Former Brave J.D. Drew joins Dodgers

<p>Outfielder J.D. Drew has always been known to have talent.</p><p>And be prone to injury.</p><p>He hopes the latter description no longer fits.</p><p>"Heck, yeah, I was injury prone," Drew said Thursday after finalizing his $55 million, five-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.</p><p>Drew played in a career-high 145 games for Atlanta last season, hitting .305 and setting personal bests with 31 homers, 118 runs scored, 93 RBIs, 158 hits and 118 walks. He helped the Braves win the NL East and finished sixth in the NL MVP voting.</p><p>Drew has battled injuries throughout his big league career that began with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1998. He hadn't played in more than 135 games in a season before last year.</p><p>A turning point came in October 2002 when he had surgery to remove the diseased portion of his right patella tendon.</p><p>"It was nasty," he said of his knee. "It affected me for two years, it limited my game."</p><p>It hampered his swing and contributed to other physical problems because he was compensating. Drew appeared in a career-low 100 games in 2003, hitting .289 with 15 homers and 42 RBIs.</p><p>St. Louis traded him to Atlanta last December.</p><p>"I had the opportunity last offseason to strengthen my leg," he said. "I went into last year not knowing how it would react. It reacted great. Every day it got stronger and stronger."</p><p>And that showed on the field.</p><p>"I'm looking forward to another healthy year," Drew said. "The thing I learned last year is the more you're on the field, the more consistent you can become."</p><p>Dodgers general manager Paul DePodesta thinks Drew is one of the most complete players in the game.</p><p>"What we saw last year we hope is the first great year of many years to come," DePodesta said. "He had been a target for a long time. He comes in with a great track record and we feel he's just entering his prime. We have a 29-year-old who's an excellent fielder, hits with power and also gets on base. If he can remain consistently healthy, he has a chance to put up some pretty gaudy numbers over the length of the contract."</p><p>Drew said he's been at the gym five days a week since Thanksgiving preparing for next season and will continue that kind of preparation until shortly before the start of spring training.</p><p>"Oh, man, it's great," he said. "I can do my leg workouts like I want to. I know how to maintain it now. I feel so much better. The benefit I have now is the experience, knowing how to handle it."</p><p>He said he's hopes to play in 150-to-155 games next season.</p><p>Drew thinks the Dodgers can win, loves the area and likes playing at Dodger Stadium.</p><p>"I'm going to push myself to help make this team better and hope to put a ring on my finger soon," he said. "I had several options, this being my first. When these guys came and started talking, this was definitely my first choice.</p><p>"I got a chance to talk to Frank," Drew said of Dodgers owner Frank McCourt. "He's an owner who wants to push his team to a championship."</p><p>Drew will receive a $2 million signing bonus and a $9 million salary next season. He will earn $11 million annually in the final four seasons of the contract.</p><p>The left handed-hitting Drew is expected to play right field for the Dodgers. That would put Shawn Green at first base, assuming he's not traded. Green played first base for the most part last year _ his first season at that position.</p><p>"I'm thrilled we still have Shawn Green right now," DePodesta said.</p><p>Green was part of a proposed three-team trade involving the Dodgers, New York Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks. But the Dodgers decided Tuesday not to be involved.</p><p>"I've said all along, we're not shopping him," DePodesta said of Green. "People have to come to us. He fits real well with us right now."</p><p>DePodesta said the Dodgers remain interested in improving their starting pitching.</p><p>"We know we need to do a couple of things there," he said. "Starting pitching _ that's really our focus. Our 25-man roster at the beginning of April is not yet in place."</p><p>After Los Angeles pulled out of the proposed three-team trade, Yankees president Randy Levine accused the Dodgers of reneging. DePodesta declined to respond Thursday.</p>

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