How Cardinals believe Brandon Crawford, once a rival, can solve 3 concerns: Cardinals Extra

JUPITER, Fla. — Because the Cardinals reviewed just a few of the issues they prioritized this spring to assist yank them out of final 12 months’s quagmire — secure and regular protection, beginning Masyn Winn at shortstop and including successful expertise to the clubhouse — they noticed an space missing on the camp roster that affected all three.

They noticed one potential resolution.

The query was whether or not he wished to be the reply.

“I’ve at all times appreciated the Cardinals group from throughout the sphere,” All-Star shortstop Brandon Crawford stated. “They’re certainly one of a few groups I’d come to spring coaching out right here in Florida for.”

A California native who performed school ball at UCLA and performed professional ball for San Francisco, Crawford is, for the primary time in his profession, on a brand new group and in a brand new state for spring coaching. Crawford arrived in Jupiter on Tuesday and tugged on a pink Cardinals shirt and needed to look in a mirror.

His journey was telling. Crawford, 37, got here a good distance in a short while to be the Cardinals’ backup shortstop and assist them solidify a number of areas of their roster. Crawford’s addition permits Tommy Edman to concentrate on heart subject, provides the Cardinals a dependable glove to help Winn and provides one other participant to the clubhouse accustomed to October victories — although a few of his as soon as got here at their expense.

Crawford, who twice leapfrogged over the Cardinals within the Nationwide League Championship Collection to win the World Collection, handed his bodily and signed a one-year contract Tuesday. He’ll make $2 million, per sources, and notably, the deal doesn’t embrace any bonuses he can attain through enjoying time.

The Cardinals harassed how Crawford helps the roster however doesn’t change the lineup.

“So it was one thing that we had been occupied with simply to be sure that we had some depth there,” stated John Mozeliak, president of baseball operations. “But in addition bringing in somebody together with his resume and what he’s been in a position to accomplish, we predict he’ll be a terrific useful resource for Masyn as he continues to develop. Let’s be very clear, although: That is Masyn’s job.”

The Cardinals informed Winn about their intent to signal Crawford on Sunday earlier than Winn made his spring debut that afternoon. He went 3 for 3 with a stolen base and a snazzy backhand play at shortstop. The 21-year-old rookie joked that he’s aggressive and the information “undoubtedly lit a fireplace underneath my (expletive).”

He shortly began researching Crawford’s profession.

The 4 Gold Glove awards. The three All-Star appearances. The World Collection titles with the Giants in 2012 and 2014. The fourth-place end within the 2021 NL MVP vote. And, Winn conceded, Crawford’s age.

“Grew up watching the dude for a very long time,” Winn stated.

Cardinals gamers had been enthusiastic in regards to the signing, and a number of other who spoke with Winn about it had been struck by his response. He noticed the transfer as a vote of confidence in him. Throughout a chat with supervisor Oliver Marmol, Winn expressed how he welcomed competitors, “particularly on this camp,” his first when he’s anticipated to grab an on a regular basis job.

As they thought-about their roster, the Cardinals had been keen to offer Winn that title of on a regular basis participant however not truly lean on him every single day. Their solely different on the roster was Edman, final 12 months’s starter at shortstop who’s getting back from wrist surgical procedure. The Cardinals need Edman to concentrate on heart subject, and whereas they’re not but positive he’ll be recovered in time for opening day, they don’t need to additional complicate his spring by relying on him, as they’ve, to be the starter someplace new and the backup in every single place else.

“After we discuss our protection being regular, a part of it’s them enjoying in the identical spots extra typically than they’ve,” Marmol stated. “This permits us to do a few issues — not bouncing Tommy forwards and backwards. Masyn performs brief, (and) this would be the longest season he’s skilled. So protecting him recent is essential. The one manner to do this is to bounce Tommy forwards and backwards. That’s not optimum in our opinion.

“He’s the right match for what we’re in search of.”

This previous week, as exercises ended and gamers dispersed from the again fields, Mozeliak was requested by the Publish-Dispatch in regards to the depth at shortstop.

“My reply was not clear, concise or definitive,” Mozeliak acknowledged Tuesday. “Now, right here we’re, and we will be far more definitive.”

That’s as a result of Crawford stated sure.

Although the Cardinals curiosity and provide got here to him swiftly — inside the previous week — Crawford and his agent had conversations with a number of groups this winter. However as a free agent for the primary time in his profession, an important conversations had been at house. Any dialogue about presumably retiring ended there.

His youngsters wished him to maintain enjoying.

One in all his 5, 8-year-old Braxton, insisted.

“He might in all probability title off the roster, to be trustworthy. Large baseball fan,” Crawford stated. “He knew if I wasn’t enjoying any extra, he wouldn’t go to as many video games. I feel that was the primary purpose. I feel he additionally likes watching me play, however he’s going to get to go to extra video games, too.”

There was one other motivating issue for Crawford, certainly one of much less affect than his household however extra apparent on his baseball card. In 2023, two years faraway from a career-best 24 homers and MVP votes, he hit .194 and had a .314 on-base proportion. Accidents to his knee and hamstring restricted him to 93 video games. He’s been on the injured record not less than six occasions over the previous two seasons.

However Yr 13 with the Giants was the final 12 months on his contract, so he pushed via some accidents as a result of he has a status for being out there and constant. Staying a Big was additionally essential, and he shared a few of that Tuesday when he stated he obtained “the chills, butterflies in my abdomen” when he noticed the Cardinals finish this season in San Francisco.

As a participant with an expiring contract, one solution to try to proceed to play for a group is to play for a group, not end that point with a group on the IL.

“He was enjoying via fairly a bit final 12 months,” Marmol stated. “So we are able to have a look at his numbers and go, ‘Wait a second.’ The fact is it is a competitor who isn’t going to offer in, who desires to be on the market every single day, and who was enjoying via some actual ache. We’re going to get a a lot better model of him this 12 months.”

Stated Crawford: “To return again off a form of powerful 12 months injury-wise and on the field-wise, come again and hope to be as wholesome as I can and contribute any manner I can.”

The Cardinals consider much less requested of Crawford might imply extra manufacturing.

A left-handed bat, Crawford enhances Winn’s right-handed swing. The Cardinals intend for Winn to get the majority of the enjoying time however not weighed down throughout his first full season by all the enjoying time. They consider Crawford will thrive by not making an attempt to hold the workload of the on a regular basis starter, and in conversations with the Cardinals, he stated clearly he understood the position. He spoke Tuesday of being a mentor. Winn might see how they already mesh and blend. Winn famous how “that dude is unbelievable with the glove, and I feel everyone is aware of that.” He desires to select up some glovework from Crawford to go together with his arm.

The Cardinals consider it is a Winn-win.

They will let Edman concentrate on heart subject, they will keep away from burning out Winn or missing an alternate at shortstop, and so they can get Braxton Crawford to some extra video games. And the conversations with the rookie shortstop did greater than assert a confidence in Winn now.

It revealed how excessive they see his potential.

“I feel he’s an uber-talent,” Mozeliak stated. “From a defensive standpoint, we’re very assured that he can do the place. It’s like, what sort of offensive manufacturing does he have? However we don’t need to have a lot stress on him that it will get in the best way of him having success. Now he has just a little little bit of a lifeline. He has somebody who can assist him develop.”