Projo Sox Blog

BOSTON -- Terry Francona went looking for a few good, healthy men for his lineup Wednesday and ended up penciling J.D. Drew's name at the top of his list.

Drew replaced Jacoby Ellsbury (sore hamstring) as the Sox' leadoff hitter, a spot he's played out of frequently over his career but one that caught him by surprise.

"I knew (Ellsbury) was hanging a little bit and his hamstring was kind of tight, but I didn't even know I was in the lineup until I looked at the top," Drew said.

Drew hit leadoff in eight games in the 2008 campaign but with little (.172, 5-for-29) success. However, while he lacks the speed a team likes at the top of the order, Drew is one of the Red Sox' most patient hitters and does a good job of getting on base. With Kevin Youkilis (sore side) Francona had Jeff Bailey and Jonathan Van Every in the lineup.

"We're just trying to piece it together," said Francona. "We're just looking for a little bit of balance and healthy bodies. Some night there's not a lot of guys available."

Asked what he likes about Drew's ability at the top of the order, Francona said, "The idea is base-runners. I like him hitting in the middle of the order but I don't know if we can do both. They won't let us. The idea is to make it stretch and try to have some balance and get some guys on base and have somebody hit one in a gap."

Drew said he understands the team's plight and is ready to help out, especially since he can approach an at-bat as if he's hitting in his customary fifth or sixth position.

"It's not my favorite spot in the lineup, but it's only the first time around," he said. "It's going to happen throughout the year. You can't really foresee them or protect against them but I think the big key is to pick those guys up and give them a couple days rest and see how it goes."

 Tags  JD Drew

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