I know this generates quite a bit of drag which I would like to get rid of.
If you can get your hands on a copy of "Stick and Rudder" by Wolfgang Langewiesche, he has a very enlightening discussion of the function of the rudder in chapter 11, "The Rudder".

The bottom line is the rudder is on the airplane to correct a design flaw. We as pilots though demand that we have it so we can be in control of the torque. That creates drag.