Re: Leyland on JD Drew

On Sun, 04 Mar 2007 23:00:57 -0500, McDuck
<wallymcduckDELETEME@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Q. Jim, you were with St. Louis when
Drew was there, J.D. Drew. What is your
evaluation of him as a player?
JIM LEYLAND: He's a hell of a player.
He's really a good player. He was nagged by
injuries quite a bit, but this guy is a real talent.
Q. Why do you suppose he's been the
lightning rod of so much criticism over the
years for either being passive or not playing
hurt?
JIM LEYLAND: The first thing I think is --
people in baseball, they just don't forget. I think
the whole thing with the draft originally started, and
I think that's always giving people an opportunity to
take cheap shots at him. I think turn the page.
This guy is a great talent and a great kid,
outstanding. I think that's probably how that all got
going, and people just won't let it up. But this guy
is one heck of a player, trust me. He's a good
player, real good player. I really liked him.
One year he was hurt a little bit and he still
had unbelievable numbers over there in St. Louis.
I mean, this guy is a player. He's an all-purpose
player. He can do everything. He's a good player.

I've always wondered why Drew has never really shaken the animosity he
engendered for his challenge to the draft. Varitek did a similar
thing when he was a collegian represented by Boras, yet Jason is
highly respected around the game, and you never hear about his draft
issues anymore. I'm not trying to stir any trouble; I just wonder why
one guy is still reviled and the other revered. (And they're not the
only two who've done this, either.)

-Bismo.
.

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