JD Drew: The Face of Baseball's Demise?

Meet Greg Dobbs.

If you've met him before, you're either from Philadelphia, involved in an NL East only fantasy league or Tim Kurkjian.

Greg's a hard working guy. He's left-handed. He is an adequate defender at multiple positions. He is a career .260 hitter and turns 29 in a few weeks.

On January 16, 2007, in a move that warranted one line of Associated Press copy, Dobbs was claimed off waivers from the Seattle Mariners by the Philadelphia Phillies.

His salary for the year, right around the veteran minimum, is $385,000.

Ten days later, in a move that took weeks to complete, the Boston Red Sox signed outfielder J.D. Drew to a multi-year contract.

His yearly salary, one of the highest in sports, is $14,400,000.

I think you know where this is going. Here are some season statistics, entering today:

Games: Dobbs 49, Drew 49

At Bats: Dobbs 101, Drew 161

Batting Average: Dobbs .267, Drew .224

Doubles: Dobbs 6, Drew 6

Minor Injuries: Dobbs 0, Drew 12

Triples: Dobbs 1, Drew 1

Home Runs: Dobbs 3, Drew 2

RBIs: Dobbs 22, Drew 17

Stolen Bases: Dobbs 1, Drew 1

Slugging %: Dobbs: .495, Drew: .311

Vacation Homes: Dobbs 0, Drew 7

Positions Played: Dobbs 5, Drew 1

Dobbs-Drew is a pretty fair fight. It's just one illustration of why baseball will never again be America's pasttime.

The scariest part of this? If you asked Theo Epstein today, in a secluded room with a polygraph machine, if he could go back in time and a) claim Dobbs off waivers or b) sign Drew, he would choose Drew and the lines wouldn't jump.

It doesn't even make any sense that people reference the financial aspects of J.D.'s contract. Money no longer means anything to the Red Sox. Nothing. If the Sox were seven games out today, Theo would be hammering out a deal at the draft for Rocco Baldelli, Jermaine Dye or Torii Hunter.

The Yankees invested over 100 million dollars into Tampa Yankees ace Kei Igawa, recovering steroid user Jason Giambi, all-star outpatient Carl Pavano and a 45-year-old man with a fatigued groin.

What could possibly be next?

Probably Mark Teixiera. Maybe Todd Helton. Perhaps Carlos Zambrano.

Is there any chance A-Rod and Andruw Jones are playing anywhere outside of New York, Boston or southern California? That would be stunning.

The only answer is a salary cap and that will never happen. Even if contracts became non-guaranteed (they won't), little would change. If the Red Sox cut Drew (they wouldn't), the Mets would sign him to a 5 year, 50 million dollar contract tomorrow.Baseball has officially become an auction for four or five rich people.

Sure, the Marlins won the World Series in 2003 and the A's and the Twins are competitive. But those teams are just training grounds for the league's elite. The Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, Angels and Dodgers won't win every world series for the next 100 years, but they'll be the favorites every year.

What fun is that?

I still watch every Red Sox game, still root for them and if they hang fifteen more banners in my lifetime, I will be happy. I'll even hold out hope that J.D. Drew turns it around and becomes what Theo & co. thought they were getting.

Even if Greg Dobbs would have done just as well.