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Coco Crisp
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Boston Red Sox — No. 10 | |
| Center Field | |
| Bats: Switch | Throws: Right |
| Major League Baseball debut | |
| August 15, 2002 for the Cleveland Indians | |
| Selected MLB statistics (through October 2, 2007) |
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| Batting average | .280 |
| Home runs | 49 |
| Runs batted in | 272 |
| Stolen bases | 104 |
| Teams | |
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Covelli Loyce "Coco" Crisp (born November 1, 1979 in Los Angeles, California) is a Major League Baseball center fielder for the Boston Red Sox. He has a career batting average of .280 as of the end of the 2007 MLB season. Crisp, a switch-hitter, is noted for his outstanding defensive skills and speed on the basepaths -- as well as his humorous nickname -- and for being one of the few baseball players who bats without the use of batting gloves.
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Crisp attended Los Angeles Pierce College following his graduation from Inglewood High School in Los Angeles.
Coco Crisp was originally drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1999. On August 7, 2002, while playing at AA-level New Haven, Crisp was traded to Cleveland to complete an earlier trade for pitcher Chuck Finley.
Crisp became the starting center fielder with the Indians in mid-2002, replacing the injured Matt Lawton. For the next few seasons, Crisp established a reputation as an excellent fielder and speedy baserunner. Despite his success, Crisp had to fight for his roster spot each spring. In 2005, Crisp moved to left field following the emergence of another young outfielder, Grady Sizemore. In his final two seasons with the Indians, Crisp showcased his offensive talent by batting .297 and .300 with 31 total home runs and 35 steals.
After Johnny Damon, the 2005 center fielder for the Red Sox, signed with the New York Yankees, the Red Sox sought Crisp to fill Damon's vacated role both in center field and as a lead-off hitter. In January 2006, the Red Sox sent prospect third baseman Andy Marte, pitcher Guillermo Mota, catcher Kelly Shoppach, a player to be named later (Minor Leaguer Randy Newsom), and cash considerations to the Indians for Crisp and pitcher David Riske. Crisp, already a fan favorite in Cleveland, saw his national fame jump dramatically upon entering big-market Boston before playing a single game in a Red Sox uniform.
After a promising start to his Red Sox career, which included signing a 3-year contract extension worth $15.5 million, Crisp broke his left index finger attempting to steal third base and spent the next 42 games on the disabled list. After returning to the Red Sox outfield on May 28th, Kevin Youkilis had taken over the leadoff spot, and Crisp usually batted 7th or 8th in the line-up for the rest of the year. In 105 games, he had a .264 batting average with 8 home runs and 36 RBIs. Besides his injury, Crisp's 2006 season may be best remembered for a fantastic defensive catch against the New York Mets on June 29th.
Crisp began the 2007 season struggling offensively. On April 20, 2007, Crisp fell over a short wall at Fenway Park while trying to catch a home run by Alex Rodriguez. Although he was unable to make the catch, missing by inches, he hit a game tying triple off of Mariano Rivera in the bottom of the eighth. The Red Sox went on to win 7-6. During this season he has made numerous impressive catches in the outfield. It has even been claimed by one major league club that Crisp is easily the best defensive center fielder in all of Major League Baseball.[1] Although he has struggled at the plate throughout much of the season, between June 13 and July 5, Crisp raised his batting average from .221 to .265, and after a 3 for 4 game on July 22nd he raised his average to a season high .277. On June 18th, entering the game with only two home runs, Crisp belted two homers in his first multi-HR game of his career in a 9-4 loss to the Atlanta Braves.
On August 5, Crisp was almost run over by the Seattle Mariners', mascot, the Moose. As Crisp was heading out to his position in the fifth inning of the rubber match of a series in Seattle, the Mariner Moose was driving fast along the track in front of the Red Sox' dugout. Crisp had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit. Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell was incensed by the mascot's actions and let his displeasure be known to both the mascot and the groundskeeper. After the game, the Red Sox received an apology for the incident.[2]
On October 21, in game 7 of the American League Championship Series, Crisp made the catch that sent Boston to their second World Series in four seasons. He sprinted over to the triangle in center field and collided with the wall after making the catch.
Although he was the team's starting center fielder throughout the 2007 season, he was benched mid series during the ALCS for rookie Jacoby Ellsbury. He remained benched for the 2007 World Series, only appearing late in games for defensive substitutions.
- 1-time World Series Champion (2007 Boston Red Sox)
- ^ projo.comCoco's fielding mighty Crisp, Sean McAdam, 6/27/2007
- ^ boston.comTheir only close call was a moose on the loose, Dan Shaughnessy, 8/6/2007
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| 7 J. D. Drew | 10 Coco Crisp | 12 Eric Hinske | 13 Alex Cora | 15 Dustin Pedroia | 17 Manny Delcarmen | 18 Daisuke Matsuzaka | 19 Josh Beckett | 20 Kevin Youkilis | 23 Julio Lugo | 24 Manny Ramírez | 25 Mike Lowell | 28 Doug Mirabelli | 31 Jon Lester | 32 Bobby Kielty | 33 Jason Varitek | 34 David Ortiz | 36 Kevin Cash | 37 Hideki Okajima | 38 Curt Schilling | 39 Kyle Snyder | 46 Jacoby Ellsbury | 48 Javier López | 49 Tim Wakefield | 50 Mike Timlin | 51 Julián Tavárez | 58 Jonathan Papelbon | 83 Eric Gagné Manager 47 Terry Francona |
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7 J. D. Drew | 10 Coco Crisp | 13 Álex Cora | 15 Dustin Pedroia | 17 Manny Delcarmen | 18 Daisuke Matsuzaka | 19 Josh Beckett | 20 Kevin Youkilis | 23 Julio Lugo | 24 Manny Ramírez | 25 Mike Lowell | 31 Jon Lester | 33 Jason Varitek | 34 David Ortiz | 37 Hideki Okajima | 38 Curt Schilling | 39 Kyle Snyder | 41 Bryan Corey | 43 Devern Hansack | 44 Brandon Moss | 46 Jacoby Ellsbury | 48 Javier López | 49 Tim Wakefield | 50 Mike Timlin | 51 Julián Tavárez | 54 Craig Breslow | 56 Craig Hansen | 58 Jonathan Papelbon | 61 Clay Buchholz | 62 David Pauley | 72 George Kottaras | 74 Edgar Martínez | -- Dusty Brown | -- Chris Carter | -- Argenis Diaz | -- Kyle Jackson | -- Jonathan Van Every Manager 47 Terry Francona | Bench Coach 2 Brad Mills | 1st Base Coach 16 Luis Alicea | 3rd Base Coach 35 DeMarlo Hale | Hitting Coach 29 Dave Magadan | Pitching Coach 52 John Farrell | Bullpen Coach 57 Gary Tuck |