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Crawford Reports Healthy, Focused

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By MARC LANCASTER

mlancaster@tampatrib.com

Published: February 19, 2009

PORT CHARLOTTE - It might sound like a spring training cliche, but OF Carl Crawford looked and - perhaps more significantly - sounded like a new man Wednesday on his first day in camp. Reporting strong and healthy and saying he checked in at 225 pounds - 10 more than his listed weight - Crawford said he feels as good as he has in a long time. That isn't something he necessarily says every spring, either.

After missing time with a tendon problem in his finger late last year and having his hamstrings bother him to the extent that consideration was given to using him more often as a designated hitter in home games on Tropicana Field's artificial turf, Crawford said he went into the winter determined not to let his physical condition be an issue in 2009.

"My job was to just go in and get in the best shape I could this offseason so I don't have to ask for days off," he said. "It was up to me to get healthy and be strong enough to play. I think I did that. We'll just have to see when the season starts."

Manager Joe Maddon immediately noticed a difference in Crawford and was pleased to hear the player took it upon himself to set himself up for more playing time this season.

"That's tremendous that he even thought of that and in the offseason would be willing to do that," Maddon said. "Of course, if you have a Carl Crawford in your stable, you want him on the field as often as possible. I think you're going to see a very motivated, focused young man - I'm already getting that from him right now."

FRESH START: Though he knows he has no guarantees of making the Opening Day roster, 2B Adam Kennedy is relieved to be with a team and a manager that want him more than the Cardinals and Tony La Russa did.

Between repeated remarks about how happy he was to be with the Rays, Kennedy questioned the Cardinals' decision to release him last week on the eve of camp, a move reportedly engineered by La Russa.

"The more I think about it, regardless of how Tony felt about me, they could have done this a month ago, two weeks ago, three months ago," Kennedy said. "That wasn't necessarily up to him; I'm sure he was pushing for that for a while. It's just a little odd on the timing. Knowing how Tony already felt, that wasn't a surprise. It was the timing of the front office doing it."

Things should be different here for Kennedy, who Maddon called "one of the best clubhouse guys I've ever been around, period."

THE CAMPAIGN CONTINUES: Fresh off the T-shirt-spawning success of his "9=8" catchphrase last season, Maddon stuck to the same theme in rolling out this year's slogan to his team. The idea is "'09 is greater than '08," which will be abbreviated to '09>'08 on the shirts that undoubtedly will appear around camp soon.

"You can't just rely on 9=8 all the time," Maddon explained. "You have to be better than we were in some areas last year."

AYBAR DEAL DONE: The Rays finally made infielder Willy Aybar's multiyear deal official. He is guaranteed at least $2.6 million over the next three seasons, and that total could rise to $6.275 million if the Rays pick up their option on him for 2011 and a series of escalator clauses based on plate appearances go into effect. Aybar will make $975,000 this year.

Aybar doesn't project as a starter unless someone gets hurt, but the Rays see him as a useful player for years to come.

"It's hard for us to look out a couple years and not feel like he fits into our club," executive VP Andrew Friedman said.

RED CROSS REPORT: 3B Evan Longoria, still feeling the after-effects of having his wisdom teeth removed last week, left the field early and went home to rest. ... RHP Dewon Day also left practice early and headed home after feeling sick. ... Special adviser Don Zimmer got a cortisone shot in his left knee Wednesday and was reluctantly navigating the complex in a golf cart after he stumbled while walking between fields Tuesday.

NOTEWORTHY: IF Ray Olmedo was the only player not to report for Wednesday's workout but was expected in town later in the day and should be in uniform today. ... The Rays will participate in a 3 p.m. parade today in Punta Gorda. A meet-and-greet with players is from 4-4:30 at Laishley Park.

Marc Lancaster

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