Stephen Drew

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Stephen Drew
Free Agent – No. 17
Shortstop
Born: (1983-03-16) March 16, 1983
Hahira, Georgia
Bats: Left Throws: Right
MLB debut
July 15, 2006 for the Arizona Diamondbacks
Career statistics
(through 2013 season)
Batting average .264
Home runs 90
Runs batted in 416
Teams

Career highlights and awards

Stephen Oris Drew (born March 16, 1983) is an American professional baseball shortstop who is a free agent. He is the younger brother of former outfielder J. D. Drew and former pitcher Tim Drew.

Drew went to Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia. Following in the footsteps of his brother, J.D., he played college baseball at Florida State University.

Baseball career

Minor Leagues

Drew started out in High-A with the Lancaster JetHawks in 2006. He did very well with the JetHawks, batting .389 and hitting 10 home runs. He was later promoted to Double-A and played with the Tennessee Smokies, with whom he hit .218 and hit 4 home runs. He was then promoted to Triple-A to play with Tucson.

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

Arizona Diamondbacks

On July 13, 2006, during a game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Craig Counsell injured his ribs, prompting the call-up of Drew from the Diamondbacks' Triple-A affiliate, the Tucson Sidewinders. He made his major league debut on July 15 against the Milwaukee Brewers. Also making his major league debut that day (with the Brewers), was Tony Gwynn, Jr., son of former major leaguer Tony 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 HR and 23 RBI.

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

Drew batting with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2008 spring training

On September 1, 2008, he hit for the cycle against the St. Louis Cardinals, becoming the first player to do so at Chase Field.[1] Batting leadoff, Drew singled in the first inning, tripled in the third and homered in the fifth against Cardinal starter Joel Piñeiro. He added a ground-rule double in the seventh against reliever Kyle McClellan. He was the fourth to hit for the cycle in 2008, and on the same day Adrián Beltré of the Seattle Mariners became the fifth. This was the first time that two players had hit for the cycle on the same day since 1920.[2] 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 with Michael Bourn for the second most in the National League that year.

On Opening Day, April 5, 2010, he hit an inside-the-park home run against starter Jon 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 to abdominal 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 the Detroit Tigers and Oakland Athletics.[3] On July 30, manager Kirk Gibson called Drew into his office for a closed-door meeting; speculation that Drew had been traded ensued.[4] In his 40 games he played with the Diamondbacks that season, Drew batted with just a .193 batting average, 2 home runs, and 12 RBI.

Oakland Athletics

On August 20, 2012, Drew was traded to the Oakland Athletics for minor league shortstop Sean Jamieson.[5] Drew finished 2012 hitting .223 in 79 games with 7 HR 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

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

Personal life

Drew's father found his first baseball glove in a dumpster. [7] The Drew brothers are the only trio of siblings all selected in the first round of the Major League Baseball Draft.[8]

References

  1. ↑ "Arizona SS Stephen Drew hits for cycle". sportingnews.com. Retrieved 2008-09-01. 
  2. ↑ "Seattle's Adrian Beltre hits for cycle". Associated Press. 2008-09-02. Retrieved 2008-09-02. 
  3. ↑ "A's still looking at Drew & Yunel; Headley a long shot for them". CBSSports.com. 2012-07-30. Retrieved 2012-10-13. 
  4. ↑ "Towers working the phones as Deadline nears". dbacks.com. Retrieved 2012-10-13. 
  5. ↑ "A's acquire Drew from Diamondbacks". Sports Illustrated. 2012-08-21. Retrieved 2012-10-13. 
  6. ↑ Drellich, Evan (December 17, 2012). "Reports: Red Sox, Drew agree to one-year deal". MLB.com. Retrieved December 17, 2012. 
  7. ↑ "Drew remembers a special glove". MLB.com. 2012-04-09. Retrieved 2012-10-13. 
  8. ↑ "Big Night for Drew Brothers". Los Angeles Times. 2006-07-18. Retrieved 2012-10-13. 

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