Long Beach State University Athletics
Health Key for Crosby
7/25/2007 12:00:00 AM | General
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Health Key to Crosby's Success ANAHEIM - Bobby Crosby's back is fine - finally. He proved that Monday night by going deep into the hole between shortstop and third base, planting his feet and firing the ball across the diamond to throw out the Angels' Mike Napoli in the seventh inning. His offense is another matter, at least through the first 100 games this season. The Oakland A's shortstop and former Long Beach State star is hitting just .226 with eight home runs and 31 RBI. Through Tuesday night, he had just 13 hits in 64 at-bats in July, a .203 average. According to Crosby, however, remaining healthy for the first time in two full years is his focus this season, and those who know him best are sure the offense will come around soon. "(Staying healthy) was my main goal coming into the year," said Crosby, who went on the disabled list four times in 2005 and 2006 and played just 180 games combined. Stress fractures in his ribs and a broken left ankle sidelined Crosby
in 2005, and a lower back strain put him on the DL twice in 2006. He also
missed time with a lacerated finger, strained biceps and a bruised right
hand and was left off Oakland's postseason roster last year. His back
also severely curtailed his offseason "It was frustrating because I had never really been hurt ... never a big injury that kept me out," he said. "Sometimes you hit bad breaks." Among a group of 10-12 friends and family that came to see the Orange County native play Monday in Anaheim was Dave Demarest, Crosby's coach at Westminster La Quinta High in 1998. Demarest, a prep coaching legend who knows a thing or two about baseball talent, is sure Crosby will find his swing again. "Someday you and I will see Bobby Crosby in an All-Star Game," said Demarest, who recently retired after coaching future MLB players such as Crosby, Gerald Laird, Brent Mayne and J.T. Snow over his 34-year career. "I have no doubt about that." Demarest describes Crosby as hard working and fiercely competitive, two things that will help him rebound to the level he played at in 2004, when he claimed the American League Rookie of the Year award. Crosby led AL rookies in home runs (22), RBI (64), runs (70), hits (130), doubles (34), walks (58), total bases (232) and extra-base hits (57) that season. It appeared the 2001 Big West Conference Player of the Year was on his way to major league stardom before injuries struck the following two seasons. "I think he's frustrated with his offensive numbers," said Demarest. "That's his competitiveness." Despite his offensive struggles, Crosby is still an outstanding defender, and he has a strong fundamental foundation that was set with outstanding coaching throughout his life. Crosby's father Ed, a Wilson High graduate who played at Long Beach City College, played 282 major league games from 1970-76 as an infielder with St. Louis, Cincinnati and Cleveland. Crosby said he was never forced to play baseball as a kid but always knew where to go if he had any questions. "I always felt like I had an advantage as a kid, a step up on the other kids," Crosby said, "because I could go to my dad and he always knew what he was talking about." Crosby began high school at Garden Grove Pacifica before transferring to La Quinta as a senior. The combination of a growth spurt - Crosby is now 6-foot-3, 215 pounds - and Demarest's coaching turned Crosby from an unknown as a junior into a Dirtbags recruit as a senior. "As a senior, I wanted to make sure I went to a high school where I got the proper training," said Crosby, who played for three different coaches at Pacifica. "(Demarest is) very, very, very knowledgeable. He could go coach at any major college or in pro ball. He's above and beyond most high school coaches. ... He made the transition (to LBSU) a lot easier." More outstanding coaching came his way at Long Beach State under Dave Snow and his staff, which included current head coach Mike Weathers. In three seasons at LBSU, Crosby batted .340 with 21 home runs and 92 RBI. As a junior in 2001, Crosby hit .353 with nine home runs and 39 RBI. He was selected the Big West POY, a third-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball and was Oakland's first-round pick in the June draft. "The (Dirtbag) coaching staff was and is incredible," Crosby said. "They teach you to play the game the right way. ... Everything I learned then is why I'm here now, a big part of it." First-year Oakland manager Bob Geren was a bullpen coach with the A's when Crosby came up as a rookie. "I know he worked hard with (former Oakland coach and current Texas manager) Ron Washington on his infield play," said Geren. "When I first saw him, he was fundamentally sound. It was obvious he had some good instruction." Crosby has not been the only Oakland player to struggle this season. Entering tonight's game with the Angels, the A's are 48-52 and mired in third place in the AL West, 9 1/2 games behind the first-place Halos. But the A's have a chance to get back into the race. Twelve of their next 15 games are against AL West foes, including five more against the Angels. "We've got to win," Crosby said when asked what it would take for the A's to get back into contention. "We're beyond the point of saying, `We can win some here, lose some here.' We have to win. We've got to win this series and do the same thing in Seattle (Friday through Sunday.) "We've put ourselves in a hole, but we've got the guys to get it done." |
