Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Carl Crawford likely wants to forget most of the 2012 season with the Boston Red Sox that saw him be traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Crawford never got to play for the Dodgers due to injury, but it is looking like Crawford could be ready for Opening Day. That has to be a relief to both Crawford and the ownership who traded for him.
When Crawford is at his best, he can be a 15-20 home run player who can steal 40-50 bases. Crawford isn’t a leadoff hitter by any stretch, and likely will find himself hitting down in the Los Angeles lineup, but just having him healthy and able to play left field when the Dodgers open the 2013 season will be a boost to the team. I really thought Crawford’s worst move was signing with the Red Sox after leaving the Tampa Bay Rays as the pressure was then solely on his shoulders in a big city looking for a title. Crawford then got hurt, and was useless to Boston.
While Crawford is now across the country with the Dodgers, there are enough pieces around him to support the team if Crawford were to go down again. The Dodgers are a team that has many great players, and will be a hard team to stop this coming season. If Crawford can stay healthy for the full season, it will only add to the chances that Los Angeles gets to the World Series. It is just another storyline that fans of Major League Baseball will have to watch for in the 2013 season, which is less than three months away.
Andy Schmidt is a columnist/writer for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter @ASchmidtSports or like his Facebook page.
