Cardinals, Drew agree to four-year deal
July 4, 1998
Free Press News Services

ST. LOUIS -- Outfielder J. D. Drew and the St. Louis Cardinals agreed on a four-year contract for $7 million guaranteed and possibly as much as $8.5 million.


Drew was taken by Philadelphia with the second pick of the 1997 draft. The Phillies' best offer was $3.1 million for four years with a $3-million option, so he played for St. Paul, an independent Class A team.


Drew, 22, hit .341 with 18 homers and 50 RBIs last season for the Saints. He was playing there this season, batting .386 with nine homers and 33 RBIs in 30 games. The Cardinals made him the fifth pick in last month's draft.


"If I had to do it over again, I would," Drew said. "It's all about being comfortable, and right now I'm very comfortable in St. Louis."


Drew had been seeking an $11.5-million, five-year contract with the Phillies, and could eventually exceed that deal if he lives up to his billing. He gets a $3-million signing bonus and $375,000 in salary this year; $500,000 in 1999; $1 million in 2000 and $2 million in 2001.


In addition, he can make $450,000 in 1999 in roster bonuses and $600,000 each in 2000 and 2001, which would raise the value of the deal to $8.5 million if he's with the Cardinals at least 120 days per season. The club has guaranteed at least $125,000 of the bonus in '99.


Drew will report to Double-A Arkansas and play his first game tonight at Wichita. The Cardinals hope to start him net season.


"This guy, I think, is arguably the best player in this draft and may have been the best player in the last two or three drafts," said Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty. "He's got a chance to be a star player, a franchise-type player."

|::Click here to return to J.D. Drew Online::|