Rays 2009 player preview: Carl Crawford

January 4, 12:44 PMTampa Bay Rays ExaminerRob Quinn

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CC should have a big 2009

Next up in the 2009 preview series: Carl Crawford, dean of the Rays. Heading into his eighth season with the Rays, Old Man Crawford is coming off of the worst season of his career, but there is definitely reason to believe that Carl will bounce back and have a tremendous year in 2009.

Carl is the franchise’s all-time leader in games, at bats, batting average, runs, hits, total bases, triples, steals, and extra base hits. He needs 15 doubles and 15 RBI to pass Aubrey Huff to take the lead in both of those categories as well.

If you don’t count Carl’s rookie 2002 season in which he played only 63 games, Crawford finished 2008 with career lows in every category due to missing around 50 games in August and September with a finger injury. Carl returned for the playoffs though and proved to be fully healthy again, batting .290 and going a perfect seven out of seven in stolen base attempts.

As if Carl’s sub-par 2008 won’t be motivation enough for him to give his best in 2009, Carl has even more motive when you take into account his contract situation. The Rays have a $10 million club option on Carl for 2010 and it will probably take a good start to the 2009 season for Carl to prove to the Rays that he will be worth the money. For the Rays, $10 million is a ton of money and they are not going to give it to Carl out of mere loyalty.

Fortunately for Crawford, he is still one of the best leftfielders in the game and should bounce back. He’s still the same guy who’s led the American League in stolen bases four out of the last six seasons. He is a great defensive outfielder and can still hit. The big question for Carl going into the 2009 season is this: Where in the lineup will he hit? He alternated between second and third in the lineup during the 2008 regular season, but then in the playoffs Maddon moved him to the number five hole.

If the Rays go out and acquire an impact bat, it will likely mean Crawford will move up in the lineup into the number two spot. Maddon really likes Iwamura leading off, and I think he will remain in that spot in the lineup. B.J. Upton, who hit second during the playoffs and tore it up in that spot in the lineup, could move into the fifth spot. We’ll see how it all plays out, but there are some decisions Maddon must make regarding the batting order and those decisions will definitely affect Crawford.

Crawford’s natural position in the lineup should be near the top of the lineup, even though he was relatively successful from 2005-2007 as a run producer out of necessity for the Rays. Now that the Rays have Carlos Pena, Evan Longoria and B.J. Upton, the pressure will be totally off Crawford to drive in runs.

My 2009 prediction: 152 games, .299 BA, 14 HR, 72 RBI, 63 SB, 107 R, 18 3B.

Crawford’s hand injury is a thing of the past and 2009 is essentially a contract year. I expect big-time results.

Carl Crawford on baseball reference

Carl Crawford on retrosheet

Carl Crawford on fangraphs

As always, feel free to comment or contact me at raysexaminer@live.com