According to Buster Olney of ESPN.com, the Athleticsare close to signing free agent outfielder Coco Crisp to a one-year contract worth between $4.5 million-5 million. The Padres also expressed interest in the 30-year-old outfielder, but Crisp elected to join Oakland’s crowded outfield, instead. I’m guessing it’s for the contract security, which also reportedly includes an option for 2011.
Crisp batted .228/.336/.378 with three home runs, 14 RBI, 14 stolen bases and 30 runs scored in 49 games for the Royals in ’09 before undergoing season-ending rotator cuff surgery on both shoulders. He is expected to be ready in time for spring training. Crisp is a .277/.331/.407 career hitter over eight major league seasons.
It’s a pretty odd move by general manager Billy Beane with Rajai Davis coming off a tremendous second half and with plenty of quality outfielders already in the organization. Crisp hasn’t played a single game outside center field since 2005, so now Davis will likely move to a corner spot, with Scott Hairston and Ryan Sweeney filling in around them.
Beanehad talked about prospect Chris Carter playing some outfield, but he may find himself back at first base after the signing of Crisp. Don’t forget that the Athletics also traded Brett Wallace to the Blue Jays in exchange for prospect outfielder Michael Taylor last week. Taylor, 24, batted .282/.359/.491 with five home runs and 19 RBI in 128 at-bats at the Triple-A level last season and isn’t that far from making a splash on the major league level. He’s almost surely destined to be a corner outfielder, but hopefully Beane won’t block his progress.