The best base stealer in these times, a genuine reason the Tampa Bay Rays are turning so many heads in baseball and filling up Tropicana Field is the base-stealing of Carl Crawford, like that all-time record high of six against the Boston Red Sox Sunday against proud Sox catcher, Jason Varitek.

By the game’s end it was clear Crawford was going to be able to run the bases on instinct, he did.

Remember, to steal six, Crawford had to get on base six times.

Crawford, not wildly sought out of college in Houston, nor until recently, was signed by scout, Doug Gassaway out of what was then an awful part of Houston. No one could have expected this would be written this day. Yes, his mama raised him, kept him on the narrow, and the results have been stunning. He is a real weapon, had the Sox number. Yes, he said, he could have stolen two more for the never-reached-yet eight (8) total, he said later.

But, hey, he swiped those record six out among the crowd. At Jefferson Davis High, this kid lettered in football, basketball, swimming and baseball. Nebraska spotted him. Wanted him to play quarterback there. USC, Florida, Tulsa liked what they saw in the talented 6-1, 205 pound lefty at bat and on the field. He chose baseball and he chose the Rays after they had chose him and it all worked in the end. He’s s fine fielder, a fine hitter, long and short, and he’s a dork in no way. His teammates like him. He’s a cleancut, straight-arrow, baseball junkie. He knows about Cool Papa Bell. He knows their importance in balance on the field—thus the running, batting, fielding, base-stealing, and he lacks no skills. 

However scouts like Gassaway know that and can see that in youth. I guess that’s how fine managers like Joe Maddon of this fine Rays team that is so balanced and without headache, like Tony LaRussa, like Joe Torre, like Lou Piniella do it. They do see it, at least more often than not. Or see what is missing and fill it in.

Gassaway and the Rays saw enough in the talented, well-developed Carl Crawford to draft him.

Crawford began to satisfy his judges early, as well as himself. Along the way he installed himself as among the best at running the bases. His coaches say he gives no tips, no quick starts, no jumps. They say Carl Crawford was good enough, fast enough, smart enough, and a good enough slider to beat the throws, beat the tags, or slide under or around them.

This fine athlete has become a premier base-stealer in the sport that makes you a winner through that theft. 

In 2003, Crawford led the American League in steals, with 55 and batted .281 with 5 homeruns and 54 runs batted in.  He made the all-star team and was MVP of the Rays by vote of writers.  Now, he was on his way. In 2004, Crawford stole 59 bases, batted .296 with 11 homers and 55 RBIs. Crawford batted .301 in 2005, and had career highs in hits with 194, homers with 15 and RBIs with 81. He led the league in triples (15) and was third in steals at 46. 

In 2006, Crawford became only the eighth player to get 200 stolen bases before his 25th birthday. He finished the season with career highs in batting average (.305), homers (18) and matched the record of Rogers Hornsby as the only players to increase their batting average every year for five straight seasons.

Crawford has been a study for the Rays since he accumulated his 1,000th hit, making him only the eighth hitter ever to hit 1,000 and steal 250 bases before turning 27. 

And, now, this versatile athlete tied the major league all-time record by stealing those six bases in a single game against the Bosox. If you were there, you saw history.

  If you stick around Carl Crawford much longer, you’ll see plenty more. 

  Run, Carl Run!