OAKLAND, Calif. — Oakland Athletics manager Bob Melvin learned to live with the good and bad that comes with center fielder Coco Crisp’s fearless, all-out-all-the-time style of play.
It’s that approach that makes Crisp such an offensive and defensive force, but also takes a toll on his body.
Crisp slammed into the right-center field wall Tuesday night in the seventh inning against Texas, nearly making a spectacular catch of second baseman Rougned Odor’s two-run triple. One inning later, Crisp raced in and made a diving catch of catcher Chris Gimenez’s fly ball.
Crisp has been battling a sore neck since slamming into the wall in right-center May 7 against Seattle. His back hit the fence first, and his neck whiplashed.
After watching what Crisp went through Tuesday night, Melvin decided to keep him out of the starting lineup Wednesday when the A’s beat Texas 4-2. Crisp was out of the lineup for the 24th time this season.
“He’s a little beat up again,” Melvin said before the game. “He was progressing quite a bit with the neck. I’m not sure that that helped yesterday and then he made the diving play too. I was considering giving him a day off today anyway but after that, definitely the right thing to do.”
Melvin said he has come to expect to see Crisp sacrifice his body in the outfield.
“You’re just used to it,” Melvin said. “We’ve already seen that three or four times this year, let alone several times over the last couple years. He only knows one way to play.
“He’s completely fearless out there. As he gets up in age he continues to play at the same pace. As I’ve said, this year he’s going to get his share of days off because we need to give him those days off because of his style of play.”
Knowing that Crisp would need days off to rest his body, the A’s acquired veteran outfielder Craig Gentry from Texas in December. The speed Gentry started his 32nd game Wednesday and made his 20th start in center field. He went 2-for-4 and scored a run.