Saturday, October 20, 2007
GATEHOUSE NEWS SERVICE
BOSTON — It’s a wail that has been heard through New England ever since the playoffs began, and Red Sox manager Terry Francona might finally be ready to listen.
Addressing the media on Friday afternoon, Francona wouldn’t commit to starting Jacoby Ellsbury in center field for Coco Crisp, but he sounded like a guy who is ready to make the move.
First, the sidestep.
“Today was actually supposed to be an off day,” Francona said. “We don’t have a lineup yet.”
Then, the elaboration. Asked about Coco Crisp’s troubles during the division series against the Angels and championship series against the Indians, Francona was surprisingly upfront.
“He’s really having a tough time,” Francona said. “Even trying to get the bunt down [in Game 5], you could see him trying to maybe be too fine, do too much. He’s gotten himself into some things mechanically where he’s not been able to make some adjustments. Any time the ball is moving, this is with any hitter, when the ball is moving and the hitter is moving, it’s tough to make adjustments.”
Crisp is hitting just .143 (3-for-21) in the first five games of the ALCS, 0 for his last 12, and has struck out six times. He’s hitting .161 in the postseason.
Ellsbury, used extensively as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement in the two series, is 0-for-1 in the postseason.
“I think he understands what Mags [hitting coach Dave Magadan] is telling him,” said Francona of Crisp. “I think sometimes taking it to the game gets a little tougher than people realize.”