Mark L.Baer-USA TODAY Sports
The Boston Red Sox are basking in the fact that they are the 2013 World Champions. However, now that the season is over, thoughts turn to the Hot Stove League and that specifically means free agents. Boston has quite a few players that are currently now considered available, and one of them is their shortstop Stephen Drew.
Drew originally came in on a one-year deal, and it appeared as though after the year was over it would be the end of his tenure in Boston. However, he really seemed to win a lot of people over with his defensive abilities. He made some incredible plays during the postseason and his defense almost seemed to get better as the season went on. He also showed that he had some pop in his bat, hitting 13 home runs with 67 runs batted in. He didn’t hit at all during the postseason, but his sparkling glove made him a must to keep in the lineup.
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Apparently the New York Yankees are very interested in signing Drew. It sounds like they would want him to serve in a utility role with Derek Jeter still playing shortstop. They also still have Brendan Ryan who is extremely solid defensively, and that can’t be a good move for Drew. After a year of being the regular shortstop, he probably wouldn’t be too happy with being on the bench. As well, as good of a player as Jeter has been, he really can’t play shortstop anymore. Drew also is a much better hitter than Ryan. It just wouldn’t be a good situation for him. Boston does sound really interested in bringing him back for at least one more year as the starting shortstop.
It would be nice to have a little stability at the position, and Drew showed that he is more than capable of handling playing the position in Boston. At one point it seemed like a done deal that Xander Bogaerts was going to play shortstop and Will Middlebrooks would play third base with Drew heading out of town. Now Drew at short and Bogaerts at third might be the best way to go. Middlebrooks could be a very appealing player in a trade, but Drew’s defense has just become too good to let get away.
Sorry Drew haters; he is a very good player, and if you can get past the last name you will see how good he really is and that he belongs in Boston.
Carter Roane is a Boston Red Sox writer for www.Rantsports.com.Follow him on Twitter@CarterGRoane, “Like”him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
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