JD Boo-Hoo

JD Drew, who disgracefully is ashamed of his excellent first name, also feels the need to strike back verbally at Ned Colletti, months after bolting for a big fat raise.

Saying it was a business decision, citing job security and not wanting to be traded as his primary reasons for employing the clause, Drew said he did not begin to consider the option until the 2006 season ended.

It strikes me as ludicrous for anyone who is guaranteed a contract to worry about job security. If anything, he was in a position to take over center field in Los Angeles so that James Loney or Matt Kemp could have taken the extra outfield spot. The fact is the Dodgers would not have been nearly as likely to retain Nomar Garciaparra had Drew stayed in LA, and Drew could have even gotten the 3-hitter job. When Bill Plaschke calls for Loney over Nomar, you know something's up.

As for whether or not he would have been traded, the time to trade Drew would have been at the deadline to Seattle for Adrian Beltre, but Colletti decided not to go down that road (good call) and got Wilson Betemit instead, even dumping Danys Baez in the process. As for trading him, think in Colletti terms: the Dodgers would give up a fair amount of power (their leader in homers and RBI last year) as well as a veteran with decent defense (although a declining arm).

Besides, LA was looking to up their pitching staff through free agency and trade for a power hitter, and they'd have to trade Drew for another outfielder. He wouldn't go within the division to Arizona nor to Anaheim, the Mets wouldn't have an attractive enough offering, the Marlins likely wouldn't want to double their payroll for him, the Orioles don't have anyone, the Red Sox wouldn't give up Pena for him, the Yankees wouldn't give up Matsui, the Blue Jays wouldn't budge, the Rangers had nobody. The Phillies? ha! I could see the Reds taking him for Dunn and someone else, but Dunn has one year before free agency. I could also see the Tigers going for him, because they are very weak in team OBP and have Monroe and Thames as potential trade targets, perhaps both. But other than Cincy or Detroit, I would have doubted it, and if Drew specified those teams, then no dice.

Drew opted out because he knew $11 million a year was a bargain on the market for the type of player he is (a poor man's Bobby Abreu). He's a good ball player, and the team OBP will miss him next year. I won't deny that the glossy pages didn't include my last paragraph. But if he's going to say he's offended that Colletti would attack his honesty, and add some bogus window-dressing reasons, then something is wrong.