Sports Insider by Frank Coppola: Coco Crisp getting stale in Boston

February 20, 2008

Coco Crisp getting stale in Boston

The other shoe finally dropped at Red Sox spring training on Wednesday when center fielder Coco Crisp said he would probably request a trade if he doesn't win back the starting job he lost to rookie Jacoby Ellsbury in last season's playoffs.

Really, you can't blame Coco. From the reports, it didn't sound like Crisp was angry at the Red Sox or pouting about losing his job last fall. He just doesn't want to collect dust in the dugout.

"I want to play," Crisp told the Associated Press. "I wouldn't be happy sitting on the bench."

Crisp said he understood why Terry Francona made the switch to Ellsbury prior to Game 6 of the American League championship series. Crisp had hit .182 in his first eight playoff games as fans clamored for Ellsbury (.353 average in 33 regular-season games) to get a shot.

Ellsbury never let go of the starting gig, hitting .375 over the next six games as Boston won the final two games against Cleveland and four straight against Colorado to win the World Series.

Immediately following the season, speculation began that the Red Sox would try to trade Crisp in an effort to get Ellsbury into the lineup every day. There were several rumors floating around at the winter meetings, but those deals were seemingly put on hold as Boston waited for the Johan Santana trade talks to reach a conclusion (the Twins were reportedly hot on Ellsbury).

Crisp has played a Gold Glove-caliber center field since getting traded to the Red Sox before the 2006 season. He got off to a great start offensively in spring training that year, but he broke his finger in early April and missed 42 games right off the bat. Really, he was never the same offensive player after that.

Crisp hit .264 with eight homers and 36 RBIs in 2006, playing 105 games. He played in 145 games in 2007, but still hit only .268 with six homers and 60 RBIs and 28 steals. All in all, it was a big disappointment for a player who hit .300 with 16 homers and 69 RBIs with the Indians in the season before coming to Boston.

Red Sox fans thought they were getting a younger, cheaper version of Johnny Damon when Crisp came to Boston but he didn't come close to meeting those expectations. As it turns out, Ellsbury may be the player to fill those shoes.

It remains to be seen what the Red Sox can get for Crisp given his struggles the last two years. But you've got to think they'll try to bolster their pitching staff after losing Curt Schilling for at least half the season and perhaps the whole year. Boston re-signed Bobby Kielty during the offseason, so there's no immediate need to get another outfielder into the mix.

The A's have been shopping pitcher Joe Blanton (14-10, 3.95 ERA), although Oakland is reportedly asking for the moon in return and certainly would want more than Crisp.

Hey, after a relatively quiet offseason, it's nice to see Theo Esptein with something to keep himself busy.

Frank Coppola can be reached at fcoppola@seacoastonline.com.

Posted by Frank Coppola at February 20, 2008 02:03 PM

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