Coco Crisp

While Crisp has faced numerous injuries that have caused him to miss games during his A's tenure, the 2015 season was an extreme example as he only played in 44 games, missing a good chunk of the season with the neck injury that also hampered him in 2014. Crisp was brutal when he was on the field, hitting .175 with zero homers and two stolen bases, although it is very likely he was never truly healthy all year. He has now had back-to-back rough seasons after his 2013 20-20 campaign and one has to wonder if he can return to that form at age 36. In his limited number of appearances, Crisp struck out at a career-high 18 percent clip and he sported a paltry .148 ISO, down from .183 in 2013. Crisp is due $11 million for the 2016 season and that should help him reclaim a starting role in left field, but it is very hard to even think about trusting him except in the deepest of leagues.

After a 20-20 season in 2013, Crisp disappointed fantasy owners in 2014 with an injury-marred season, where he hit only nine homers to go along with 19 steals. Crisp suffered a neck injury after crashing into the wall in center field in early May, and he never seemed to fully recover from the injury, playing just 126 games. Durability has always been a concern, and 2014 marked the fifth consecutive season that he has played between 118 and 136 games. When projecting him, it seems that 125 games should probably be the baseline for his expected workload. Of most concern is the drop-off in steals over the last two years. After a combined 88 steals in 2011 and 2012, he has delivered just 40 stolen bases over the last two years. Crisp will start the season in center field again for the A's in 2015, while the addition of Billy Butler in free agency may limit Crisp's opportunities to stay in the lineup as the designated hitter. A spring elbow injury will require surgery, and Crisp is expected to miss the first six-to-eight weeks of the season.

Crisp provided a lot of fantasy value in 2013, but not in his usual fashion. His stolen bases dropped all the way down to 21 (from 49 and 39 the previous two years), but he also muscled up and hit a career-high 22 home runs and became the least likely member of the 20/20 club in 2013. Crisp's OBP is not as high as a team would typically want from a leadoff hitter, but his efficiency on the bases and newfound power make him the catalyst for the A's offense. It seems reasonable to expect that the power will wane a bit in 2014, but that the speed will return and Crisp might give owners a solid shot at a 15/30 season if he can remain healthy, which has always been his biggest question mark.

Crisp followed up his big stolen-base year in 2011 with another one in 2012 managing 39 steals in only 120 games. Injuries are always the issue with Crisp, but he managed to stay healthy for the majority of the year and emerged as one of the veteran leaders in the A's eccentric clubhouse. The A's traded for Chris Young, an elite defensive option in center field, so it will be interesting to see how playing time is split up in the A's outfield. If Crisp is healthy, he will likely lead off most days and steal a lot of bases at a very high percentage while tossing in double-digit home-run power.

Crisp battled a litany of leg-related injuries again in 2011, though he stayed on the field for more than 130 games for the first time since 2007. While his overall OPS dropped nearly 100 points to a very pedestrian .693 (including a woeful .314 OBP), Crisp provided plenty of rotisserie value with 49 steals, eight homers and 54 RBI. Look for Crisp to deliver similar production after returning to the A's with a two-year deal as a free agent.

Crisp battled a litany of injuries in 2010, including two separate stints on the DL with a fractured finger that delayed his season debut until late May and ended his season in mid-September. He was a roto monster in between, swatting eight homers, driving in 38 runs, scoring 51 times and swiping 32 bases in 75 games. That's a 16-76-102 and 64 steals season prorated out to 150 games to give you an idea on the type of production we're talking about. Staying healthy has long been a problem for Crisp, and the A's aren't exactly known for staying healthy as a club in recent years either, but there's a ton of upside here with the team's offseason additions given their propensity to run under Bob Geren.

Crisp was suppose to be the leadoff hitter that the Royals lacked entering 2009 after being obtained in a trade from the Red Sox last winter. However, Crisp's season was cut short as he underwent rotator cuff surgery on his throwing shoulder after appearing in only 49 games. With Crisp's health uncertain, the Royals declined his 2010 option making him a free agent. Crisp lacks the high OBP coveted in a leadoff hitter, but he's blessed with superb speed and great plate discipline. Prior to his injury, Crisp was thought of as an above-average defensive outfielder. He likely enters 2010 as a backup at all three outfield spots after signing with the A's. Given Oakland's lack of offensive production in the outfield in 2009, there's a good chance he'll collect 350-plus at-bats if he's healthy.

Crisp was not supposed to begin the season in Boston after being dangled in trade talks during the offseason and spring training. It's a good thing for Boston that he wasn't traded as Jacoby Ellsbury had long stretches of futility and the Red Sox endured some injuries. He never really produced with the bat in his three seasons in Boston, but he remains an elite defender while being a stolen base threat. The Red Sox eventually traded Crisp during the offseason to Kansas City for reliever Ramon Ramirez. He's not much of an OBP guy, but Crisp should 600 at-bats as the Royals starting center fielder and leadoff man.

Crisp was very ordinary at the plate, but was a defensive marvel in 2007. Even in a down season, Crisp had 28 steals, giving him some fantasy value. He appeared to have lost the center field job to Jacoby Ellsbury in the postseason, and Crisp's affordable contract makes him an attractive trade commodity. If he and Ellsbury are on the team to start the season, Crisp may be the fourth outfielder with reduced at-bats.

When listing disappointments for the 2006 Red Sox, Crisp's poor season has to rank at or near the top. Hailed as the heir apparent to Johnny Damon, Crisp broke his left index finger early in the season and never really recovered. He would later suffer from kidney stones, an injured shoulder and a re-injury to his left index finger, which eventually had a pin placed in it. Given this litany of injuries, it's completely reasonable to write off Crisp's poor 2006 performance as injury-related. When healthy, he's a solid base-stealing threat who can hit around .300, especially in Boston's loaded lineup. However, be aware that Crisp doesn't walk much. He's expected to hit down in the batting order, where the Red Sox are more likely to take advantage of his speed on the base paths.

A move from center to left makes him more valuable, as he was only adequate in center but has nice range in left. Increased command of the strike zone and continued success at getting the most out of his ability could push his home run totals over 20 as he reaches his prime years.

Crisp had a fine first full year in the major leagues, holding down center field for much of the year after getting off to a slow start. A contact-hitting leadoff man, Crisp has good speed, but is still learning pitchers and he needs to draw more walks. He has hit markedly better as a left fielder than as a center fielder in both 2003 and 2004, suggesting a pattern. Grady Sizemore is the Indians' center fielder of the future, but Crisp is more polished at this point. Crisp has a good future with the Indians and could steal 30 bases and score 100 runs for them in 2005.

Crisp is the rabbit of Cleveland's lineup, if he's given the at-bats. He will be a decent source of speed, but will need to improve his ability to get on base to provide anything more. Crisp will be in the hunt for a roster/lineup spot with Matt Lawton, Alex Escobar, and Ryan Ludwick, all the while looking over his shoulder as Grady Sizemore races through the Tribe's farm system. He's likely Cleveland's fifth outfielder.

Once touted by Baseball America as the best hitting prospect in the Carolina League (St Louis minor league POY in 2001), "Coco" was a Linda Cohn favorite in 2002. Crisp was a free swinger at the major league level (.314 OB in 127 at-bats) but demonstrated decent plate discipline at the minor league level. He projects as a 4th or 5th outfielder who could prove to be a cheap source of steals if he gets any semblance of playing time.