On Friday, new Red Sox outfielder Carl Crawford addressed the Boston media at the Red Sox Spring Training complex in Fort Myers, Florida. Crawford seemed to charm the media as he was asked about a series of topics, ranging from joining a new team to burying the hatchet with catcher and new teammate Jason Varitek.
Crawford came off as a very likeable guy during the press conference and it seems like he can handle the pressure that playing for a Boston-based professional team brings. With that being said, lets check out some of what the new Red Sox left fielder had to say in his first Boston media appearance since last December:
(via Gordon Edes and Peter Abraham)
Crawford was asked by a Tampa-based reporter how he will handle playing in front of sell-out crowds at Fenway on a nightly basis:
"If [I'm] not, I better get ready pretty soon," he said. "I'm not worried about fans being at the game. That's one of my least worries. I'm excited to have a chance to play in front of all those people, whether I do good or bad. The opportunity to do that is exciting enough."
Crawford said he got a chance to speak with catcher Jason Varitek over the offseason, and hopes that the two have settled their rivalry (most notably when Crawford stole six bases against the Sox last season against Varitek and fouled a ball off Varitek's foot, breaking it):
"When I went up to Boston, we kind of gave each other a hug, buried the hatchet a little bit,’’ Crawford said. "I let him know, ‘I’m on your side now, so you won’t have to worry about that anymore.’"
Crawford on the rumors that he would actually tell then first baseman Kevin Youkilis when he would try and steal second base when Youk was trying to hold him on:
"I don’t want to say I told him,’’ he said. "Me and him joked a lot at first base. I know his job is to knock me off so I can’t focus. I got to do same thing to him. Maybe I’d say something to throw him off, but he’s whistling at the pitcher, doing his thing. It was a friendly little battle while I figured out how to go to second base.’’
Crawford on the opportunity to work with fellow speed demon Jacoby Ellsbury in the outfield as well as on the base pads:
"He's a guy that I think of as kind of like myself. If I can, I would like to help him and try and encourage him and get him as many stolen bases as possible. We can run together," he said. "I want him to do as good as he can. The better he does, it helps everybody out. There's no rivalry there. I want to see Ellsbury do as well as his talents will let him."