Carl Crawford emerging from deep slump as Red Sox also rise

The Boston Red Sox are showing that those who judged their season on a 2-10 start did so at their own peril.

One detail in particular, the addition of Carl Crawford in free agency at a cost of $142 million, appeared to be a big miscalculation.

Well, after a brutal start, Boston has gone 17-7 this month, including a 14-1 thrashing of the Tigers on Thursday, to climb into a virtual tie with the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East.

And though he still has issues, Crawford's bat is so hot this week, he ought to dine at Sizzler: He has 10 hits in 16 at-bats, and is coming off back-to-back four-hit games, to raise his batting average 35 points and his slugging percentage 91 points since Monday.

In fairness, Crawford's numbers had nowhere to go but up. After a weekend series against the Cubs, he was batting .209 with few walks and a .277 slugging percentage in 187 plate appearances.

His recent barrage includes a two-triple game Thursday, along with a home run and two doubles against the Indians on Wednesday. In the past two games, he has only swung and missed once.

So, who's your Crawdaddy now?

Crawford, as quoted in the Providence Journal, sounds cautiously optimistic about his uptick.

"We just have to see how it goes here. I've been feeling good the last few days, and you try to keep that feel for the next few days," he said. "Hopefully it doesn't go away just like that."

It might have been unfair to pronounce judgment on Crawford's signing after just a short time in Boston, but an awesome four-game hot streak shouldn't erase concerns.

Crawford in May is batting .333 in 96 at-bats, but his strikeout-to-walk ratio is 18 to 2 ? actually worse than it was in April when he hit .155 with a .431 OPS. His lack of walks probably is a big reason he has only seven stolen bases (in 10 attempts) so far. It's also why manager Terry Francona can't yet, in good conscience, hit Crawford at the top of Boston's lineup.

And he's still batting .117/.159/.183 against lefties. While his star hitter has�always been vulnerable against southpaws, Francona seriously needs to consider platooning Crawford if he can't pick it up. A $142 million platoon player? That's outrageous, and unacceptable, even in one of the biggest markets.

Crawford's results at Fenway Park, while dreadful, are actually encouraging in a way. His .222/.252/.293 line indicates, to me, a guy who is pressing to impress his new team and its fans. As he continues to get used to not being in Tampa Bay, he probably will relax and start to take advantage of Fenway.

Also, his batting average on balls put into play ? .267 ? is way off from his career mark of .329 (and .342 the past two seasons). He's been unlucky, and as his luck turns (probably), his stat line will catch up to the mean.

The Red Sox might never get their money's worth for Crawford, but he's going to be better. Just give him time.

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