A’s sign Coco Crisp to one-year deal
Posted on December 20, 2009
Coco Crisp of the Kansas City Royals bunts during a spring training game against the San Diego Padres at the Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, Arizona on March 23, 2009. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
The Oakland A’s have jumped into the Hot Stove this weekend in typical A’s fashion. They have plucked an injured second-tier player off the bargain basement scrap heap and signed free-agent outfielder Coco Crisp to a one-year deal worth around $5 million. The 30-year-old Crisp is coming off a 2009 season he would like to forget when he had only 215 plate appearances with the Kansas City Royals due to shoulder injuries. He batted .228 with three home runs and 14 RBIs. He had surgery on both shoulders during the summer and plans to be ready for spring training.
Coco Crisp of the Kansas City Royals runs the bases during their spring training game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona on March 8, 2009. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Ballplayers names like Coco Crisp can be so much fun. Every once in awhile I will be watching a game on television or listening to one on the radio and I will hear a player’s name that I have never heard before. Most of the time it doesn’t matter what the name is, but sometimes it is different enough to make me do a double-take and listen harder to make sure I heard it right. My dad used to joke about Astros pitcher Mark Lemongello being shaky on the mound.
Coco Crisp of the Kansas City Royals drinks Gatorade during their spring training game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona on March 8, 2009. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
It is fun to play games with friends about baseball names. A few years ago at the World Series USA TODAY photographer H. Darr Beiser got us all going trying to come up with the all “Body Part” team. Barry Foote. Elroy Face. Rollie Fingers. Pete LaCock. You get the idea. Coco Crisp can be added to the “brand name” list that includes Howard Johnson and Milton Bradley.
Coco Crisp of the Cleveland Indians bats during a game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park in San Francisco, CA on June 12, 2005. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
Crisp first came up with the Indians in 2002 but never started getting regular playing time until 2004. He put together some real nice years for the Tribe and had his best year in 2005 (see above) when he hit .300 with 16 homers and 69 runs batted in. Crisp later spent a few years with the Red Sox (see below) and saw quite a bit of action there before being sent to the Royals after the 2008 season.
Coco Crisp of the Boston Red Sox bats during the game against the Oakland Athletics at the McAfee Coliseum in Oakland, California on May 24, 2008. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
When I reported to Arizona to cover spring training for Sports Illustrated in 2009 Coco Crisp was near the top of the list of new guys with new teams I needed to shoot for the baseball preview issue. Because of this I spent many days photographing Crisp and the Royals at their awesome park in Surprise, AZ. Crisp was really a lot of fun to shoot. He was always flashing his great smile in between dropping down a bunt or running the bases. The speedy switch-hitter was always doing something on the ball field and I thought he would be a nice addition to the always woeful Royals.
Coco Crisp of the Kansas City Royals catches a fly ball during a spring training game against the San Diego Padres at the Peoria Sports Complex in Peoria, Arizona on March 23, 2009. (Photo by Brad Mangin)
So what does this all mean for the Swingin’ A’s and their fans? I think Crisp will probably get off to a slow start coming off his many injuries and will never be in the lineup in Phoenix this coming March when I need to shoot him in the green and gold. If he stays healthy and puts together a decent first half then you can bet A’s general manager Billy Beane will ship him off to a contender in July. That’s just how the A’s roll.
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