Lost in the list of predictions of where free agents will land and the Dodgers spending was Brandon Crawford’s announcement that he was retiring after a 14-year ML career. I’m only guessing that he came back for season #14 because 2023 was so awful.

As recently as 2021, the four time AS, gold glove and one-time silver slugger.had his best offensive season by the numbers. He slashed .298/.373/.522 and 24 HR and 90 RBI at age 34. His numbers, but not overall value, dropped precipitously after that.

Nobody would ever confuse him with the more physically gifted nor physically imposing shortstops of the current era, but few would be hard pressed to find a grittier and more intelligent guys at the position. No matter how you choose to frame his career numbers, they weren’t especially impressive when compared to most of the shortstops of the past twenty years. Yet, he was a winner. In 1682 games with S.F, he slashed ,250/.319/.396 46 HRs, 744 RBI, 669 runs scored and 47 stolen bases.

Even as he was doing something to beat the Cubs, I enjoyed watching him do it. He found different ways to upset the apple cart, and he was an integral part of the Giants teams that won it all in 2012 and 2014.

Had he made his intention to retire during this past season, I don’t think he would have received a hero’s welcome in most ballparks. Unless you were a Giants fan, you considered him an irritant as he did all of the little things while flashing major leather.

As a baseball purist I would have liked for him to retire after the 2023 season. Instead, he signed on with the Cardinals where he looked old. He only played in 28 games for STL and hit a paltry .169 with 1 homer and 4 RBI.

I also love the fact that he homered off his fink of a brother-in-law Gerrit Cole.

Thanks, Brandon, for playing the game the right way!