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Rays' Crawford Is New Leader In Clubhouse

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By JOE HENDERSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 23, 2008

Updated: 02/22/2008 11:11 pm

ST. PETERSBURG - There's nothing like a good blood feud to tell you spring training has officially arrived. We probably should give Carl Crawford and Delmon Young pistols at 10 paces and let them settle this thing for good - although Delmon might prefer bats. He has a pretty good aim with those.

In case you missed it, Crawford and Delmon have been going at it all week. Crawford's opening volley: It was nice to come to spring training without having to deal with the annoyances that always seem to surround Young and Elijah Dukes. He is right, of course, but Delmon shot back from Twins camp in Fort Myers that it's not his fault the Rays are perpetual losers.

Delmon also implied that Crawford waited until he was a safe distance away to take his shots. Well, that did it.

On Friday morning, Crawford told Tribune Rays beat writer Marc Lancaster, "Nobody said he was the reason for us losing the games. We said it was a more relaxed, more calm environment that could help us in the future. Nobody blamed him or Dukes for losing the games.

"For him to say we want to wait until he leaves to say something - who is he? Nobody's afraid of him. You know? We'll say it to his face. I'll be more than happy to say it to his face or any kind of other way that'll make him understand what we mean."

We should probably keep Crawford away from sharp objects for a while.

"I told them all on the very first day, I'm into freedom of speech. I want you to say what's on your mind, just understand what we've got going on here, the direction we're headed in, the tone of the camp right now - just keep all that in mind," Rays manager Joe Maddon said.

"I have no problem with somebody saying what they think, what they have on their mind, and I truly believe that will be the last salvo fired, whatever you may have heard Friday."

It's actually refreshing to see something like this, if for no other reason than we never have before. The Rays usually curl into a fetal position and beg "don't hurt me" when someone from another team takes a shot. They certainly never throw the first punch, as Crawford did.

It's especially important to have him speak up. Any club needs a leader, and Crawford should be that guy for the Rays.

Better Off Now

Back to his original point - of course the Rays are better off without the departed dynamic duo. For all of his talent, Delmon was never a player the Rays could count on. He didn't want to be here from the start, just as eventually he won't want to be in Minnesota.

He was almost uncoachable at times here, defiantly so.

Don't think the other guys in the clubhouse didn't notice. And don't think they don't notice how much better things are now.

"There are a few of us who have been together for a while now, and we've seen our share of downs," pitcher Scott Kazmir said earlier this week. "At times, the clubhouse and our play on the field, it was just so frustrating. Now it's time to win."

Clubhouse chemistry is a delicate thing always. Teams don't have to be stocked with boy scouts to win - some of the most successful clubs also have been the most contentious - but a developing team like the Rays just didn't need the aggravation that seemed to be a permanent part of Delmon's makeup.

Whether he was challenging Maddon's authority, or swinging for a hit on an 0-2 pitch over his head instead of trying to move a runner along, he made sure the chip on his shoulder was never out of sight.

So when somebody asks how you trade a player who was just runner-up for American League Rookie of the Year, that's how.

Crawford Steps Up

Still, someone in the Rays clubhouse needed to actually say out loud what everybody already knew, and what better person for that than Crawford.

No Rays player has heard it from other teams more than Crawford, whether it was former Twin Torii Hunter telling him he needs to get out of Tampa Bay or just that sympathetic look someone gets when they're trapped in a hopeless situation. It was no doubt tough to argue with any of them the last several years.

If it's going to change, Crawford has to lead the way. This is a great start.

There is an unintended benefit to all the noise between those two, though. When is the last time you actually looked forward to a Rays-Twins series? I mean, I can't believe we have to wait until Sept. 18 for the Twins to visit the Trop. Last four home games of the season.

Good seats still available. Just beware of flying objects.

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