Coco Crisp

Coco Crisp
Free agent
Center fielder
Born: November 1, 1979 (1979-11-01) (age 32) Los Angeles, California
Bats: Switch	Throws: Right
MLB debut
August 15, 2002 for the Cleveland Indians
Career statistics (through 2011 Season)
Batting Average	.275
On base Percentage	.330
Home runs	75
Runs batted in	419
Stolen bases	218
Teams
Cleveland Indians (2002–2005) Boston Red Sox (2006–2008) Kansas City Royals (2009) Oakland Athletics (2010–2011)
Career highlights and awards
World Series champion (2007)

Covelli Loyce "Coco" Crisp ^[1] (born November 1, 1979) is an American professional baseball center fielder. Crisp is a switch-hitter and throws right-handed. He previously played for the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, Kansas City Royals and Oakland Athletics.

Nickname

Crisp was originally nicknamed "Coco" by his sister and brother who teased him that he looked like one of the characters on the Cocoa Krispies cereal box. The nickname did not stick, however, until he started playing AA baseball. The team had all the players fill out a questionnaire form to get to know one another. Covelli listed "Coco" as his nickname on the form. His teammates thought the name was funny, so they had it put on the scoreboard during the game. After a week and a half, he was traded to another team, but the nickname stuck, and he has been "Coco Crisp" ever since.^[2]

Baseball career and early life

Crisp was born in Los Angeles, California on November 1, 1979. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft.

Minor league career

In his minor league career, Crisp played for Cardinals affiliates in four different leagues from 1999 to 2001. He opened the 2002 season with the New Haven Ravens, then the Double-A Eastern League affiliate of the Cardinals. He was traded to the Cleveland Indians on August 7, 2002, to complete an earlier trade for pitcher Chuck Finley. In the Indians organization, he played for their Triple-A affiliate, the Buffalo Bisons. Crisp had 69 hits, one home run, and 24 RBI before being called up by the Indians.

Major league career

Cleveland Indians

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.

Boston Red Sox

After Johnny Damon signed with the New York Yankees, the Red Sox sought Crisp to fill Damon's role both in center field and as a lead-off hitter. In January 2006, the Red Sox sent prospect third baseman Andy Marté, pitcher Guillermo Mota, catcher Kelly Shoppach, a player to be named later (Minor Leaguer Randy Newsom), and cash considerations to the Indians for Crisp, catcher Josh Bard and pitcher David Riske. Already a fan favorite in Cleveland, Crisp saw his national fame jump dramatically upon entering big-market Boston.

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 28, 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 RBI. Besides his injury, Crisp's 2006 season may be best remembered for a fantastic catch against the New York Mets on June 29.

Crisp playing for the Boston Red Sox in 2007.

2007 season

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 Mariano Rivera in the bottom of the eighth. The Red Sox went on to win 7-6. During this season, he 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.^[3] Although he 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 22, he raised his average to a season high .277. On June 18, entering the game with only two home runs in the season, Crisp belted two homers in the 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 Mariner Moose. The Moose, driving a lap around Safeco Field's warning track on an ATV, nearly collided with Crisp as he was leaving the dugout for his position in the middle of the fifth inning; 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 voiced his displeasure to both the mascot and Seattle's head groundskeeper. Immediately following the incident, the Red Sox received an apology from Mariners GM Bill Bavasi.^[4]

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 hit the wall shortly after making the catch, minorly injuring himself in the process. He was well enough to play in the World Series though.

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.

2008 season

Bench-clearing brawl on June 5, 2008.

On June 4, Crisp was the center of controversy in a game against the Tampa Bay Rays. While Crisp was trying to steal second base in the bottom of the sixth inning, Rays shortstop Jason Bartlett placed his knee in front of the bag in an attempt to prevent Crisp from stealing the base.^[5] Crisp stole the base, but was not happy with this. On base again in the bottom of the eighth inning, he attempted another steal, this time taking out second baseman Akinori Iwamura on a hard slide. He slid as if trying to break up a double play. During a pitching change in that inning, Rays manager Joe Maddon and Crisp argued, with Crisp in the dugout and Maddon on the pitching mound. After the game, Crisp said that he thought it was Bartlett in the play in the eighth inning, not Iwamura. Crisp described Bartlett's knee in front of the bag as a "shady" play.^[6] The very next game, in Crisp's first at bat in the bottom of the second, leading off the inning with the Sox up 3-1, Rays starter James Shields hit him on the thigh on the second pitch. Crisp charged the mound and first dodged a punch from Shields, and then threw a punch at Shields, setting off a bench-clearing brawl. Crisp, Jonny Gomes, and Shields were ejected from the game.^[7][8] Major League Baseball suspended Crisp for seven games due to his actions in the brawl.^[9] Upon appeal, the suspension was reduced to five games, which he had served as of June 28, 2008.^[10] In Game 5 of the ALCS, Coco Crisp had a game tying hit in the bottom of the 8th inning to cap Boston's 7-run comeback. Boston would go on to win the game 8-7 with a walk off single in the ninth inning by J.D. Drew, but lose the series in 7 games.

Crisp with the Kansas City Royals in 2009 spring training.

Kansas City Royals

On November 19, 2008, Crisp was traded to the Kansas City Royals for relief pitcher Ramón Ramírez.^[11]

During his first season with the Royals, Crisp's batting average was at a career low .228. On June 23, 2009, Royals manager Trey Hillman announced that Crisp would receive season ending surgery to repair a labrum tear in his shoulder.^[12]

Oakland Athletics

On December 20, 2009, Crisp reached an agreement with the Oakland Athletics on a 1 year deal worth $5 million a year with a club option for 2011.^[13]

On December 23, 2009, Crisp officially signed his 1 year contract with the Oakland Athletics.^[14]

Crisp began the 2010 season on the 15 day-DL with a fractured left pinkie finger.^[15]

Crisp entered the current 2011 season exercising his one-year option with the Oakland Athletics. On August 24, Crisp homered from both sides of the plate against the New York Yankees. In that game, he hit a game-winning three-run home run in the top of the 10th inning on the first pitch he saw against reliever Rafael Soriano.^[16]

Playing Style

Crisp is known for having great range in center field, although not a very strong arm. He is also know to be a great base-stealer and very aggressive baserunner, he also has a .281 career postseason batting average. Although his postseason batting has been very inconsistent over his career. He is known to be a great "small-ball" type player because of his great bunting and good baserunning, Crisp has also only been hit 5 times in his 9 year career.

Player Information

Coco is of Afro-Puertorican descent. His mother is of Puerto Rican and Italian descent and his father is African American. He is married and has two children, a son (Caden) and a daughter (Amalie).

According to TMZ Coco was arrested on suspicion of DUI on March 2, 2011 in Scottsdale, Arizona^[17]

See also

• List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases

References

1. ^ Coco Crisp Baseball Stats by Baseball Almanac
2. ^ [1]
3. ^ projo.com Coco's fielding mighty Crisp, Sean McAdam, 6/27/2007
4. ^ boston.com Their only close call was a moose on the loose, Dan Shaughnessy, 8/6/2007
5. ^ Gaddis, Carter (6 June 2008). "Strikeouts Concern Maddon". The Tampa Tribune. http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/jun/06/sp-strikeouts-concern-maddon/. 
6. ^ Smith, Joe (5 June 2008). "Red Sox retake first from Rays 5-1". St. Petersburg Times. http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseball/rays/article607891.ece. 
7. ^ Ortiz, Jorge L. (6 June 2008). "Even MVPs can be benched for not hustling". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/dailypitch/2008-06-06-rollins-hustle_N.htm. 
8. ^ Amalie Benjamin (2008-06-06). "Red Sox outfight Rays: Brawl precedes Ellsbury injury". Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2008/06/06/red_sox_outfight_rays/. Retrieved 2008-06-27. 
9. ^ "National Sports Briefs". Associated Press. 7 June 2008. http://www.salisburypost.com/Sports/0607-national. 
10. ^ Gordon Edes (2008-06-27). "Crisp suspension reduced". Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2008/06/crisp_suspensio.html. Retrieved 2008-06-27. 
11. ^ Royals acquire Coco Crisp from Red Sox for Ramon Ramirez
12. ^ Crisp to miss remainder of season
13. ^ http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091220&content_id=7833744&vkey=news_oak&fext=.jsp&c_id=oak
14. ^ http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20091223&content_id=7850074&vkey=pr_oak&fext=.jsp&c_id=oak
15. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/spring2010/news/story?id=5053101&campaign=rss&source=MLBHeadlines
16. ^ http://bayarea.sbnation.com/oakland-athletics/2010/11/8/1802186/oakland-athletics-exercise-coco-crisp-mark-ellis-options-decline-eric-chavez
17. ^ http://www.tmz.com/2011/03/02/coco-crisp-major-league-baseball-oakland-athletics-dui-scottsdale-arrest-outfielder-phoenix-municipal-stadium-rolls-royce-phantom/

External links

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube
• Coco Crisp on Twitter

Persondata
Name	Crisp, Coco
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	November 1, 1979
Place of birth	Los Angeles, California
Date of death
Place of death