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Stephen Drew

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Stephen Drew
Drew with the Boston Red Sox in 2013
Shortstop
Born:(1983-03-16)March 16, 1983(age 41)
Hahira, Georgia,U.S.
Batted:Left
Threw:Right
MLB debut
July 15, 2006, for the Arizona Diamondbacks
Last MLB appearance
July 25, 2017, for the Washington Nationals
MLB statistics
Batting average.252
Home runs123
Runs batted in524
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Stephen Oris Drew(born March 16, 1983) is an American formerprofessional baseballinfielder.He played 12 seasons inMajor League Baseball(MLB) for theArizona Diamondbacks,Oakland Athletics,Boston Red Sox,New York YankeesandWashington Nationals.His two brothers, outfielderJ.D.and pitcherTim,also played in MLB.

Amateur career

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Drew went toLowndes High SchoolinValdosta, Georgia.He was drafted by thePittsburgh Piratesin the 11th round of the2001 draftbut did not sign.[1]Following in the footsteps of his brother,J. D.,he enrolled atFlorida State Universityand playedcollege baseballfor theFlorida State Seminoles baseballteam.

Professional career

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Minor leagues

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TheArizona Diamondbacksselected Drew in the first round, with the 15th overall selection, of the2004 Major League Baseball Draft.While coming to an agreement on his rookie contract, Drew briefly played for theCamden Riversharksof theAtlantic League,where he hit.427 in 19 games.[2]He began the 2006 season with theLancaster JetHawksof theClass A-AdvancedCalifornia League,where he batted.389 and hit 10 home runs. He was later promoted to theTennessee Smokiesof theClass AASouthern League,with whom he hit.218 and hit 4 home runs. He was then promoted to theTucson Sidewindersof theClass AAAPacific Coast League.

He was selected to the 2006All-Star Futures Game.

Arizona Diamondbacks

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On July 13, 2006, during a game against theMilwaukee Brewers,Craig Counsellinjured his ribs, prompting the call-up of Drew from the Diamondbacks' Triple-A affiliate, theTucson Sidewinders.He made his major league debut on July 15 against theMilwaukee Brewers.Also making his major league debut that day (with the Brewers) wasTony Gwynn Jr.,son of former major leaguerTony Gwynn.He recorded his first major league hit against the Dodgers and his brother J. D. Drew. He finished the season batting.316, with 5 home runs and 23 RBI.

In 2007, although the Diamondbacks were division champions, Drew had a disappointing season, hitting only.238 with 12 home runs but a career-high 9 stolen bases.

Drew batting with theArizona Diamondbacks in 2008spring training

On September 1, 2008, hehit for the cycleagainst theSt. Louis Cardinals,becoming the first player to do so atChase Field.[3]Batting leadoff, Drewsingledin the first inning,tripledin the third andhomeredin the fifth against CardinalstarterJoel Piñeiro.He added aground-rule doublein the seventh againstrelieverKyle McClellan.He was the fourth to hit for the cycle in 2008, and on the same dayAdrián Beltréof theSeattle Marinersbecame the fifth. This was the first time that two players had hit for the cycle on the same day since 1920.[4]He finished the season batting.291, with a career-high 21 home runs.

In 2009, he hit.261 with 12 home runs and a career-high 12 triples, tied withMichael Bournfor the second most in the National League that year.

On Opening Day, April 5, 2010, he hit aninside-the-park home runagainst starterJon Garland,the sixth Diamondback to do so. He finished that year batting.278, with 15 home runs and 61 RBI.

In 2011, Drew missed the first four games of the season due toabdominal pain.On July 20, 2011, he slid into home plate, fractured his right ankle and missed the rest of the season, batting.252 for the year with 5 home runs and 45 RBI. He played in only 86 games that season, fewer than in any season after the 59 games of his rookie year.

He spent early 2012 on the disabled list for the broken ankle until June 27, when he played for the first time in over 11 months, going one for four. He was linked to various teams at the 2012 trade deadline, including theDetroit TigersandOakland Athletics.[5]On July 30, managerKirk Gibsoncalled Drew into his office for a closed-door meeting; speculation that Drew had been traded ensued.[6]In the 40 games he played with the Diamondbacks that season, Drew batted with just a.193 batting average, 2 home runs, and 12 RBI.

Over the course of nearly 7 seasons with the Diamondbacks, Drew would compile a team record 52 triples.

Oakland Athletics

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On August 20, 2012, Drew was traded to theOakland Athleticsfor minor league shortstopSean Jamieson.[7]Drew finished 2012 hitting.223 in 79 games with 7 home runs and 28 RBI. The A's declined their $10 million option on Drew on October 29, making him a free agent. Drew obtained a $1.35 million buyout.

Boston Red Sox

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On December 17, 2012, Drew signed a one-year, $9.5 million contract with theBoston Red Sox,which also included $500,000 in performance bonuses.[8]Drew had a.253 batting average, 13 home runs, and 67 RBI in the 2013 regular season. After struggling at the plate for most of the 2013 postseason, Drew homered in the decisive Game 6 of theWorld Series,helping the Red Sox clinch their third championship in nine years and earning his first career World Series ring.

Drew opted to become a free agent after the 2013 season, and turned down Boston's qualifying offer of $14.1 million for the 2014 season. Under the terms of the CBA, teams signing free agents who had declined a qualifying offer would forfeit their top unprotected pick in the followingdraft.[9]One effect of this was to reduce the market value of free agents who had received a qualifying offer.[10]By the start of the 2014 season Drew remained unsigned, and baseball analysts attributed it partly to few teams needing a veteran starting shortstop and partly to teams not being willing to give up a top draft pick. After having missed spring training and the start of the regular season, on May 20, 2014, Drew signed a one-year, $10 million contract with Boston, a prorated amount of the $14.1 million qualifying offer he previously rejected.[11]In 39 games he played in for the Red Sox that year, Drew hit 4 home runs, 11 RBI, and had a low batting average of just.176.

New York Yankees

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On July 31, 2014, Drew was traded to theNew York Yankeesby theBoston Red SoxforKelly Johnson.[12]It was the first trade between the teams since 1997.[13]Drew batted.150 with 3 home runs and 15 RBI in 46 games for the Yankees. At the end of the 2014 season, Drew's batting average was just.162 with 7 home runs and 26 RBI in a total of 85 games.

Drew became a free agent after the 2014 season, and re-signed with the Yankees on January 6, 2015, agreeing to a one-year, $5 million contract. The deal became official on January 16.[14]On April 17, 2015, Drew hit his 100th career home run in a game against theTampa Bay Rays.On June 9, 2015, Drew recorded his 1,000th career hit, a home run, against theWashington Nationals.Drew had a.201 batting average, 17 home runs (4 shy of his career high), and 44 RBIs during the 2015 season.[15]

Washington Nationals

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On January 6, 2016, Drew signed a one-year, $3 million contract with theWashington Nationals.[16]He appeared in 70 games for Washington in 2016, and hit.266 with eight home runs and 21 RBI.[17]Drew signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Nationals on January 26, 2017.[18]On April 12, 2017, the Nationals placed Drew on the 10-day disabled list due to a right hamstring issue.[19]

Retirement

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On April 2, 2018, Drew confirmed his retirement from baseball after 12 seasons.[20][21]

Personal life

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Drew is aChristian.[22]Drew's father found his firstbaseball glovein a dumpster.[23]The Drew brothers are the only trio of siblings all selected in the first round of theMajor League Baseball Draft.[24]

Drew andWashington NationalsteammateChris Heiseyestablished a close friendship during the2016 season,becoming thede factoleaders of a group of bench players they dubbed the "Wolfpack".[25]

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Stephen Drew Stats".
  2. ^Ashmore, Mike (September 20, 2014)."Somerset Patriots: Yankees' Stephen Drew worked on game in Atlantic League".mycentraljersey.RetrievedJune 2,2024.
  3. ^"Arizona SS Stephen Drew hits for cycle".sportingnews.RetrievedSeptember 1,2008.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^"Seattle's Adrian Beltre hits for cycle".Associated Press. September 2, 2008.RetrievedSeptember 2,2008.[dead link]
  5. ^"A's still looking at Drew & Yunel; Headley a long shot for them".CBSSports.July 30, 2012.RetrievedOctober 13,2012.
  6. ^"Towers working the phones as Deadline nears".dbacks. Archived fromthe originalon January 16, 2016.RetrievedOctober 13,2012.
  7. ^"A's acquire Drew from Diamondbacks".Sports Illustrated.August 21, 2012. Archived fromthe originalon August 23, 2012.RetrievedOctober 13,2012.
  8. ^Drellich, Evan (December 17, 2012)."Reports: Red Sox, Drew agree to one-year deal".MLB.RetrievedDecember 17,2012.
  9. ^MLB (2011)."SUMMARY OF MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYERS ASSOCIATION MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL LABOR AGREEMENT"(PDF).MLB.RetrievedSeptember 1,2016.
  10. ^Nitkowski, CJ (November 4, 2014)."Issues with the MLB Qualifying Offer System".Fox Sports.RetrievedSeptember 1,2016.
  11. ^Steve Adams, MLB Trade Rumors,Red Sox Sign Stephen Drew,May 21, 2014
  12. ^"Red Sox trade Stephen Drew to Yankees".The Boston Globe.RetrievedAugust 16,2014.
  13. ^The Star Ledger. August 1, 2014. pg. 40
  14. ^Yankees Officially Announce Stephen Drew Signing
  15. ^"Stephen Drew Stats, Fantasy & News".MLB.RetrievedAugust 11,2022.
  16. ^"Nationals sign Stephen Drew".Washington Post.RetrievedJanuary 6,2016.
  17. ^"Stephen Drew Statistics and History".Baseball-Reference.RetrievedJanuary 26,2017.
  18. ^Collier, Jamal (January 26, 2017)."Drew returns to Nationals on 1-year deal".MLB.RetrievedJanuary 26,2017.[dead link]
  19. ^Reddington, Patrick (April 12, 2017)."Washington Nationals place Stephen Drew on 10-Day DL; Nats select Grant Green's contract".federalbaseball.RetrievedApril 12,2017.
  20. ^Todd, Jeff (April 2, 2018)."Stephen Drew to Retire".MLB Trade Rumors.RetrievedApril 3,2018.
  21. ^Cotillo, Chris (April 3, 2018)."Stephen Drew Confirms Retirement".MLB Daily Dish.RetrievedApril 3,2018.
  22. ^"Dissecting The Drews".
  23. ^"Drew remembers a special glove".MLB.April 9, 2012. Archived fromthe originalon April 13, 2012.RetrievedOctober 13,2012.
  24. ^"Big Night for Drew Brothers".Los Angeles Times.July 18, 2006.RetrievedOctober 13,2012.
  25. ^Janes, Chelsea (March 28, 2017)."What to do with all that time on the Nats' bench? Become best friends, of course".The Washington Post.RetrievedJuly 23,2017.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related toStephen Drew.
Achievements
Preceded by Hitting for the cycle
September 1, 2008 		Succeeded by
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