Dodgers Team News

Dodgers News: Crawford Talks About Tampa Days

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Carl Crawford has been an interesting point of contention throughout his time on the team ever since he got traded by the Boston Red Sox. His injury issues, and lack of overall production, has effectively driven people away from his corner when discussing how he might be able to help the team. But, it’s hard to blame a lot of this on him.

Crawford spent the first nine years of his career with the Tampa Bay Rays, and during those years he averaged a .781 OPS and 54 stolen bases per 162 games. Over his final eight full seasons in Tampa, he averaged 146 games played. However, since his arrival in Los Angeles, he’s only averaged 97 games played per season. There might be a reason.



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From Bill Shaikin, contact reporter for the Los Angeles Times:

“I played real aggressively on turf for nine years,” he said. “I’m lucky I’m still walking the way I’m walking now. I’m still walking, at least. I played through a lot of stuff,” he said. “You’re young. You don’t think about it. You’re 24, 25 years old. Your body can hold up a little better than at 34, 35.”

Therein lies the issue for Carl Crawford. All those years on turf have taken their toll on his body. The soon-to-be 35-year old has dealt with plenty of injuries over the course of his career, but the vast majority of them have come ever since he left Tampa Bay. It’s no secret that astroturf has a negative impact on your body, and maybe this is just all those years finally coming to a head.

It’s hard to tell what you’re going to be getting out of Carl Crawford for the foreseeable future. Crawford is only under contract for one more season, so there won’t be much time for him left in Los Angeles, but the hope is that he can at least supply some positive impact during his time here. We’ll just have to wait and see what ultimately happens.

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2 Comments

  1. If the turf has caused you these problems Mr. Crawford then do the right thing. RETIRE because you know you cannot perform at a major league level. You staying just to get that lucrative salary is grand theft. So just leave.

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