Racial slur aimed at Carl Crawford in minor-league game
Despite being the target of a racial slur during a game in New Hampshire, Red Sox outfielder Carl Crawford is slowly making his way back to Boston.
The worst thing I've heard about Carl Crawford from those in baseball had to do with his performance in 2011. Other than that, by all accounts, he's a peach of a person. He proved that once again Thursday night by the way he handled a heckler that fired a racial slur his way during a minor-league rehab game in New Hampshire.
Instead of going off and blaming all of the Northeast or New Hampshire, or whatever, Crawford recognized it as a single individual.
"(One fan) actually called me a racial slur to begin the game with," Crawford told the Providence Journal after going 1 for 4 with a triple for Double-A Portland. "He was the only one I had a problem with. People in Boston don't even do that. I don't know what that was about. It's not that bad in Boston like that. But I can understand why people can be upset about me signing a contract and me having the kind of year I had. I understand. They love their team. They want you to produce when you sign a contract like that. I can't be made at them. All I can do is get ready to play this year and try to produce."
Crawford hit .255/.289/.405 with 11 home runs and 18 stolen bases last season, his first in Boston after signing a seven-year, $142 million contract.
Crawford hasn't played this season after undergoing arthroscopic wrist surgery in January and then suffered a sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow. Crawford's played in eight rehab game so far, three at Portland. His triple on Friday was his first extra-base hit in three games with the Sea Dogs. He's 4 for 10 at Portland after going 3 for 14 in the short-season Gulf Coast League.
Because he hasn't played at all this season, Crawford said he'd need something resembling a full spring training compliment of at-bats before he's ready to join the Red Sox.
"Of course I'd like to be up in the big leagues playing right now, but I don't know if that's possible," Crawford told the Journal. "Definitely, in the back of my mind, I wish I was up there playing."
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