Brandon Crawford

Brandon Crawford

Crawford with the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants – No. 35
Shortstop
Born: (1987-01-21) January 21, 1987
Mountain View, California
Bats: Left Throws: Right
MLB debut
May 27, 2011, for the San Francisco Giants
MLB statistics
(through April 21, 2016)
Batting average .245
Home runs 49
Runs batted in 265
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Brandon Crawford
Medal record
Baseball
Representing  United States
FISU World Championship
2006 Havana Baseball

Brandon Michael Crawford (born January 21, 1987) is an American professional baseball shortstop for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was the sixth player in MLB history to hit a grand slam in his first Major League game, and is also the first shortstop to hit a grand slam in a Major League Baseball postseason game. Crawford played college baseball for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he was twice named the team's Most Valuable Player (MVP).

Early life

Crawford is a native of the San Francisco Bay Area, and grew up in Pleasanton. He was born in Mountain View,[1] and his family lived in Menlo Park before they moved to Pleasanton when he was in elementary school. He grew up a Giants fan, and his family purchased season tickets and a commemorative brick in Willie Mays Plaza outside AT&T Park when the ballpark opened in 2000.[2] Crawford attended Foothill High School in Pleasanton; where he was a three-sport athlete playing football, basketball, and baseball. He was the starting quarterback for the Foothill Falcons and graduated in the class of 2005.[3]

College career

Crawford attended UCLA, where he was a physiological sciences major. He played baseball for the UCLA Bruins from 2006 to 2008, where he helped lead the team to the NCAA Regionals in three consecutive seasons,[1] the first time in school history.[4] Crawford was named the team's MVP in 2006 and 2007, and he was named to the All-Pac-10 conference team in 2007.[1]

He helped lead the United States national team to the title in the 2006 International University Sports Federation (FISU) World Championship.[5]

Professional career

Draft and minor leagues

Crawford was selected in the fourth round (117th overall) of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft by the Giants.[1] Crawford started his first full season as a professional with the Class-A Advanced San Jose Giants in 2009. In 25 games, he hit .371 with six home runs and 17 RBIs, good enough for a slugging percentage of .600 and 1.045 OPS.[6] In May, Crawford was promoted to the Double-A Connecticut Defenders, where he spent the rest of the season, batting .258 with four home runs in 108 games.[6]

In 2010, Crawford opened the season in Double-A (now with the Richmond Flying Squirrels) and earned an Eastern League All-Star nod,[7] batting .241 in 79 games before suffering a broken hand in early July, which sidelined Crawford for nearly two months. When he recovered, he was assigned back to San Jose for the remainder of the season. He was ranked the sixth best prospect in the Giants' organization by Baseball America heading into 2011.[8]

San Francisco Giants

2011

In 2011, Crawford was invited to Spring training but was set back by a broken finger suffered in the final week, and started the season in San Jose while he recovered.[9] He was called up to the majors for the first time on May 26, 2011, following injuries to Buster Posey, Mike Fontenot, and Darren Ford.[10]

Crawford made his MLB debut on May 27 against the Milwaukee Brewers. His first big league hit came in his third at bat of the game and was a grand slam off the Brewers' Shaun Marcum. He joined Bobby Bonds and Brian Dallimore as the only Giants whose first career Major League hit was a grand slam;[11] he also became the sixth player in MLB history and the second player in Giants history along with Bobby Bonds to hit a grand slam in his first game.[12] On July 31, he was optioned to the Giants' Triple-A affiliate, the Fresno Grizzlies, after the Giants acquired shortstop Orlando Cabrera.[13] The Giants were 23–18 with Crawford as a starter, but he was only hitting .190.[14] Crawford was recalled in September when MLB rosters expanded to 40 players.[15]

2012

In 2012, Crawford was named the team's opening day shortstop, in which he batted 8th in the lineup. He batted .248 with four home runs, 26 doubles, and 45 RBI in 143 games. On July 20, Crawford hit his second career grand slam and drove in 5 runs as the Giants defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 7–2.[16] Crawford was praised for his defense during the 2012 postseason, which culminated in a 4–0 sweep of the Detroit Tigers in the 2012 World Series.[17] Crawford ranked third among NL shortstops in Defensive Runs Saved at +12,[18] and was recognized with the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award at shortstop.

2013

Crawford was the starting shortstop for 2013, with Joaquín Árias as his backup. He hit best in April, when he went .272/.346/.511 with 5 HR and 14 RBI. In 149 games on the year, he hit .248/.311/.363 with 9 HR and 43 RBI.

2014

In 153 games, Crawford batted .246 and set career highs with ten home runs and 69 RBIs. On April 13, Crawford hit a tenth inning, walk-off home run against Rex Brothers of the Colorado Rockies.[19] In the 2014 postseason, Crawford led all Giants with 9 RBIs. In the 4th inning of the NL Wild Card Game between the Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates, Crawford hit a grand slam off of Edinson Vólquez, becoming the first shortstop to hit a grand slam in Major League Baseball postseason history.[20][21] Crawford batted .304 (7-for-23) with 4 RBIs in the 2014 World Series, en route to his second championship with the Giants. In Game 7, Crawford drove in the second run for the Giants with a sacrifice fly and, along with second baseman Joe Panik, turned a critical double-play in the third inning.[22]

2015

On January 27, 2015, the Giants and Crawford avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $3.175 million deal.[23] On May 16, Crawford hit his third career grand slam (fourth including the postseason) and drove in a career-high six runs against Mike Leake of the Cincinnati Reds.[24] In May, Crawford led the team in RBIs,[25] and on July 1, Crawford set a new career-high with his 11th home run of the season.[26] On July 6, Crawford was voted by his fellow Major League players as a reserve for the 2015 MLB All-Star Game.[27] On August 14 at AT&T Park, in an 8–5 win over the Washington Nationals, Crawford hit his 100th career double. On September 24 at Petco Park, Crawford hit his twentieth home run of the season off of Ian Kennedy, making him the fourth Giants shortstop in franchise history to reach the milestone, after Rich Aurilia, Alvin Dark, and Travis Jackson.[28]

Crawford set career highs in several offensive categories, batting .256 with 21 home runs, 84 RBIs, 33 doubles, and 130 hits. Crawford was the first Giants' shortstop to lead the team in home runs since Bill Dahlen in 1905.[29] He won his first Rawlings Gold Glove Award[30] and Silver Slugger Award,[31] the first Giant to win both awards in the same year since Barry Bonds in 1997.[32]

2016

After the 2015 season, Crawford and the Giants agreed to a six-year, $75 million contract through the 2021 season.[32] The deal covered Crawford's final two years of salary arbitration and first four years of free agency.[33] On April 8, 2016, Crawford hit a tenth inning, walk-off home run off Joe Blanton of the Los Angeles Dodgers in a game in which the Giants had been no-hit through 71⁄3 innings and recorded only two hits.[34]

Personal life

Crawford married former UCLA gymnast Jalynne Dantzscher in Kona, Hawaii on November 26, 2011.[35] They have two daughters and a son.[36][37] Crawford is the brother-in-law of Olympic gymnast Jamie Dantzscher. Crawford's sister Amy is engaged to Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Gerrit Cole.[38]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Player Bio: Brandon Crawford – UCLA Official Athletic Site". UCLABruins.com. Archived from the original on May 24, 2011.
  2. ↑ Killion, Ann (October 8, 2012). "Brandon Crawford: living the dream". San Francisco Chronicle.
  3. ↑ Baggarly, Andrew (May 29, 2011). "Giants notebook: Buster Posey has a new favorite player -- rookie Brandon Crawford". San Jose Mercury News. p. C7. Archived from the original on May 29, 2011.
  4. ↑ "UCLA's Brandon Crawford Promoted to San Francisco Giants". UCLABruins.com. May 26, 2011. Archived from the original on May 29, 2011.
  5. ↑ "UCLA Baseball's Brandon Crawford Earns Gold Medal with U.S. National Team". UCLABruins.com. August 16, 2006. Archived from the original on May 26, 2011.
  6. 1 2 "When They Were San Jose Giants: Brandon Crawford".
  7. ↑ Zucosky, Griffin (June 29, 2010). "Eastern League reveals 2010 All-Stars". MiLB.com.
  8. ↑ Baggarly, Andy (January 26, 2011). "San Francisco Giants Top 10 Prospects". Baseball America. Archived from the original on May 24, 2011.
  9. ↑ Inman, Cam (May 24, 2011). "Giants prospect remains patient". San Jose Mercury News. p. D5. Archived from the original on May 24, 2011.
  10. ↑ Berry, Adam (May 26, 2011). "Belt, Stewart, Crawford brought up to Giants". MLB.com. Archived from the original on May 26, 2011.
  11. ↑ Baggarly, Andrew (May 27, 2011). "Brandon Crawford's grand slam in debut lifts San Francisco Giants". Bay Area News Group.
  12. ↑ Schulman, Henry (June 26, 2011). "Brandon Crawford's slam in debut lifts Giants". The San Francisco Chronicle.
  13. ↑ "Giants option Crawford to make room for Cabrera". Associated Press. July 31, 2011. Retrieved August 1, 2011. The San Francisco Giants optioned rookie shortstop Brandon Crawford to Triple-A Fresno on Sunday to make room on the roster for new shortstop Orlando Cabrera.
  14. ↑ Baggarly, Andrew (August 31, 2011). "San Francisco Giants plan to keep Brandon Crawford busy this fall". San Jose Mercury News. p. D5. Retrieved September 2, 2011. Crawford hit .190 before he was optioned July 31, but the Giants were 23-18 during his two-month run as the everyday shortstop.
  15. ↑ Reiss, Scott (September 2, 2011). "Giants recall Crawford, Burriss, Gillaspie, Joaquin". CSNBayArea.com. Retrieved September 2, 2011. The Giants recalled Brandon Crawford, Emmanuel Burriss, Conor Gillaspie and Waldis Joaquin from Triple A Fresno with the expansion of the roster to 40.
  16. ↑ Haft, Chris (July 20, 2012). "Crawford's slam backs solid start by Lincecum". MLB.com.
  17. ↑ Perrotto, John (October 28, 2012). "Brandon Crawford, Giants one win from World Series title". USA Today.
  18. ↑ Schoenfield, David (January 15, 2013). "Five underappreciated weapons for 2013". ESPN.com.
  19. ↑ Pavlovic, Alex (April 13, 2014). "Brandon Crawford's walk-off homer leads Giants past Rockies". San Jose Mercury News.
  20. ↑ Bink, Bill (October 1, 2014). "Shutout: Pirates unable to stop Giants' Bumgarner in 8-0 loss". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved October 1, 2014.
  21. ↑ Steward, Carl (October 17, 2014). "Brandon Crawford a most indispensable Giant". San Jose Mercury News.
  22. ↑ "Brandon Crawford Wins Second World Series Ring". UCLA Athletics. October 30, 2014.
  23. ↑ Schulman, Henry (January 27, 2015). "Crawford avoids arbitration, gets $3.175 million deal". San Francisco Chronicle.
  24. ↑ Call, Andy (May 16, 2015). "'Underrated' Crawford racks up six RBIs". MLB.com.
  25. ↑ Shea, John (May 18, 2014). "Look who leads Giants in RBIs: Brandon Crawford". San Francisco Chronicle.
  26. ↑ Schulman, Henry (July 1, 2015). "Giants lose at Miami on Justin Bour's 3-run HR in 9th". San Francisco Chronicle.
  27. ↑ Brown, Daniel (July 6, 2015). "Giants' Bumgarner, Crawford, Panik join All-Star squad". San Jose Mercury News.
  28. ↑ Baggarly, Andrew (September 24, 2015). "UPDATED: As the Giants disintegrated this summer, Madison Bumgarner stood as strong as ever — even as bullpen blows his 19th victory". San Jose Mercury News.
  29. ↑ SFGiants (October 5, 2015). "Brandon Crawford finished the season with a team-leading 21 HRs, the 1st SS to lead the #SFGiants in HRs since 1905." (Tweet).
  30. ↑ Miller, Doug (November 10, 2015). "Defensive standouts nab Gold Glove Awards". MLB.com. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  31. ↑ Kawahara, Matt (November 12, 2015). "Three Giants players take home Silver Slugger Awards". Sacramento Bee. Retrieved November 13, 2015.
  32. 1 2 Haft, Chris (November 17, 2015). "Giants sign Crawford to six-year deal". MLB.com.
  33. ↑ "Giants sign infielder Brandon Crawford to a six-year contract". SFGiants.com (Press release). November 17, 2015.
  34. ↑ Shea, John (April 8, 2016). "Giants beat Dodgers on Brandon Crawford’s homer". San Francisco Chronicle.
  35. ↑ "Two more Giant weddings". Comcast SportsNet Bay Area. December 9, 2011. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
  36. ↑ White, Paul. "Clubhouse confidential: Giants staff ready to return to form". USA Today. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
  37. ↑ SFGiants (January 25, 2016). "Congrats @bcraw35 and @JalynneC35! Welcome to the #SFGiants family, baby Braxton." (Tweet).
  38. ↑ Landers, Chris (August 23, 2015). "Family feud: Amy Crawford watched her brother Brandon face off against fiance Gerrit Cole". Major League Baseball. Retrieved November 13, 2015.

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