Bobby Crosby

Robert Edward Crosby (born January 12, 1980, in Lakewood, California) is an infielder in Major League Baseball who has played for the Oakland Athletics since 2003. The son of former major league infielder Ed Crosby, he bats and throws right-handed. He was Rookie of the Year in 2004.

CareerEdit

Crosby attended La Quinta High School in Westminster, California alongside Detroit Tigers catcher Gerald Laird and California State University, Long Beach with Seattle Mariners outfielder Jeremy Reed.

In 2004, his first full season, he took over the Athletics' shortstop duties from 2002 American League Most Valuable Player Miguel Tejada, who signed with the Baltimore Orioles as a free agent. That year, Crosby hit .239 with 22 home runs and 64 RBIs. He also led American League rookies in hits (130), doubles (34) and walks (58), and was third among AL players with 4.17 pitches per plate appearance. These numbers earned Crosby Rookie of the Year honors, the sixth Athletics player to do so after Harry Byrd (1952), José Canseco (1986), Mark McGwire (1987), Walt Weiss (1988), and Ben Grieve (1998).

In addition to becoming the sixth Athletics player to be named Rookie of the Year, he was the second shortstop in a row to win the award (after Angel Berroa of the Kansas City Royals). He was also the eighth shortstop in 22 seasons to earn top rookie honors, the others being Cal Ripken, Jr. (1982), Ozzie Guillén (1985), Walt Weiss (1988), Pat Listach (1992), Derek Jeter (1996), Nomar Garciaparra (1997), and Berroa (2003).

Crosby was just a vote shy of being a unanimous pick, despite his batting average being the lowest ever for a Rookie of the Year. He also struck out 141 times, fourth-most in the AL, and the team's most since Canseco had 152 in 1991.

In 2005, Crosby was followed as Rookie of the Year by Athletics closer Huston Street.

Due to the signing of free agent shortstop Orlando Cabrera prior to the 2009 season, Crosby has since been moved into a utility infielder role. However, with injuries to everyday second baseman Mark Ellis, third baseman Eric Chavez and infielder Nomar Garciaparra (another free agent signing), Crosby is expected to see significant starting roles at third base, as well as at second base.

Mark McGwire has served as his hitting coach since the 2009 offseason.^[1]

PersonalEdit

His younger brother, Blake Crosby, played college baseball at Brigham Young University and currently plays college baseball at Sacramento State. His older brother, Brian Crosby, is an artist for Walt Disney Imagineering.

StatisticsEdit

See alsoEdit

• List of second generation MLB players

External linksEdit

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube

ReferencesEdit