Remembering Drew’s slam

The best player to ever appear in a game at Clipper Magazine Stadium is probably Stephen Drew, who’s playing shortstop for the Diamondbacks in the NLCS.

Drew took the same path as big brother J.D. He was the 15th overall pick in the 2004 draft, but decided to hold out rather than immediately sign. In order to stay sharp, Drew made a brief stop in indy ball. The former Florida State star spent 19 games with the Riversharks in 2005 and — as you might expect — tore the Atlantic League to shreds. He batted .419 with 15 extra-base hits in 82 at-bats.

Barnstormers fans who have followed the team from the beginning may remember Drew’s final Atlantic League game. It was at the Clip on Memorial Day. The shortstop went 3-for-4 and smashed a towering grand slam that landed somewhere near the warehouse that sits well beyond the short porch in right field.

The homer came off Lancaster starter Joe Dooley, a career indy leaguer who spent parts of two seasons with the Barnstormers. Dooley fell behind in the count and paid the price.

“Getting down 2-0 was the biggest mistake, because you don’t want to be down 2-0 to anybody with the bases loaded,” Dooley said that day. “It doesn’t matter if he’s a first-round pick or a 1,000th-round pick. You can’t throw him a 2-0 fastball right down the middle.”

Added then-Camden manager Wayne Krenchicki …

“Stephen is a special player. I think everyone got a first-hand look at what he can do offensively.”

That game marked a low point in the Barnstormers’ inaugural season. Third baseman Jose Ortiz suffered a torn biceps muscle the previous day and was lost for a year. Shortstop Juan Melo was picked up by the Nationals that afternoon. The Barnstormers fell apart in the first half and finished 27-43.

As for Drew, he had a decision to make after that game. The amateur draft was fast approaching and he could either accept the D’Backs’ contract offer or re-enter the draft — like J.D. did when he spurned the Phillies in 1998. The younger Drew decided to stick with the team that originally selected him. He signed for a guaranteed $5.5 million mere hours after his Memorial Day homer landed in Lancaster baseball lore.

It didn’t take long for Drew to advance through the Diamondbacks’ system. He was in Double-A by the end of the 2005 season and reached the big leagues in July of 2006 — where he has been ever since. He batted .238 with 12 homers and a .683 OPS this season.

Interestingly, the Riversharks also signed pitcher Jered Weaver that summer. He was another client of agent Scott Boras and another big-bonus holdout. Weaver never appeared in an Atlantic League game before signing with the Angels.