TRIS WHO?:

Coco’s fielding mighty Crisp (SEAN McADAM, 6/27/07, Providence Journal)

[T]he true measure of Crisp’s 2007 season is found in more arcane numbers, not readily available or found on a Web site. According to data compiled and maintained by one major-league club, Crisp is playing the best center field of any outfielder in the major leagues — and by a long shot.

The club, which asked not to be identified, uses a complicated metric to measure defensive play, including range and coverage. Based on its findings, tabulated monthly, Crisp is playing at a “plus-24” level in center field, meaning that through the end of May, Crisp had already recorded putouts on two dozen more players than the average center fielder.

While the data can’t be easily extrapolated for an entire season — there’s no guarantee that Crisp will finish at a plus-72, for example — he’s on pace to easily top last year’s best full-season grade, a plus-30, earned by Willie Taveras, then with Houston.

Similarly, Crisp could equal the best numbers achieved by Mike Cameron and Andruw Jones, each of whom had graded out near a plus-60 in their prime.

And he's hitting as if his finger was finally healed.

Posted by Orrin Judd at June 27, 2007 12:00 AM