However:

We are allowed to care what kind of personalities are on our team. To tell us not to is a diffeent kind of narrow assessment. Of course we can leave room for final judgment when he arrives, but Drew has been openly disliked in every clubhouse he’s played for. He has invited public scorn for twice making overtly mercenary decisions – first with the Phils and then with the Dodgers. The reality is that few players behave as greedily as the stereotype would have us think. But Drew helps mainatain the stereotype.
We’re encouraged to invest in good guys when their skills are not as special as advertized. Look at Billy Mueller – good, but the most overrated ‘underrated’ player in memory. Yes, Drew will post an OPS around .900, and play a good right field. But it won’t suddenly make him a likable guy. Mo Vaugh put up colossal numbers for the Red Sox, but I couldn’t get past his shameless self-promotion. I never liked him. Schilling is the same way. I’m grateful hew stapled his ankle together, but it doesn’t make me like him. It sucks not haveing affection for your players. Mike Greenwell groused and whined and did it with passion, and I couldn’t help but like him. Coco didn’t deliver last year, but it was impossible not to root for him. It matters. Not nearly as much as great production, but it still matters.

We invest our hearts and souls into these teams. It doesn’t give us free reign to state our irrational or emotional perspectives as fact. But it does allow us to wish for people we can genuinely like. It is a fundamental part of baseball and baseball lore. Far be it from me to defend a windbag like Ryan, but don’t please don’t suggest we’re all operating without the facts.

2005 & 2006 look very similar to me.

2004 .304/.436/.569
2005 .286/.412/.520
2006 .283/.393/.498

While these are still great numbers in any given year, is there any concern that this will continue or do you account that to injuries/ ballpark? Would you expect it return to 2004 numbers playing at Fenway protected by their lineup?

Chad, I think skepticism of this signing would not be unfounded. Drew has missed A TON of time over the years and has not performed very well in the post-season. Further, even though he is younger than Manny, he is no spring chicken. I just haven’t really seen anyone take the time to advocate the anti-Drew side convincingly or unemotionally.

Until someone steps up and does that, at this time, for this team’s needs and in this market, I think it’s a sensible signing.