Remember Bobby Crosby? Guy won the Rookie of the Year in 2004. Looked like a star in the making. Frankly, it was his presence that pushed the A's toward letting Miguel Tejada go and instead signing Eric Chavez to a long-term deal.Now that Crosby is finishing out the final year of his five-year, $12.75-million deal, his father, Ed, has unloaded on the organization that employs his son and used to employ him. A former A's scout, Ed Crosby told the Long Beach Press-Telegram that the A's, specifically general manager Billy Beane, have treated his son unfairly.
"My feelings are that he has been messed around with, and that Billy Beane has done a number on him," says the 60-year-old Crosby, a retired major league scout who resides in Garden Grove. "Right now Bobby's on the disabled list, and he's not even hurt. He had a twinge in his left calf, but it wasn't serious enough to put him on the DL. But they were just looking for an excuse. Bobby's not hurt, period."And...
"I know I'm Bobby's father, and I'm biased when it comes to him," concedes Ed Crosby. "But I also know he hasn't been treated properly by Billy Beane. They're supposed to be making a movie about Billy Beane with Brad Pitt starring. What's it going to be, a comedy?"As for the A's whole philosophy of being disciplined at the plate...
"The A's take the bats out of their players' hands from the time they're in the minor leagues," he says. "Bobby was taught always to take the first pitch. They take all the aggressiveness out of their players. Look how much better guys like Eric Byrnes and Nick Swisher and Marco Scutaro have become once they got out of Oakland."Beane chose not to respond to the allegation when contacted by two Bay Area reporters. Crosby said he's planning on playing elsewhere next year, hopefully as a shortstop.
It's nice that Ed Crosby is willing to stand up for his son, but in this case it seems a bit much. To say the A's didn't give Crosby a chance to show what he can do is just false. Crosby was hurt again and again in 2005, '06 and '07 and the A's continued to count on him as their long-term answer at shortstop. Last year he stayed healthy and the A's ran him out there in 145 games, giving him 605 plate appearances.Crosby hit .237 with seven homers. Defensively, he was average, at best.
So, yes, the A's tried to upgrade the position in 2009, first with Rafael Furcal and then with Orlando Cabrera. They didn't get Furcal, but got Cabrera for a bargain-basement deal. (For less than they were paying Crosby, actually.) Cabrera was good, and he got traded to a contender. After the trade, the A's put rookie Cliff Pennington at short, to see what he could do. Crosby was miffed he didn't get his old job back, but why would the A's do that? He's not going to be their shortstop in 2010, so the A's gave the opportunity to someone who might be.
There are plenty of reasons to be critical of Beane for the A's failings. Certainly there are anti-Beane folks out there who love the fact that someone is going after him. However, this is not the right battle to pick.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-26-2009 @ 3:32PM
what it do said...
other than his rookie year , hes been a border line bum
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8-26-2009 @ 3:33PM
kaceyjoe33 said...
billy beene is dumb as hell he has a great line up and desent pitching staff why do the have one of worst recoreds i just dont get it
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8-26-2009 @ 8:39PM
Neon said...
The A's TRIED to upgrade the position with two starting shortstops everywhere else they've played and are still doing so and well--Furcal and Cabrera???? And Crosby has been injured most of three seasons??? Didn't anything sink into the head of the writer of this piece as to what Ed Crosby was saying; a piece that shows he knows nothing about how "Billy Ball" works! Crosby didn't pick the wrong battle re: Beane, but Fletcher definitely picked the wrong topic to write about.
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8-27-2009 @ 12:15AM
pinksuxorz said...
YOU KNOW WUT'S FUNNY W/ THE A's
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moneyball:_The_Art_of_Winning_an_Unfair_Game
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8-27-2009 @ 1:12AM
itsallabouthemoney said...
I'm so disgusted with the A's organization, this is only the beginning of their problems. Bobby has been hurt, but wasn't hurt this year and played in any position he was asked to play. I liked him at ss the best but I think Bobby Crosby is a great utility player and can play any position. What a loser of Beane to not taking advantage of a great guy/great player, and someone who would stay with the organization for the underpay!!! I think Wolff needs to get off his Bu** and fire both Beane and Geren. The A's haven't been the same since they denied Ron Washington his chance as manager..(and look at Ron now, he's leading a team into the playoffs). WAKE UP OAKLAND...I quit going to the games because of the management, but now, Bobby Crosby leaving...yeah, that breaks the camels back for me!!!! Has anyone noticed the seats are less filled???? wake up!! Go Crosby, I give you respect!!!
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8-27-2009 @ 9:26AM
papam11 said...
Treated his kid unfairly? Crosby's been a .230 hitter with home run totals in the single digits. WTF! This reminds me of a guy the Red Sox used to have who was nothing more than a career minor leaguer who they'd call up in a pinch. He complained that the Sox were "ruining his career"
with all the "up and down" action. You know, I often wondered why the Sox would hide great ballplayers in the minors. Shame on the Sox, huh?
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11-20-2009 @ 6:20PM
mthomp8627 said...
Bobby Crosby is very fortunate to have a career at all. He has not even come close to meeting expectations. He has had 5 years to make a case that he should be the starting shortstop. If he were in any other organization where expectations are higher, he would still be in the minors. Other teams would not accept a .230 hitter. What is totally forgotten here is that the A's tried to give him a chance to pay on another team this past winter by putting him on waivers and no one claimed him....no one. What makes him think he will be playing on another team as a starting shortstop, is puzzling. He showed his professionalism by pouting when he thought he would get his job back. Anyone who thinks Crosby is a good player is out of touch with reality. He is definitely the worse offensive starting shortstop in the league and for many years now, the worse in the A's organization. Remember Campy, Tejada, Bordick, Weiss, Griffin, Scutaro and even Rob Picciolo hit for a higher average. You guys have to wake up and come and be honest enough to know that Crosby owes the A's alot to be able to put on a uniform at all.
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