Had been in Rays organization since he was 17 ... Really wanted to stay in the AL East ... Will hit wherever Terry Francona puts him in the lineup ... Sold-out crowds was one thing that attracted him to Boston.
Has worked out with Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis in the past ... Wants to get better every year, including drawing walks! ... Re playing the outfield alongside Jacoby Ellsbury: "It's going to be wonderful. My job is to make his job easier. Balls in the left-center gap that he normally has to go get, he doesn't have to worry about that ball, because I'll catch it."
"I have a six-year-old son. I said I think he is a closet Boston fan. When I told him I was coming to Boston, he was more excited than me. And that's when I knew I had made the right decision. ... The feeling feels so good that you couldn't pass that up.".
The details of Crawford's contract:
2011 - $14.00 millionCrawford's string of 35 consecutive stolen bases against the Red Sox is now on hold. In his career, Crawford is 62-for-66 (93.9%) against Boston. He has stolen more bases against the Red Sox than any other team; he is 53-of-66 against the Blue Jays and 47-of-56 against the Yankees. The last Red Sox catcher to throw him out was Jason Varitek, on May 20, 2004. Tim Wakefield picked Crawford off first on September 21, 2005.
2012 - $19.50 million
2013 - $20.00 million
2014 - $20.25 million
2015 - $20.50 million
2016 - $20.75 million
2017 - $21.00 million
Bonuses:
Signing: $6 million
All-Star Team: $ 50,000
Gold Glove: $100,000
Silver Slugger: $100,000
World Series MVP: $100,000
ALCS MVP: $ 75,000
AL MVP: $200,000
2nd in AL MVP: $125,000
3rd in AL MVP: $100,000
4th in AL MVP: $ 75,000
5th in AL MVP: $ 50,000
Varitek says he was a person of interest this winter before re-signing with Boston. "[M]ore than any time in my career, I had probably the most interest from other teams [as a possible back-up]."
Should I be quoting John Kruk? Probably not, but he says it is "imperative" the Yankees sign Cliff Lee "if they want to compete". Kruk also thinks Adrian Gonzalez can hit 50 homers and 50 doubles playing half his games at Fenway.
Hank Steinbrenner, on Lee: "It would certainly behoove him to be a Yankee." ... New York has reportedly made a 7/160+ offer for the 32-year-old lefty with the 112 career ERA+. Texas has reportedly added a sixth guaranteed year to its offer and (according to Jon Heyman) an option that could turn the deal into a seven-year contract.
6 comments:
From the article on Varitek:
“This, more than any time in my career, I had probably the most interest from other teams and it was probably in the same regards that they have a need for the same and have a same type thing and it might not be here [in Boston],” said Varitek, who did not disclose the teams or how far along he was in the process.
Someone was willing to offer Tek more than the deal he accepted from the Sox? Not to discredit the Captain but I find that hard to believe.
I find that hard to believe
Would you believe ....
LA Times: "The Angels were apparently prepared to up their offer to Carl Crawford to the same seven-year, $142-million contract the free-agent outfielder agreed to with the Boston Red Sox late Wednesday night but were not given the chance."
Someone was willing to offer Tek more than the deal he accepted from the Sox?
Wishful thinking, perhaps.
Sold-out crowds was one thing that attracted him to Boston.
It was in his contract to say that at every possible opportunity. Company line.
Not sure what you mean. They told Crawford to say that to sell tickets? (Though if games are sold out, how does that work?) Or they want him to push the continuing illusion of the sold-out streak, which we all saw late last season was a myth -- or a cheap accounting trick? (Excess tickets were "sold" to our official scalper!)
Like someone said during the PC, there might be more people in that room than at a Tuesday night Rays game. I would imagine a loud, rocking crowd -- presumably without cowbells -- would be nice.
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