Are the Red Sox having second thoughts on signing J.D. Drew? They at least want a second opinion on the outfielder's physical exam results, The Boston Globe reported Sunday.
J.D. Drew
Right Field
Free agent
Profile
2006 SEASON STATISTICS
GM HR RBI R OBP AVG
146 20 100 84 .393 .283
Drew is scheduled to have a second opinion Monday on a shoulder issue that came up in Drew's first exam, a source told The Globe.
The newspaper reported that it isn't known if the issue could void Drew's deal with the Red Sox. Boston reached a preliminary agreement on a five-year, $70 million contract with Drew at the winter meetings on Dec. 5.
The shoulder issue could cause the Red Sox to shorten the lenth of the agreement, or replace some guarantees with incentives, The Globe reported.
The 31-year-old Drew has had injuries throughout his career, but he played in 146 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season and hit .283 with 20 homers and a team-high 100 RBI. He became a free agent when he opted out of the last three years of his five-year, $55 million.
The injuries have added to negative perceptions that have followed Drew since the Philadelphia Phillies selected him No. 2 overall in the 1997 amateur draft. He did not sign, went back into the draft and was picked by the St. Louis Cardinals fifth overall the next year.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.