So where will Carl Crawford end up?

[raysnbran]

There is virtually no chance he signs back with the Rays. Below I have ranked the teams in order of who I feel has the best chance to sign CC. Thoughts?

1) LA Angels of Anaheim- he's good friends with Torii Hunter, who has been selling him on the idea of moving west since before the All Star Game.

2) Boston Red Sox- can certainly afford him and it would be a nice dagger in the heart of a division foe.

3) Detroit Tigers- Rumors are increasing they will be a big player in the Crawford sweepstakes.

4) NY Yankees- doubt it, they will focus on getting Cliff Lee

5) Houston Astros- maybe Crawford will give his hometown team a discount?

Long, long shot...Washington Nationals.

[The Commissioner]

He'll eventually wind up in Cooperstown, but I really wish the Rays could/would re-sign him. He truly is the team's first and brightest homegrown superstar. It's been a pleasure seeing him play since he first came up with the team and I hate the thought of seeing him in another uniform. Then again, I thought Lecavalier was off to Montreal for sure and the Lightning managed to save his fans from having to witness that, so maybe there is some hope?... Nope, I'm not buying that either.

[dominik]

I like crawford, but I don't want the rays to resign him. Crawford will get a huge contract. signing him would mean that basically nothing is left for other players.

and a .290 hitter with 20 HRs should be found for less money, although they will miss his speed. the only way for the rays succeeding a long time is maintaining a strong farm system and goood coaching. they won't be able to resign superstars to huge contracts.

[raysnbran]

Congrats to CC on winning his first Gold Glove. Well deserved and overdue certainly. Plus it probably added another $5M to his price tag for his new team to have to pay

[Richard]

dominik Are you kidding? Stolen bases galore, excellent defense and emerging power and hits for average. Might be the best defensive outfielder in baseball.

[Roy Halladay]

He was one of the great people in Tampa. As well, Soriano is also gone, their dominit closer so they need to scout for a bit looking for replacements

I don't know what Tampa Bay can do next, speed is one of things that won plenty of games for Tampa, since their season Baverage was below .250

[dominik]

dominik Are you kidding? Stolen bases galore, excellent defense and emerging power and hits for average. Might be the best defensive outfielder in baseball.

I might be underestimating him, but why is a player with his speed playing LF?

[raysnbran]

I might be underestimating him, but why is a player with his speed playing LF?

He pretty much refused to play CF, plus BJ Upton has pretty good speed himself and is another very good defensive player. Rumor has it that early in his career Ray coach Tom Foley said Crawford was not a center fielder, and Crawford stubbornly refused to ever play there again. Same reason he refused to bat leadoff with his speed. He just never saw himself as just a get on base, take walks, bunt, and use his speed type of leadoff guy, but more of a complete player.

[Richard]

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

[KCGHOST]

Crawford has pretty much committed himself to the high bidder. That might end up being the Tigers.

[raysnbran]

Yahoo reported yesterday that he and his agent have already met with the Red Sox. That would pretty much suck. Crawford has been the face of the franchise the last 7 years. It would almost be like Jeter signing with the Red Sox. Sign with LAA, Detroit, anywhere but Boston, CC

[The Commissioner]

After the deal Werth just signed, Crawford has to be drooling.

[raysnbran]

After the deal Werth just signed, Crawford has to be drooling.

But it also probably eliminated all but the Yankees, Red Sox and Angels from being able to afford him now too.There are not too many owners out there like the Nationals who will pay that kind of money. If Werth got $126M, Crawford will get $180M, heaven help us all.

[astrosFANATIC]

you can count out Houston. Wade has been ordered to keep the payroll around 70 million

[raysnbran]

Congrats Carl...you were underpaid for years here. You suffered in your early years on some pretty horrible teams. You became an All Star and the face of the franchise here. You led us to 2 division titles and a World Series.

But now you are the enemy. You may get an ovation or two your first game back. Let's see if you can handle the bright spotlight in a baseball hotbed city like Boston. Here you were a big fish in a small pond, playing before miniscule crowds, playing for years with fans in other cities not knowing how good you were. Now your every AB will be analyzed in the Boston media. Thanks for the two draft picks, we will do what we do, restock the minor leagues and keep developing players, get the most out of them and then let them sell themselves to the highest bidder and then restart the process all over again.

[The Commissioner]

Congrats Carl...you were underpaid for years here. You suffered in your early years on some pretty horrible teams. You became an All Star and the face of the franchise here. You led us to 2 division titles and a World Series.

But now you are the enemy. You may get an ovation or two your first game back. Let's see if you can handle the bright spotlight in a baseball hotbed city like Boston. Here you were a big fish in a small pond, playing before miniscule crowds, playing for years with fans in other cities not knowing how good you were. Now your every AB will be analyzed in the Boston media. Thanks for the two draft picks, we will do what we do, restock the minor leagues and keep developing players, get the most out of them and then let them sell themselves to the highest bidder and then restart the process all over again.

*sigh* Sad, but true.

[SDL]

"But now you are the enemy. You may get an ovation or two your first game back."

Wait...won't Steve Duemig loudly declare that Rays fans are not to cheer for him?

[raysnbran]

Obsessed much?? Maybe when you contribute to a thread on an opposing team's forum instead of trolling, you will begin to have relevance.

[raysnbran]

Adios Carl, don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out of Tampa Bay

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o...ck/photo-2.jpg

We had the best 8 1/2 years of Crawford's career, the Sox are just paying him for his past production. A guy that turns 30 next year, and his career is based on speed, will not be seeing an increase in his numbers between age 30-37. The steroid era is over

[SDL]

Adios Carl, don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out of Tampa Bay

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o...ck/photo-2.jpg

We had the best 8 1/2 years of Crawford's career, the Sox are just paying him for his past production. A guy that turns 30 next year, and his career is based on speed, will not be seeing an increase in his numbers between age 30-37. The steroid era is over

I read tbt* as well

We wanted him...we got him. He wanted to come to Fenway. He could've chosen the Angels or the MFY. Seems everytime he played against us, whether it be at The Trop or at Fenway, CC put up great numbers. Imagine what he's going to do playing in Fenway full time. His speed in the OF...there won't be too many extra base hits by the opposition. In the lineup..him and Ellsbury...two speedsters...I can see the Sox leading in team stolen bases. He will no doubt improve his HR totals playing in Fenway.

He gets us into the WS...heck, helps us WIN another one, the $142 million will be worth it.

[raysnbran]

Crawford wanted to go to whatever team paid him the most money, don't be fooled that he has been pining to play in front of the Green Monster for the last five years. He has been talking in the press for the last year and a half about playing with his best friend Torii Hunter in Anaheim. So when the Sox made him the focus of their latest spending spree, and the Angels wouldn't go for the extra years and $$$, now he "wanted" to play in Fenway? Ohhhhkayyyyyyyyy

Maybe the reason he had great SB numbers against you is Varitek could only throw him out once in his career Now he doesn't get to run against him anymore. Congrats Red Sox, you are now spending so much $$$, you are becoming the new Yankees, you better hope your owner's new soccer team doesn't bleed you dry like it has for the Buccaneers' owners...

[SDL]

Crawford wanted to go to whatever team paid him the most money, don't be fooled that he has been pining to play in front of the Green Monster for the last five years. He has been talking in the press for the last year and a half about playing with his best friend Torii Hunter in Anaheim. So when the Sox made him the focus of their latest spending spree, and the Angels wouldn't go for the extra years and $$$, now he "wanted" to play in Fenway? Ohhhhkayyyyyyyyy

Maybe the reason he had great SB numbers against you is Varitek could only throw him out once in his career Now he doesn't get to run against him anymore. Congrats Red Sox, you are now spending so much $$$, you are becoming the new Yankees, you better hope your owner's new soccer team doesn't bleed you dry like it has for the Buccaneers' owners...

Crawford said he wanted to stay in the AL East. Angels are in the West. I'm just glad it wasn't the MFY. The Bronx Zoo? Don't compare us to THEM...

To be honest, maybe if Sternberg & Co. would worry more about the on-field product rather than worrying about an un-needed new stadium, you wouldn't be losing guys like Crawford, Pena (who WE lost to you guys) and Benoit.

As for the soccer team, Henry & Lucchino aren't Tweedledee and Tweedledum--oops--Bryan and Joel Glazer