The Coco Crisp Era... A Look Back

Coco Crisp was sent to baseball purgatory (a.k.a. Kansas City) ending his 3 year tenure with the Red Sox.

He never became the star we had all imagined when he was picked up from Cleveland to fill in Johnny Damon's shoes...
But along the way he picked up a World Series ring and more than a few memorable moments.

Let's stroll down memory lane and remember THE COCO CRISP YEARS.


-1. Red Sox Nation was still stunned that Johnny Damon was shaving his beared and cutting his hair for Yankee dollars. We all thought “Are we ever going to have a centerfielder that makes us smile again?” Then we found out that the Sox had acquired Coco Crisp… and admit it, you smiled again.







- 2. He broke his finger and never got his bat going, but his glove didn’t seem affected. He was frequently featured on Sports Center including this gem against the Mets on June 29th.









- 3. Coco fell over the right field wall trying to catch Alex Rodriguez’s homer on April 20th, 2007. He didn’t get it, but that effort was the moment I realized there might be something special about the 2007 squad.










- 4. In that same game Coco hit a game tying triple off of Mariano Rivera in the 8th inning… all while wearing horrific green uniforms in honor of Red Auerbach.





- 5. Coco’s career was endangered in an August game in Seattle… by the Mariner Moose! The mascot nearly hit Coco while driving his ATV around the park. While in the end Coco wasn’t hurt, it brought about a healthy debate: Whose name is stupider? Mariner Moose or Coco Crisp?


- 6. Made a diving into the bullpen wall catch to clinch the 2007 pennant against the Indians. At that point the score was 11-2 and you’d think he’d not sacrifice his body as it wasn’t a game saving situation. But he did anyway… and you’ve got to love that about him.

A side note... Andy Marte, the stud prospect the Red Sox gave up for Coco Crisp, wasn't even on the Indians 25 man roster for the 2007 playoffs. Crisp might not have been a star in Boston, but at least he stayed on the big league roster!!!




- 7. In a World Series that featured only one dramatic game (game 2) the highlight could have been Coco Crisp’s conversation with Royce Clayton about Taco Bell’s Stolen Base Promotion. Granted, Coco is the straight man in the exchange, but he’s a good straight man setting up all of the information for Clayton’s bewildered response.





- 8. Coco is as responsible as anyone for making the Red Sox/Rays rivalry a heated one. On June 4, Crisp slid in hard to Akinori Iwamura. The next day James Shields plunk Crisp starting a bench clearing ball… all the while your friend Sully was live Blogging on Rays Index. You’ve got to love a guy willing to avoid a punch and then throw one in honor of the Sox.




- 9. Coco came up big in Game 5 of the 2008 ALCS after he was given the starting assignment by Francona. His 2 out single prolonged the 7th inning. At the time it seemed harmless. The Sox were down 7-0 and he was prolonging the agony. But Pedroia singled home a run the next at bat… and Big Papi homered to make it 7-4, starting the biggest come back… but it was set up by Coco’s single.






- 10. Trailing by a run with the Red Sox 4 outs from elimination and Lowrie on second, Crisp fouled off what seemed like 600 pitches before singling to right field to tie the game. He was tagged out trying to reach second, but by then the game was tied 7-7… the biggest comeback was almost complete.



Did Coco put up All Star numbers?
Nope.

But he gave us some good memories and let's hope he gets a standing ovation everytime he comes back.
Just don't make too many great catches against the Sox, Coco.
And I hope you got your Taco.

Wait... Royce Clayton got a ring?

I watched the ring ceremony on NESN's Website... and it was great seeing all the Sox getting their rings and knowing that no matter what happens in their career, they are champs.

And then there is Royce Clayton.
Seriously? Royce Clayton.

The guy played 8 games for the Sox.
He started one.
And he didn't play his first game until September 6th.

And yet he gets his ring.

His biggest claim to fame was being the guy that Jim Morris struck out in his debut game... a strike out later recreated in The Rookie

I wanted to include a picture of him in a Red Sox uniform, but I couldn't find one on the internet.

Best I can do is repost his "I didn't get my Taco!" rant.
Maybe that's worth a ring

GAME 1 THOUGHTS

- Look, I don't care if that game bored you or not. I know it wasn't exciting... but I am a selfish man. I don't care about America being entertained. I care about the Red Sox winning... so knowing the game was over 1 batter into the bottom of the first was kind of refreshing.

- I was thrilled to see Yaz throw out the first pitch. While watching the game at my friend Julius Sharpe's home, we both noticed that Yaz looks like an old man now. Then we realized he wasn't a young man when we watched him. And then with some further reflection it dawned on us that WE are no longer young men. Julius is losing his hair and I am getting gray.

And neither one of us hit the triple crown, slammed 400 homers and 3,000 hits. So maybe we should cut Yaz some slack.


- I guess all of those collumnists who wrote stories about how the Rockies will not be intimidated by the World Series are writing their retractions. Scooby and Shaggy showed a stronger resolve. When I look into a hitter's eyes, the first name I think of should NOT be Don Knotts.

- You know it is a blow out and a lousy game when McCarver and Buck start talking about how nice it is that the bench players are getting in to play.

That's something Walter Matthau should be thinking when getting Lupus into right field, not the World Series.


- How pissed off were Rockies manager Clint Hurdle and pitching coach Bob Apodaca at Franklin Morales?

They brought in Morales, who started 2 playoff games this year, to basically eat up innings in a blow out.
I'm sure they were hoping for 2 or maybe 3 innings out of him.
They got two outs... seriously. Thanks for the help.


- Morales was Bob Gibson compared to Ryan Speier.
This was his assignment:

You have 2 outs and are facing the number 8 and 9 hitters.
We're losing by 9.
Throw strikes.
And he did. He threw 4 strikes.

Unfortunately for him he also threw 12 balls and walked the 8th, 9th and leadoff man... all with the bases loaded.

That has to be the worst middle relief performance in World Series history.
I mean you are already down by 9 facing Julio Lugo.
Why not throw it down the heart of the plate?


- You know it is a bad game when the highlight was Royce Clayton and Coco Crisp discussing Tacos.
If you haven't seen it enjoy... no doubt it will be the next Dane Cook Oct-TO-ber clip