drafted Drew nonetheless. Consequently, Drew ended up playing for the St. Paul Saints
St. Paul Saints
The St. Paul Saints are a professional baseball team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in the United States. The Saints are a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
of the independent
Independent baseball
Independent baseball leagues are professional baseball organizations located in the United States and Canada. They are not operated in conjunction with either a Major League Baseball team or an affiliated minor league team. Being independent allows teams to be located close to major-league teams...
Northern League. Boras had Drew sign with the Northern League because of a loop hole in the rules of the MLB Amateur Draft.
1998–2003: St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. He signed a contract and blew through the minor leagues, hitting .316 through 26 games with the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds
Memphis Redbirds
The Memphis Redbirds are the Triple-A minor league baseball affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals. They play their home games at AutoZone Park in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. The stadium's capacity is 14,320. They entered the Pacific Coast League as an expansion team in 1998, and were owned as a...
. He was called to the big club with the rest of the 40-man roster and made his debut on September 8, 1998, the night Mark McGwire
Mark McGwire
Mark David McGwire , nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently the hitting coach for the St...
broke Roger Maris
Roger Maris
Roger Eugene Maris was an American Major League Baseball right fielder. During the 1961 season, he hit a record 61 home runs for the New York Yankees, breaking Babe Ruth's single-season record of 60 home runs...
's single-season home run record. His first at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
, in the 6th inning, ended in a strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
, and he finished the night 0-for-2. He would heat up, however, going 15-for-36 (.417) during 1998 with five home runs.
On August 10, , in Drew's first appearance at Veterans Stadium
Veterans Stadium
Philadelphia Veterans Stadium was a professional-sports, multi-purpose stadium, located at the northeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
in Philadelphia, he was booed loudly, and even had "D" batteries thrown at him by two fans. Drew struggled to stay healthy, landing on the disabled list
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
every season he played in St. Louis.
In his book Three Nights in August, Buzz Bissinger mentions former manager Tony La Russa
Tony La Russa
Anthony "Tony" La Russa, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball manager and infielder, best known for his tenures as manager of the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, and St. Louis Cardinals...
's frustration with Drew's lack of passion. La Russa tells Bissinger that it seems Drew has decided to "settle for 75%" of his talent, in large part because of his enormous contract.
2004: Atlanta Braves
On December 13, 2003, Drew was traded to the Atlanta BravesAtlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
along with catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
Eli Marrero
Eli Marrero
Elieser Marrero , is a former Major League Baseball player. Marrero started his career as a catcher, but spent time at first base, third base and in the outfield....
for starting pitcher Jason Marquis
Jason Marquis
Jason Scott Marquis is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He previously pitched for the Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Washington Nationals and Arizona Diamondbacks....
, relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
Ray King
Ray King
Raymond Keith King is a retired Major League Baseball relief pitcher. King stands at 6'0" tall and weighs 265 pounds. Because of his large size, former Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog playfully referred to King as The Hefty Lefty...
, and rookie prospect Adam Wainwright
Adam Wainwright
Adam Parrish Wainwright is a right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals. He was drafted 29th overall by the Atlanta Braves in the 2000 amateur draft. He made his major league debut for the St...
. There, he had the best season of his career while finally managing to stay healthy. In , he displayed excellent power, patience, and defense hitting .305 with 31 home runs, 118 walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
, and 93 RBI, finishing 6th in the MVP voting.
2005–06: Los Angeles Dodgers
In December 2004, Drew signed a five-year, $55 million dollar contract with the Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, which included an escape clause after the second year. Roughly halfway through the 2005 season, Drew's season was again cut short after being hit on the wrist by a pitch from Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
' pitcher Brad Halsey
Brad Halsey
Bradford Alexander Halsey is currently a pitcher in the New York Yankees organization.-Amateur career:Halsey attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he was the No...
.
On September 18, , Drew was part of only the fourth ever set of back-to-back-to-back-to-back home runs with fellow Dodgers Jeff Kent
Jeff Kent
Jeffrey Franklin Kent is a retired Major League Baseball second baseman. Kent won the National League Most Valuable Player award in 2000 with the San Francisco Giants, and is the all-time leader in home runs among second basemen...
, Russell Martin
Russell Martin
Russell Nathan Jeanson Coltrane Martin, Jr is a Canadian Major League Baseball catcher for the New York Yankees.Martin became the everyday catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers immediately upon his Major League debut, and continued in that role for nearly 5 years...
, and Marlon Anderson
Marlon Anderson
Marlon Ordell Anderson is a former Major League Baseball utility player. He was widely known for his clutch hits, and writers for publications including The New York Times and Newsday had referred to him as one of the best pinch-hitters in the game...
.
In 2006, Drew exercised his contract option clause, forgoing $33 million over the next 3 years to become a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. The Dodgers' General Manager Ned Colletti
Ned Colletti
Ned Louis Colletti, Jr. is the General Manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He previously served as Assistant General Manager for the San Francisco Giants....
said in a teleconference that he was "surprised how it came down. Everything we had heard, everything that had been written led us to believe the player loved being here." This was especially a surprise since a few days before, Drew had told an LA Times columnist on how happy he was in LA and that he was looking forward to the upcoming 2007 season. Drew had a very good season, batting .284 with 20 home runs and 100 RBIs.
2007-2011: Boston Red Sox
On January 26, , Drew officially signed a five-year contract with the Red Sox worth $70 million. Drew's revised contract has a clause that allowed the Red Sox to opt out of Drew's five-year contract after three or four years if Drew has extensive injuries due to a previously existing problem in his right shoulder.On April 22, 2007, Drew was again part of a set of four consecutive home runs on April 22, 2007, in a game against the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, this time joining with Manny Ramírez
Manny Ramírez
Manuel "Manny" Arístides Ramírez Onelcida is a retired Dominican-American professional baseball outfielder. He was recognized for great batting skill and power, a nine-time Silver Slugger and one of 25 players to hit 500 career home runs. Ramirez's 21 grand slams are third all-time, and his 28...
, Mike Lowell
Mike Lowell
Michael Averett Lowell is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball third baseman. During a 13-year career, Lowell played for the New York Yankees , Florida Marlins , and the Boston Red Sox...
, and Jason Varitek
Jason Varitek
Jason Andrew Varitek is an American professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. After being traded as a minor league prospect by the Seattle Mariners, Varitek has played his entire major league career for the Boston Red Sox...
. He is the only player to participate twice in a string of four straight home runs, and, oddly enough, he was the second player to go deep in each instance. Drew finished the 2007 season with a .270 batting average, 11 home runs, and 64 RBI.
On October 20, 2007, Drew hit a grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
in Game 6 of the 2007 ALCS
2007 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Friday, October 12, 2007 at Fenway Park in Boston, MassachusettsIn Game 1, the Cleveland Indians took the lead when Travis Hafner hit a home run to deep right field in the first inning against Josh Beckett. Beckett retired the next ten batters in a row, finishing by striking out seven while...
with the Red Sox facing elimination. The home run, along with brother Stephen Drew's
Stephen Drew
Stephen Oris Drew is a shortstop in Major League Baseball who plays for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is the younger brother of Boston Red Sox outfielder J.D. Drew and former major leaguer Tim Drew....
for the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
, marks the third time that two brothers have both hit home runs in the same postseason.
In 2008, Drew finished with a .280 average, with an OBP of .408 and a slugging percentage of .519. At the end of June, Drew was named the AL Player of the Month after hitting .337 and hitting 12 home runs while taking over for David Ortiz
David Ortiz
David Américo Ortiz Arias , known as David Ortiz, nicknamed "Big Papi", is a Dominican American professional baseball player who is currently a free agent. Previously, Ortiz played with the Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox...
's three-spot in the lineup while he was on the disabled list. Drew was officially announced as an A.L. All-Star reserve on July 6. This was Drew's first All-Star game appearance. He hit a 2-run homer in his first at-bat as an All-Star and scored the winning run en route to winning the game's MVP award
Major League Baseball All-Star Game MVP Award
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award given to the most outstanding player in each year's MLB All-Star Game. Awarded each season since , it was originally called the "Arch Ward Memorial Award" in honor of Arch Ward, the man who...
. In what was to become the longest All-Star Game time-wise in MLB history, the American League (and Drew's Red Sox) manager Terry Francona
Terry Francona
Terry Jon Francona , nicknamed "Tito," is a former Major League Baseball manager and a former player. He was a first baseman and outfielder in the majors from 1981 to 1990. After retiring as a player, he managed several minor league teams in the 1990s before managing the Philadelphia Phillies for...
, having almost run out of pitchers, contemplated putting Drew, a former high school hurler, on the mound to close the game. "I'd have been ready," Drew said. "I've had an opportunity to throw a lot in the outfield. I don't know if I would have gotten anyone out, but I'd have thrown something up there." Drew later visited the 15-day disabled list, spending from August 27 to September 8 on the DL with a strained lower back.
On October 3, in Game 2 of the 2008 ALDS against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
, Drew hit a go-ahead two-run home run. On October 16, in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series against the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
, Drew helped to bring the Red Sox back from a late-inning seven-run deficit with a two-run home run in the eighth inning and then delivered a walk-off hit in the ninth. However, the Red Sox lost to the Rays in the seventh game.
In 2009, Drew hit .279 with an .392 OBP while hitting 24 Home runs and 68 RBI.
For 2010, Drew hit .255 with 22 HR & 68 RBI. He also played in 139 games, his highest total since 2007 when he joined Boston.
In 2011, J.D. hit .222 with 4 home runs and 22 RBI. He played in 81 games and had a .315 On Base Percentage(OBP). His 2011 salary was
$14,000,000.
Public image
Throughout his career, Drew has often been criticized by fans and the media for his perceived lack of effort and toughness, and for not being worth the amount of money his salaries have commanded.The Boston Globe once praised him as "a five-tools player with an uncanny batting eye, a swing smoother than butter, and long, measured strides that eat up great chunks of real estate, whether running the bases or tracking down fly balls."
Personal
Drew's younger brother, TimTim Drew
Timothy Andrew Drew is a former American Major League Baseball player.-Baseball career:The brother of MLB players J. D. Drew and Stephen Drew, Tim was a pitcher who played for the Cleveland Indians , Montreal Expos , and Atlanta Braves .He was named the Indians' 1999 Minor League Player of the Year...
, was also drafted in the first round in 1997, making them the first brothers drafted in the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft in the same year. J.D., Tim, and their brother Stephen
Stephen Drew
Stephen Oris Drew is a shortstop in Major League Baseball who plays for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He is the younger brother of Boston Red Sox outfielder J.D. Drew and former major leaguer Tim Drew....
have all been on MLB rosters. Tim was last with the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
and Stephen is currently the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
starting shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
.
Drew married his girlfriend Sheigh, on November 10, 2001, in Hahira, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. Drew identifies himself as a Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, and has made his religious views known several times.