Crawford has to prove doubters wrong again
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. >> Whenever Brandon Crawford takes his final at-bat in a San Francisco Giants uniform, it will mark the end of an incredible chapter in the franchise’s history.
Entering the 2021 season, it doesn’t appear as if there are many pages in that chapter left for Crawford to author.
The longtime starting shortstop, 34, is in the final year of his contract and is well aware of the front office’s grand plans for 19-year-old phenom, Marco Luciano, one of the sport’s top prospects who projects as Crawford’s successor.
Crawford knows this spring could be his last in a Giants uniform, but before you begin to bet against him, listen to him.
“I think I’ve always kind of (tried to prove people wrong) throughout my whole career,” Crawford said Friday. “Trying to prove doubters wrong, prove people wrong. And I mean yeah, that’s definitely not going to stop this year.”
Why would it?
The Giants’ 2008 fourthround draft pick was never expected to be a good enough hitter to cut it as an everyday player. He was never fast enough to be the league’s best fielder. Nearly a decade into Crawford’s career, when manager Gabe Kapler replaced Bruce Bochy, he was told to prepare to platoon.
From the first day of his career, when he hit a grand slam to spark a comeback win over the Brewers in Milwaukee, to his 10th season in the big leagues, Crawford has always shown he’s capable of more.
He’s the only player in MLB history with a sevenhit game and an eight-RBI game, he’s won three Gold Gloves and made two AllStar appearances. And last season, when he was ticketed for a part-time role, Crawford posted the best offensive numbers of his career.
“I always prefer to be the everyday guy whether it’s a righty or lefty on the mound because I think consistent playing time will keep your swing more consistent,” Crawford said. “The more consistently I face lefties, the better I’m going to hit off of them. I think my numbers throughout my career have backed that up.”
His teammates, including one who remembers cheering for Crawford and the Giants as a high schooler at Capital Christian in Sacramento, continue to marvel at what he’s been able to accomplish.
“It’s crazy having his perspective and being so close to him,” Mauricio Dubón said. “You know he’s a Gold Glover and it’s crazy how he can help. There’s a reason why he is, I mean he puts a lot of work in his craft.”
Dubón remembers watching Crawford in the 2012 and 2014 postseasons and patterning his infield work based on what he saw from the shortstop from the seats at Oracle Park and on his television in Sacramento. This spring, the Giants have Dubón working alongside Crawford, preparing Dubón to start at the position against left-handed pitchers so the coaching staff can keep the veteran shortstop fresh.
After setting career highs with a .465 slugging percentage and a .792 OPS last year, Crawford more than earned the right to retain the title of starter. That doesn’t necessarily mean the Giants will run him out to the position 140-plus times, as they did in each of the eight seasons preceding last year’s 60-game schedule.
“Craw had an awesome season last year and just like last year, we’re going to put the best lineup we possibly can on the field every night,” Kapler said Friday. “Again, Craw is our starting shortstop and we’re just going to look at the opposing pitcher every night and decide which lineup gives us the best chance to win.”
With Dubón potentially set to cut into his playing time this year and Luciano expected to man the position down the line, Crawford knows the opportunities could be dwindling to build upon one of the greatest careers any Giants shortstop has ever had.
Not that he’s thinking about the end of the road.
“I’m trying not to think about that a whole lot and just trying to get ready for the season and try to make it the best year of my career so far,” Crawford said. “I’m not really focusing on all that stuff yet.”
Another career year? That seems unlikely. Then again, so has most of what Crawford’s accomplished in a Giants uniform.
With 53 more games at shortstop, he’ll pass Travis Jackson, a Hall of Famer whose career ended before World War II, for the most in Giants franchise history. With two and a half more months on the Giants’ roster, Crawford will hit 10 years of major league service time, a milestone only a small percentage of major leaguers ever reach.
Crawford has done it all with one team, and all at one position.
The Giants haven’t ruled out the possibility of bringing him back in 2022 and Crawford certainly won’t count out the possibility of a reunion with his hometown club when he hits free agency.
For now, there’s a lot left to prove, but with Crawford, that’s been a constant part of the journey.