The "Mr. Ray" mystery: Has CC learned to love the BB?

by RATW on May 4, 2009 2:46 PM EDT

After a hacktastic start, Carl Crawford has gone on a refreshingly excellent walking spree, raising his BB% shockingly close to league average 26 games into the 2009 season:

via www.fangraphs.com

Has Mr. Crawford, career 5.1% BB rate and all, 951 games into his major league career figured out the walk, 26 games into the 2009 season?

We've never seen this before from Crawford, except we have seen it before, in the first 26 games of 2006 (9.6%) and 2007 (11.2%) to be exact:

via www.fangraphs.com

For his career, Crawford has generally started well enough with decent walk rates in April and May only to see those numbers decline and bottom out in July, a month in which his career BB rate is 3.4%.

March/April: 6.1%
May: 7.5%
June: 4.3%
July: 3.4%
August: 4.4%
September/October: 4.4%

When the temperature rises, will we see this pattern reemerge or has Crawford finally accepted the walk into his life (or is the pattern completely meaningless)? There is at least one example of a similar player who made mid-career strides in the patience department.

Baseball-reference.com lists Claudell Washington as the #3 most similar player by age to Crawford. Like Crawford, Washington was a speedy hacker who debuted at a very young age and played mostly corner outfield. His walk rates were pretty awful until about his age 27 season:

via www.fangraphs.com

This is my hope for Crawford, but given his now lengthy history of hackery, I'm not getting overly excited by his burst of patience. Make no mistake, I love Carl Crawford. To me, he is Mr. Ray for both his longevity and productivity with this team, but we've seen this false hope before.

What do you think: is the new, patient Crawford here for the long-term?

This post was written by a member of the DRaysBay community and does not necessarily express the views or opinions of DRaysBay staff.

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Fantastic information.

by R.J. Anderson on May 4, 2009 2:51 PM EDT reply actions

Another thing to add to the watch list

www.draysbay.com

by Tommy Rancel on May 4, 2009 2:56 PM EDT reply actions

But he's walked a lot these past few games, that means everything is good and your criticism is unwarranted.

"Where we all wait in earnest with pudding in hand for the Upton comet to sail through the roofed skies, so that we may meet Him."

by kericr on May 4, 2009 3:08 PM EDT reply actions

THE TIME TO WALK IS NOW

Do what you love to do and give it your very best. Whether it's business or baseball, or the theater, or any field. If you don't love what you're doing and you can't give it your best, get out of it. Life is too short. You'll be an old man before you know it.

-Al Lopez

by Sandy Kazmir on May 4, 2009 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm hopeful

I’m hoping the walks coinciding with a hot hitting streak will make him appreicate the process. Its also worth pointing out that 2 weeks ago he was blasted for having below career average walk and plate discipline #s. To be where he is now means he is walking at much faster clip.

His career high walks/month was 15 and hes double figures well less than a handful of times. He now has 10 in 12 games. I’m guessing thats an unparalleled streak.

Since 4/23 he has walked 10 times in 12 games and hit 18-46 with 13 steals. Thats an .OBP of .609, a steals/162 rate of 175.5, a BB% of 17.9 % and a BA of .391. How could he not be encouraged with the new approach?

by FreeZorilla on May 4, 2009 3:09 PM EDT reply actions