Baseball Chat

[ghmm]

This surprised me. I thought giving him a big multi-year contract was risky when the Dodgers did it. Don't know if he wanted out of LA (maybe he wants to go to Philly finally :)) or thinks he can get more... Hmmm would his agent be S.B. :)

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-dodgers-drew&prov=ap&type=lgns

J.D. Drew opts for free agency
By JOHN NADEL, AP Sports Writer
November 9, 2006

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder J.D. Drew opted out of the final three years of his contract Thursday, making him an unrestricted free agent.

Drew, who turns 31 on Saturday, hit .283 with 20 homers and 100 RBIs last season -- his second with the Dodgers. He signed a five-year, $55 million contract on Dec. 23, 2004, and had been guaranteed $33 million over the next three years with Los Angeles.

Drew was limited to 72 games in his first year with Los Angeles by injuries, hitting .286 with 15 homers and 36 RBIs. Previously, he played with St. Louis from 1998-03 and with Atlanta in 2004, where he batted a career-best .305 with 31 homers and 93 RBIs.