Agent Scott Boras is not giving up on finding a deal for Stephen Drew and denies that his market is virtually non-existent.
According to Peter Gammons, last winter, the Yankees wanted to sign Stephen Drew, but were told he would only play shortstop. So he ended up with Boston.
But this week Scott Boras dropped several hints that Drew would be willing to play other positions and in fact, Drew’s value may be greater if he will play several positions.
Not a bad maneuver by Drew and Boras here…
On Sunday, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe said that Boras scoffed at the notion that there’s no market for his client.
“There are five or six teams who I have actively talked to concerning Stephen,” Boras said. “Ben Cherington, the Red Sox GM and I have continued our dialogue and will continue to talk.”
“I tell my clients all the time that free agency is a long process,” said Boras. “It just doesn’t end at Christmas. It’s a January, February, and even a March process. Teams assess their needs, explore their trade options, and when things finally settle there’s still a free agent market for them to turn to. Ask the Red Sox what Stephen meant to their team.”
Cafardo states that there’s no doubt the Red Sox want Drew back and they have publicly stated as much. They’d prefer a one-year contract, but Boras is pushing for a two-year deal.
Last week, a source told Adam Rubin, that the Mets remain engaged with Boras about Drew, but continue to portray him as more of a “possibility” than a “probability.”
Team officials are split about how valuable Drew would be to the Mets. Some would rather give Ruben Tejada one more shot as the everyday shortstop.
I think Boras is blowing smoke and I doubt he’s currently talking to 5-6 teams about Drew. My guess is that he’s only talking to the Red Sox – mostly because they want Drew back and also because Drew wants to be back.
In the end there will be an agreement between the two. If the Mets want in, they will have to overpay in years and dollars. I also question the speculation that the Yankees are in on Drew because of the A-Rod suspension.
Updated 1/15/2014
