Kingdom

I posted earlier asking who everyone thought was their early AL MVP favorite on Facebook, mentioning Miguel Cabrera, Kevin Youkilis, Josh Hamilton, Justin Morneau.... and Carl Crawford. Now I know it's debatable that there's other candidates worth more mention, and maybe one of them is even a teammate in Evan Longoria. And it's no slight to Longoria, or certainly to someone like Robinson Cano. I think we write off Crawford as just another top of the order guy, someone that will ultimately be playing elsewhere next season for a hefty contract. Before Longoria, David Price, BJ Upton, and after the Vinny Castilla, Greg Vaughn, Jose Canseco and Fred McGriff.. there was a bright, young super athlete that hit the scene in 2002. He hasn't looked back.

The spectable is that, Crawford was tapped along with Rocco Baldelli and Scott Kazmir to lead a resurgence, or basically make Tampa matter in baseball. As we all know, this didn't pan out, Baldelli became one of the most injury prone players in baseball and Kazmir's arm has fallen off three times. But 8 years later, still stands Carl Crawford, all-star. He has remained a consistent face of a small market franchise, and in a contract year, has shown the best discipline of his career as well as sporting a slugging over .500. Therefore he's just not a typical top of the order hitter, not when he could wind up hitting over 20 homeruns and stealing 50 or 60 bases. While it makes perfect sense to have a career year when your contract is expiring, it also should come as no surprise given Crawford might be one of the best pure athletes in all of professional sports. Let's face it, the man was offered a scholarship to play basketball for UCLA and football for Nebraska. Now that was a man with a lot of options.

The swan song for Crawford in Tampa might be leading them to the post-season again. That's if the rest of his comrades can pick things up offensively. And then it's a off-season where the soon to be 29 year old should draw many a suitors. Why wouldn't a man who is showing he has power, to go a long with his speed, contact, and defensively abilities draw a lot of attention? He offers versatility, sure lead him off. Or bat him second. Maybe even third. No reason to think he can't play center. Or right. If necessary. What you'll get is a player that is not a deficit to the team in any one area, except your wallet. Crawford has been in the big league since 2002. That's a long time on a small market team. Does it have to end?

The odds are not even slim, they probably don't even exist. But why not? Tampa has been shrewdly, and intelligently ran for the last several years. It's at the point where you cannot count on BJ Upton to perform consistently and the talk is Desmond Jennings replacing Crawford's void once he leaves. Ever since the 2008 playoffs, there has been a VOID in center-field. I like Upton, the potential is there, but he may never realize it, at least in Tampa. There should be a push to keep Crawford around, and consider going elsewhere with Upton. There's two leaders on this constantly youthful team, Longoria.. and Crawford. It makes all the sense in the world to pay up. Surprise the entire league. Cash in. Go big.

But we know this rarely ends up the case. The Evil Empire's evil fans have already began saying they'll have Crawford and Cliff Lee for 2011. Not much these days stop them, except for the fact that a team that no one expected to buy anything due to their ownership limbo came around and pounced their offer for Lee to steal him away for at least the remainder of 2010. So it's not impossible to trump the Empire. The Evil Nation has had enough injuries and gaffs in their outfield, that one has to think they'll be in play. The Angels have been asleep for a couple of off-seasons, and you can never count out Kenny Williams in Chicago. Someone is going to dole out a ridiculous contract, but they'll wind up with a difference maker on all ends. Hopefully it ends up being Tampa. (anyone willing to donate them some cash?)