Carl Crawford is reportedly "livid" the Rays picked up his $10 million option on his original four-year deal signed in 2005 and wants out of Tampa Bay.

The report is from Mike Silva's NY Baseball Digest, which is a fine New York baseball blog, but take it with a grain of salt. Says Silva's source: "He had a handshake agreement with management that they would renegotiate the contract instead of picking up the option and they went ahead and did it anyway. He’s pissed beyond belief." It's highly unlikely Crawford is moved during the offseason, but he'd be prime trade bait if the Rays fall out of the race early. We have trouble believing this report, because Crawford agreed to the option. Why include the option if there was an agreement to rip it up? Additionally, he didn't seem to have a problem with the 2009 option being picked up. Crawford is widely expected to command at last $15 million annually once he hits the open market. Nov. 14 - 12:10 pm et-per rotoworld

Drools.

LOL... 15 million ain't gonna happen. Would take him over Rio's though.

Edited November 14, 200916 yr by b-Rye

No thank you on Crawford. He'll cost a bunch in talent, he makes $10M, he's a FA after 2010, and our biggest offensive need is *not* a lead-off hitter.

LOL... 15 million ain't gonna happen. Would take him over Rio's though.

Who's that?

No thank you on Crawford. He'll cost a bunch in talent, he makes $10M, he's a FA after 2010, and our biggest offensive need is *not* a lead-off hitter.

Ill trade them anyone in our minor league system. Danks etc can go for Crawford.

If Tampa Bay picked him up they ain't going to let him go just yet and all this is probbaly idle speculation on the part of some beat writer in TB.

Ill trade them anyone in our minor league system. Danks etc can go for Crawford.

oh yeah

While he is only .335 lifetime OBP guy I think he can solve the leadoff problem while being a huge upgrade at RF, I would look into this for sure if I'm KW.

My fav player in MLB, would be dreamy having him lead off.

While he is only .335 lifetime OBP guy I think he can solve the leadoff problem while being a huge upgrade at RF, I would look into this for sure if I'm KW.

No thanks, that's awful. Pass.

No thanks, that's awful. Pass.

 

OBPs by season starting in 2006 at age 24

 

2006 = .348

2007 = .355

2008 = .319 (109 games due to injury)

2009 = .364

Crawford would be nice, but if your going to give up a lot of prospects to get him, I think we'd be better off going for Gonzalez.

Not gonna happen. The Sox have other pressing needs and need to move money around. I'm sure KW would love to add him, but the reality is that it will be impossible.

Is Crawford going to be worth the 5/$75 or more he gets as an extension?

Some in the Tampa media are saying that this story maybe false.

Is Crawford going to be worth the 5/$75 or more he gets as an extension?

Yes.

Yes.

So you can guarantee me that a speed guy isn't going to lose his speed or that a guy who missed a good chunk of last year won't start getting hurt?

So you can guarantee me that a speed guy isn't going to lose his speed or that a guy who missed a good chunk of last year won't start getting hurt?

He is 28. So by the time his next contract ends he will be 33. He will slow down with age- but not that much. Look at Chone Figgins- he was faster when he was younger, but the dude can still steal bases and is a great contact hitter. IMO $75 million for Crawford would be a huge bargain.

He is 28. So by the time his next contract ends he will be 33. He will slow down with age- but not that much. Look at Chone Figgins- he was faster when he was younger, but the dude can still steal bases and is a great contact hitter. IMO $75 million for Crawford would be a huge bargain.

Here's a shocker as a comeback...which guy do you think has played more MLB games? Crawford or Figgins?

Here's a shocker as a comeback...which guy do you think has played more MLB games? Crawford or Figgins?

Hmm seems like a trick question. I'm going to go with Crawford. He came up at a very young age.

Hmm seems like a trick question. I'm going to go with Crawford. He came up at a very young age.

Yup. Crawford at age 28 has played more MLB Ball than Figgins by age 32. Stolen more bases too.

 

I only bring this up because with these speedy guys...the punishment of playing the game that way sometimes seems to be cumulative.

Joe Smith of the St. Petersburg Times doesn't think a report from Mike Silva's New York Baseball Digest that suggests Carl Crawford wants out of Tampa Bay has any merit.

While Smith didn't get an official word from the team, he writes that the unattributed report doesn't match up with what both sides have been saying all along. "I hope we can get something done, but if not I'll just go into next season, do what I have to do and try to help the team win and go from there," Crawford said in September. As recently as this week, Crawford's agent Brian Peters said that they were still looking forward to a potential long-term deal, while Rays executive VP Andrew Friedman said both sides were "very interested" in an extension when they picked up Crawford's $10 million option on Monday. It won't take long for this rumor to get thoroughly and thankfully debunked. Nov. 14 - 3:30 pm et

Yup. Crawford at age 28 has played more MLB Ball than Figgins by age 32. Stolen more bases too.

 

I only bring this up because with these speedy guys...the punishment of playing the game that way sometimes seems to be cumulative.

its a point worth taken. however, with the white sox rotation, there is a good 2-3 year window to compete for a WS title. Now is the time to aqcuire a guy of Crawfords caliber. Crawford is a stud and i dont see him slowing down anytime soon. Well at least over the next 2-3 years.

Joe Smith of the St. Petersburg Times doesn't think a report from Mike Silva's New York Baseball Digest that suggests Carl Crawford wants out of Tampa Bay has any merit.

While Smith didn't get an official word from the team, he writes that the unattributed report doesn't match up with what both sides have been saying all along. "I hope we can get something done, but if not I'll just go into next season, do what I have to do and try to help the team win and go from there," Crawford said in September. As recently as this week, Crawford's agent Brian Peters said that they were still looking forward to a potential long-term deal, while Rays executive VP Andrew Friedman said both sides were "very interested" in an extension when they picked up Crawford's $10 million option on Monday. It won't take long for this rumor to get thoroughly and thankfully debunked. Nov. 14 - 3:30 pm et

I seriously can't believe the Rays have the resources to commit to Crawford for a multi-year extension, esp. if they're still holding Burrell's contract the next couple years. They sold Kazmir this season already, for example.