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Questions still surround Bobby Crosby's performance, but their nature has changed from doubt to wonder.
No longer do observers ask whether Crosby will be any good. Now they ask how
good can he be.
In that respect, Crosby's first month as a big league regular has been a success, transcending any statistical measure. Achieving legitimacy is a significant step for the A's rookie, who has weathered initial skepticism regarding his ability to replace Miguel Tejada, the 2002 American League MVP signed by Baltimore as a free agent.
It has been an eventful month for Crosby, who could spend much of the season
in discomfort after bruising his left knee April 20 in Seattle. That injury
caused the 24-year-old shortstop to miss six games, and it might require occasional
rest, such as the off-day he received Sunday.
A's Manager Ken Macha would prefer to keep Crosby on the field.
"I think he has been very important to have in the lineup," Macha
said. "He's extremely solid in the field, and the quality of his at-bats
has been getting better. When you have a guy getting better every day, you like
to keep him in there as much as you can."
Though Crosby takes a .203 batting average into tonight's series opener against
the New York Yankees at Network Associates Coliseum, the A's haven't been overly
concerned. They mainly want him to fulfill the leading demand of his position
by providing steady defense. Crosby has handled that task.
"He's been quite impressive for the first month," said third-base
coach Ron Washington, who tutors the A's infielders. "His work ethic has
been awesome. His intelligence has been awesome. His decision-making has been
really good. I see him beginning to play the game at a pace that you play at
the major league level."
Although fielding has been the most positive aspect of his play, Crosby demonstrated
his perfectionism by dwelling on his lone error: a rushed throw to first base
Wednesday at Yankee Stadium.
"I'm always hard on myself," he said. "I think I've played pretty
well defensively, but I still look at that one error. It makes me not as pleased."
Yet, if anything, Crosby's defense has exceeded expectations.
"When he first made a play in the hole in Oakland and went over the top,
I never knew he had that kind of arm," Washington said. "I'm learning
more and more about him."
Crosby also is learning more about survival at the plate. He's tied for second
in the league with 26 strikeouts, a pace that would approach Jose Canseco's
franchise record of 175, set in 1986. Crosby has avoided striking out in only
two of his 18 games.
"It's a lack of plate discipline, to be honest," said Crosby, who
also has three home runs and 11 RBIs. "I don't think it's anything where
these guys are pitching me that much tougher or in my opinion are that much
better. It's just a matter of my having to be more focused and disciplined and
not swing at bad balls.
"If you look at most of my strikeouts, it's me swinging at bad balls, not
a matter of someone absolutely painting on me. Once I get mentally more tough
at the plate and more disciplined, it'll be a lot better in that department."
The A's have seen enough to sense that Crosby will develop, not regress, in
coming months.
"I can sit back and watch him," Washington said. "That's a pretty
good tribute to a young guy, when it's his first time in the big leagues and
you hear somebody saying, `I'm just watching him play.' "
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