Red Sox shortstop Stephen Drew will not accept the qualifying offer that Boston made him, a rival GM tells Peter Gammons of GammonsDaily.com (Twitter link). Drew's agent, Scott Boras, "already has set up a number of meetings on Drew for Tuesday at the GM meetings," the GM informed Gammons.
Of course, this news hardly rates as a major surprise. Though Drew probably ranks among the less obvious QO recipients, he still figures to warrant a big payday on the market, even with draft pick compensation attached. MLBTR's Tim Dierkes recently profiled Drew, arguing that four years and $48MM guaranteed is obtainable. As Dierkes explains, Drew's combination of strong defense and good power and on-base ability for a shortstop make for an appealing package.
For just a $9.5MM guarantee, Boston GM Ben Cherington got about three-and-a-half wins above replacement from Drew in 2013. The Sox could now also reap a valuable draft pick, or — if other clubs hesitate to part with a top choice — get Drew to return to Boston on a below-market deal.
