Carl Crawford
Carl Crawford with the Red Sox
Boston Red Sox – No. 13
Outfielder
Born: (1981-08-05) August 5, 1981 (age 30) Houston, Texas
Bats: Left	Throws: Left
MLB debut
July 20, 2002 for the Tampa Bay Rays
Career statistics (through 2011 season)
Batting average	.293
Stolen bases	427
Runs	830
Hits	1,609
Home runs	115
Teams
Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays (2002–2010) Boston Red Sox (2011–present)
Career highlights and awards
4× All-Star selection (2004, 2007, 2009, 2010) Gold Glove Award (2010) Silver Slugger Award (2010) 2009 MLB All-Star Game MVP 4× AL Stolen Base Champion (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007) Tied an MLB record with 6 stolen bases in a game (May 3, 2009 vs. Boston Red Sox)

Medal record
Men’s baseball
Competitor for  United States
Baseball World Cup
Silver	2001 Taipei	National team

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Carl Demonte "The Perfect Storm"^[1][2] Crawford (born August 5, 1981, in Houston, Texas) is an American professional baseball outfielder who plays for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws left-handed. Crawford has more triples (110) than any other active baseball player.

Early life[link]

Crawford, a native of the Fifth Ward area of Houston, attended Jefferson Davis High School in Houston, Texas,^[3] and was a letterman in football, basketball, and baseball. In baseball, he batted .638 as a senior. Crawford was offered scholarships to play basketball as a point guard at UCLA.^[4] He also had an option to play college football as an option quarterback at Nebraska,^[4] USC, Oklahoma, Florida, and Tulsa. He had originally signed a letter of intent to play football for Nebraska but he turned down both offers in favor of a baseball career.^[4]

Professional career[link]

Crawford was drafted by the Devil Rays in the second round (52nd overall) of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft.

Minor leagues[link]

In 2002, the Tampa Bay chapter of the BBWAA named Crawford the Devil Rays' Most Outstanding Rookie and he earned International League Rookie of the Year playing for the AAA Durham Bulls.^{[citation needed]}

Major leagues[link]

Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays (2002–2010)[link]

2002–06[link]

Crawford entered the major leagues at the young age of 20 and played in 63 games for the Devil Rays in 2002, batting .259 with 9 stolen bases. As of the 2009 season, he was the longest tenured member of the team.

In 2003, he played nearly every day, batting .281 with 54 RBI and led the league with 55 steals. Along with Juan Pierre, Crawford was co-winner of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum James "Cool Papa" Bell Legacy Award for 2003.^{[citation needed]}

In 2004, Crawford stole 59 bases, again leading the league and posting the second-highest total in the majors that season. He batted .296 with 11 home runs and 55 RBIs. Crawford also hit a league-leading 19 triples. He was selected for the All Star Game, played in his hometown of Houston, and was named Devil Rays team MVP in 2004 by the BBWAA.

Crawford batted .301 in 2005, becoming just the third .300 hitter in Devil Rays history, joining Aubrey Huff (.311 in 2003) and Fred McGriff (.310 in 1999). Crawford also posted career highs in hits (194), home runs (15), and RBI (81). He again led the league with 15 triples and placed third in steals (46).

Crawford going back to the dugout in 2006

On July 5, 2006 against the Boston Red Sox, Crawford became only the eighth player in history to get 200 stolen bases before his 25th birthday.^{[citation needed]} Crawford finished the season with career highs in batting average (.305) and home runs (18), joining Hall-of-Famer Rogers Hornsby as the only players in Major League history to increase their batting average and home run totals every year for five straight years.^[5] He won a Fielding Bible Award for his defensive excellence in left field during the season.^[6]

2007–10[link]

Crawford was named an All-Star for the second time in 2007, becoming the first Devil Ray to receive the honor more than once. He homered in the 6th inning of the All-Star Game, on a 3–2 pitch from Francisco Cordero of the Milwaukee Brewers.

In the second half of the season, Crawford had a sore right wrist which had been bothering him for some time, and he did not hit a home run for a period of 42 days. Prior to a game against the Toronto Blue Jays, he had an MRI and was listed as doubtful to play because of the wrist. However, he pinch hit as the game went into extra innings and promptly hit a walk-off home run, ending his drought. This kicked off a run of four homers in ten games.^[7]

In August, ESPN.com named Crawford the Devil Rays' "Face of the Franchise".^[8]

On April 11, 2008, Crawford accumulated his 1000th hit, making him only the eighth player to hit 1000 and steal 250 bases before turning 27.^{[citation needed]} In game four of the American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox, Crawford tied an ALCS record with five hits in one game, going 5–5 and stealing two bases. After the season, he won his second Fielding Bible Award.^[9]

On May 3, 2009, Carl Crawford tied a modern era record by stealing six bases in a game against the Boston Red Sox, part of a team-record eight total stolen bases.^[10][11][12] On July 14, 2009, Crawford represented Tampa Bay in the 2009 All Star Game, where he was named MVP for a leaping catch at the top of the 8-foot outfield wall to prevent a possible go-ahead home run from Rockies outfielder Brad Hawpe.^[13]

In 2009 he had the best range factor of all starting major league left fielders (2.34).^[14] He won his second consecutive Fielding Bible Award and third overall at left field.^[15]

On July 31, 2010, Crawford reached 400 stolen bases. He is only the 7th player in history to reach that mark before his 29th birthday.^[16]

On August 17, 2010, Crawford hit the 100th triple of his career, joining Ty Cobb as the only major league players to hit 100 triples and steal 400 bases before the age of 30.^{[citation needed]}

The Tampa Bay chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America voted Crawford the Most Valuable Player for the Rays in 2010.^[17] Following the conclusion of the season, Crawford was given the Gold Glove Award, as well as the Silver Slugger Award.^[18][19]

Boston Red Sox[link]

On December 8, 2010, Crawford signed a 7-year, $142-million contract with the Boston Red Sox. His signing came two days after Adrian Gonzalez was traded to Boston.^[4][20] Crawford struggled to begin the 2011 season, batting .137 and stealing only 2 bases in his first 12 games.^[21] On May 3, he hit his 1,500th career hit, a single against Dan Haren of the Los Angeles Angels in the 3rd inning, becoming the 588th player with 1,500 or more career hits. For the season, he batted .255 with an on base percentage of .289.^[22]

Through 2011, he had the third-best career fielding percentage (.990) among all active major league left fielders, behind Ryan Braun and Reed Johnson.^[23]

Awards and accomplishments[link]

Crawford with the Rays

• American League All-Star (2004, 2006, 2009, 2010)
• Gold Glove Award (2010)
• Silver Slugger Award (2010)
• Fielding Bible Award (2006, 2008, 2009)
• American League Stolen Base Champion (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007)
• All-Star Game MVP (2009)
• MLB modern-era, single-game, stolen-base record: 6 (May 3, 2009)^[24]
• International League Rookie of the Year (2002)
• Negro Leagues Baseball Museum "Cool Papa Bell Legacy Award" (2003)
• Tampa Bay Chapter/BBWAA Devil Rays Most Valuable Player (2004, 2010)
• Tampa Bay Chapter/BBWAA Devil Rays Most Outstanding Rookie (2002)
• Rays single-season runs record: 110 (2010)
• Rays single-season triples record: 19 (2004)
• Rays single-season stolen base record: 60 (2009)
• Rays' all-time leader in at bats, plate appearances, RBIs, runs scored, hits, doubles, triples, strikeouts, stolen bases, and singles.
• Named the Rays' "Face of the Franchise" by ESPN^[25]

See also[link]

Baseball portal

• List of Major League Baseball stolen base records
• List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions
• List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
• List of Major League Baseball triples champions
• List of Major League Baseball players with 100 triples

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Carl Crawford

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• CarlCrawford on Twitter

Alberto Callaspo
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – No. 6
Second baseman / Third baseman
Born: (1983-04-19) April 19, 1983 (age 29) Maracay, Venezuela
Bats: Switch	Throws: Right
MLB debut
August 6, 2006 for the Arizona Diamondbacks
Career statistics (through 2011 Season)
Batting average	.281
Home runs	27
Runs batted in	204
Teams
Arizona Diamondbacks (2006–2007) Kansas City Royals (2008–2010) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2010–present)

Callaspo batting for the Kansas City Royals in 2009.

Alberto José Callaspo ( /kaɪˈæspoʊ/, Spanish: [alˈβerto xoˈse kaˈʎaspo]; born April 19, 1983 in Maracay, Venezuela) is a baseball second baseman and third baseman for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Career[link]

Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels[link]

Callaspo was originally signed by the then-Anaheim Angels in 2001, playing for the Aguilas Cibaeñas of Dominican Summer League. In 2002, Callaspo batted .338 with 16 doubles, 10 triples, three home runs and 60 RBI in 70 games with the rookie-level Provo Angels, where he was voted by Baseball America as a Pioneer League All-Star and was named to Pioneer League All-Star team.

In 2003, Callaspo led the Midwest League with a .327 average and 38 doubles with the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Callaspo spent 2004 with the Double-A Arkansas Travelers, where he was selected for the Texas League All-Star game. Callaspo split 2005 with the Travelers and Triple-A Salt Lake Stingers. He again made the Texas League All-Star Game and was named to the Texas League Post-Season All-Star Team.

Arizona Diamondbacks[link]

On February 28, 2006, the Angels traded Callaspo to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for pitcher Jason Bulger. He began 2006 with the Triple-A Tucson Sidewinders. He was named the Diamondbacks' Minor League Player of the Year. Callaspo was called up to the Diamondbacks. He also split the 2007 season between Arizona and Tucson.

Kansas City Royals[link]

On December 14, 2007, the Diamondbacks traded Callaspo to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for pitcher Billy Buckner. He split the 2008 season between the big-league club and Triple-A Omaha Royals.

In 2009 Callaspo tied for the major league lead in errors by a second baseman, with 17, and had the lowest fielding percentage of any starting second baseman (.973).^[1]

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim[link]

On July 22, 2010, Callaspo was traded to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in exchange for pitchers Sean O'Sullivan and Will Smith.

On January 16, 2012, Callaspo signed a one-year deal with the Angels worth $3.15 million, thus avoiding arbitration.^[2]

Personal life[link]

Callaspo was arrested on Thursday, May 10, 2007 by Phoenix police for domestic violence at his home; the charges for Callaspo were later dropped. He was placed on the restricted list without pay the day after the arrest.^[3] The MLBPA filed a grievance on his behalf^[4] and he was reinstated within a week. Callaspo and his wife, Marianny Paola, remain together, and they have one child.

References[link]

External links[link]

	Biography portal
	Baseball portal
	Venezuela portal

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
• 2006 minor league news
• The Book on Alberto Callaspo from "ScoutingBook.com"
• Baseball America

Clayton Kershaw
Los Angeles Dodgers – No. 22
Starting pitcher
Born: (1988-03-19) March 19, 1988 (age 24) Dallas, Texas
Bats: Left	Throws: Left
MLB debut
May 25, 2008 for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Career statistics (through May 16, 2012)
Win-Loss	51–29
Earned run average	2.80
Strikeouts	796
Teams
Los Angeles Dodgers (2008–present)
Career highlights and awards
All-Star (2011) NL Cy Young Award (2011) Gold Glove Award (2011) NL TSN Pitcher of the Year (2011) National League Triple Crown (2011) National League Strikeout Champion (2011) MLB ERA Champion (2011)

Clayton Edward Kershaw (born March 19, 1988) is a left-handed pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball.

Kershaw was drafted 7th overall in the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft. He worked his way through the Dodgers' farm system in just one full season and reached the majors at the age of 20 years old. When he debuted in 2008, Kershaw was the youngest player in Major League Baseball, a title he held for one full year. In 2011, he won the Pitching Triple Crown and the National League Cy Young Award, becoming the youngest pitcher to accomplish either of these feats since Dwight Gooden in 1985.

Being a left-handed strikeout pitcher and playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Kershaw has often been compared to Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax.^[1][2][3]

Early life[link]

Kershaw attended Highland Park High School, where he established himself as an elite high school prospect in 2006 when he posted a 13–0 record with an ERA of 0.77, and recorded 139 strikeouts in 64 innings. In a playoff game against Justin Northwest High School, Kershaw pitched an all-strikeout perfect game. He was selected by USA Today as "High School Baseball Player of the Year", and was also the Gatorade National Player of the Year for baseball.

Entering the 2006 MLB Draft, Kershaw was considered the top high-schooler available. The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Kershaw with the 7th overall pick in the draft. He turned down a scholarship at Texas A&M to sign with the Dodgers, with a bonus estimated at $2.3 million. The $2.3 million bonus was the largest to any Dodgers amateur at the time, which was eventually topped by Zach Lee in the 2010 MLB Draft.

Minor league career[link]

Kershaw continued to show dominance with the Gulf Coast League Dodgers. He pitched in 37 innings in which he struck out 54 batters (walking only 5), while compiling a record of 2–0 with a 1.95 ERA. He featured a 93–94 mph fastball (topping out at 96 mph). He was rated as the No.1 prospect in the GCL, and the Dodgers' No. 2 prospect by Baseball America behind third basemen Andy LaRoche.

In two starts in 2006, he fanned 21 batters in 11 innings from July 29-August 3.

Kershaw entered the 2007 season as the top prospect in the Dodgers' system, according to Baseball America. That year, for the Great Lakes Loons, Kershaw recorded a record of 7–5 with a 2.77 earned run average and was selected to play on the East Team in the Midwest League All Star Game. He also was selected to appear in the All-Star Futures Game for the USA Team. On August 6, he was promoted to the Double-A Jacksonville Suns in the Southern League,^[4] where he produced a 1–2 record and 3.65 ERA in 5 starts.

During spring training in a game against the Boston Red Sox, Kershaw gained much attention for throwing a remarkable 1:7 curveball to Sean Casey that started behind Casey but at the end looped into the strike zone and struck him out looking, which announcer Vin Scully dubbed "Public Enemy No. 1."^[5] Kershaw was 0–3 and had a 2.28 ERA with 47 strikeouts through 43.1 innings pitched in his first stint of the year with the Jacksonville Suns. He was then called up to the majors, but optioned back to Jacksonville on July 2, 2008.

Kershaw pitched 18 innings during his second trip to Jacksonville (two starts and one 7-inning relief appearance), winning two games. During this stretch, he allowed only 2 runs earned runs, lowering his ERA to 1.91. He was recalled on July 22.

Major league career[link]

Los Angeles Dodgers[link]

Kershaw at spring training in Florida in 2008.

2008 season[link]

On May 24, 2008, Kershaw's minor league contract was purchased by the Dodgers, and he was added to the active roster. Tony Jackson, a well-respected beat writer for the Dodgers, called Kershaw's debut the most anticipated start by a Dodgers pitcher since Hideo Nomo debut in 1995.^[6] He made his debut on May 25, starting against the St. Louis Cardinals. He pitched six innings, allowed two runs and recorded seven strikeouts. When he debuted, Kershaw was the youngest player in Major League Baseball, a title he held for one full year. The following week, during an interview with Eric Karros, St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols said Kershaw had "unhittable stuff".^[7]

Kershaw won his first major league game against the Washington Nationals on July 27, 2008. He pitched six-plus shutout innings, allowing four hits, a walk, and struck out five. Kershaw finished his rookie season 5-5, with a 4.26 ERA in 22 games (21 starts).

2009 season[link]

On April 15, 2009, Kershaw pitched 7 innings, striking out 13 batters while allowing only one hit (solo HR) against the rival San Francisco Giants. On May 17, 2009, Kershaw had a no-hitter against the Florida Marlins through 7 innings, then gave up a lead-off double to Florida's Cody Ross. Due to second half struggles from Chad Billingsley and injuries to Hiroki Kuroda, Kershaw became the de facto ace for the Dodgers at the age of 21. He responded by posting a 2.27 ERA in the second half of the season.

In 2009, despite an 8–8 record, he led the major leagues in opposing batting average (.200), opposing slugging percentage (.282), and hits per nine innings (6.26). He also posted an ERA of 2.79 and 185 strikeouts. Kershaw also walked 91 batters, which was second most in the National League.

He made his playoff starting debut against the St. Louis Cardinals and Adam Wainwright in the 2009 National League Division Series. He went 6.2 IP, striking out 4, walking 1, and ended up getting a no-decision (Dodgers went on to win the game in the 9th inning). At 21 years old, he was the youngest pitcher to start a playoff game since Rick Ankiel did so in 2000 at the age of 20.

2010 season[link]

Coming off of back-to-back National League Championship Series, the Dodgers and Kershaw had hefty expectations coming into 2010. Kershaw started the season to mixed reviews. In April, he posted a 3.07 ERA, but did so by walking 22 batters in 29 innings. On May 4, Kershaw had his worst start of his career against the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium. Kershaw threw 57 pitches in just 1 1/3 innings and retired only four of the 13 batters he faced—including the pitcher and was booed loudly upon being pulled from the game. Kershaw said after the game, "I didn't give our team any kind of chance. It's just not a good feeling to let your teammates down, let everybody down. It stings, it hurts. I've got to figure things out." ^[8]

Kershaw rebounded his next start by pitching an 8 inning two-hitter and out-dueling the then undefeated Ubaldo Jiménez. He went on to go 11-7 with a 2.68 ERA for the remainder of the season. Kershaw credited his control of the slider being the major turning point for him.^[9] Later in the season, he was suspended for five games after hitting Aaron Rowand of the rival San Francisco Giants with a pitch in a game on July 20. The incident occurred after both teams were given a warning following Giants ace Tim Lincecum hitting Matt Kemp earlier in the game. He threw his first career complete game shutout on September 14, also against San Francisco. He finished the season with a record of 13–10 and a 2.91 ERA in 32 starts, pitching a career best 204.1 innings and recording 212 strikeouts.

2011 season[link]

On February 16, 2011 the Dodgers named Kershaw as the Opening Day Starter for the 2011 season. On May 29, he pitched the second complete-game shutout of his career, striking out 10 while winning a two-hitter against the Florida Marlins, 8–0; he also had two singles and an RBI, scoring twice, in the game. Kershaw produced his third career shutout on June 20, a two-hit, 11 strikeout effort against the Detroit Tigers. This game was of significance because Kershaw became the first Dodgers starter to strike out the side in the 9th inning since Sandy Koufax's perfect game.^[10] In his next start, on June 26, Kershaw pitched another complete game (against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He became the first Dodger starter to have back-to-back complete game victories since Jeff Weaver in 2005 and the first Dodger to have double digit strikeouts in consecutive starts since Chan-Ho Park in 2000. He was awarded the National League Player of the Week award for the week of June 20–26 as a result of those two starts.^[11]

Kershaw pitching to Chipper Jones in the 8th inning on Brooklyn Dodgers throwback day in 2011

He was selected to the National League squad for the 2011 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, his first all-star selection. In the month of July, Kershaw was 4–1 with a 2.02 ERA and NL leading 45 strikeouts, earning him the National League Pitcher of the Month Award. On August 19, Kershaw recorded his 15th win of a season, taking him above his previous high of 14 wins, in a 5–1 victory over the Brewers. On August 23, he stuck out Matt Holliday of the St. Louis Cardinals for his 200th strikeout of the season. He became the 10th Dodger pitcher to record back-to-back 200 strikeout seasons and the first since Chan-Ho Park in 2001.^[12] He also picked up his 16th win in that game, the most wins by a Dodger left-handed pitcher since Fernando Valenzuela won 21 in 1986.^[13] On September 20, 2011, Kershaw won his 20th game by defeating the San Francisco Giants 2–1. He became the first Dodgers pitcher to go 5–0 against the Giants in a season since Vic Lombardi in 1946, beating two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum four times. The scores to those games were 2-1, 1-0, 2-1, 2-1, with Kershaw allowing 1 earned run and Lincecum allowing three in those four starts. Kershaw and Lincecum matching up four times, evoked fans of both teams memories of the days Sandy Koufax and Juan Marichal traded zeroes in the 1960s.^[14] The two appeared together on the Sports Illustrated 2012 baseball preview magazine.

Kershaw finished the 2011 season with 21 wins, 248 strikeouts, and a 2.28 ERA, winning the NL pitching Triple Crown, the first Triple Crown winner since Jake Peavy in 2007 and the first Dodger since Sandy Koufax won it in 1966.^[15] The Detroit Tigers' Justin Verlander won the AL Triple Crown the same season, marking the first major-league season since 1924 to feature Triple Crown-winning pitchers in both leagues. Kershaw's 21 wins were the most by a Dodger pitcher since Orel Hershiser won 23 in 1988. His ERA was the lowest by a Dodger since Hershiser's 2.03 in 1985, his strikeouts were the most by a Dodger since Sandy Koufax's 317 in 1966 and his 233 1/3 innings pitched were the most since Chan Ho Park pitched 234 in 2001.^[16] Since 1965 when Sandy Koufax did it, Jake Peavy in 2007 and Kershaw in 2011 are only two pitchers in the National League have led the league in wins, strikeouts, ERA, and WHIP.^[15] Additionally, since 1969, only three pitchers had a second-half ERA as good as Kershaw’s 1.31, according to the Elias Sports Bureau: Roger Clemens (0.97 in 1990), Tom Seaver (1.10 in 1971) and Johan Santana (1.21 in 2004). Kershaw also became just the second lefthander to get 240-plus strikeouts in a season before the age of 24 joining Vida Blue.^[15]

After the season, Kershaw was awarded the Warren Spahn Award as the best left-handed pitcher in 2011, the USA Today National League Cy Young, the Players Choice Award for Most Outstanding National League pitcher, the Gold Glove Award as the top fielding pitcher in the NL and the NL TSN Pitcher of the Year. He was additionally selected as the starting pitcher for the Sporting News NL All-Star Team.^[17] On November 17, he was honored with the National League Cy Young Award, making him the youngest Cy Young winner since Dwight Gooden in 1985. He was the 8th Dodger pitcher to the win the award, the first since Eric Gagné in 2003.^[18]