Former Dirtbag cleans up with AL Rookie of the Year

Baseball • Former Dirtbag and current Oakland A's shortstop Bobby Crosby was named the American League Rookie of the Year. Associated Press

 

By Moria Khou
Online Forty-Niner
Staff Writer

A prestigious award for a worthy player as former Long Beach State Dirtbag and Oakland Athletics shortstop, Bobby Crosby was named the American League Rookie of the Year.

The Baseball Writers' Association of America gave Crosby 27 of the 28 first place votes for the coveted annual prize. Chicago White Sox's closer Shingo Takatsu received the other first place nod, which kept Crosby one vote shy of being the unanimous winner in the AL. Crosby was also named the Players Choice Rookie of the Year by fellow big leaguers.

The shortstop has been happily occupied as he traveled to Oakland to accept the award.

"It's been a stressful week," Crosby said. "I don't know how to put it into words. It's such a big accomplishment for me – it's amazing."

In his first full season, Crosby led all AL rookies slugging 22 homers and driving in 64 runs, while batting .239. The shortstop also amassed 130 hits, 70 runs, and 34 doubles in the 151 games he appeared in during his rookie campaign.

The rookie continued a legacy of former Oakland A's greats to have won the celebrated award, which includes, Jose Canseco in 1986 and Mark McGwire in 1987.

Crosby, a Lakewood native was drafted after his junior season in 2001 by Oakland in the first round, the 25th pick overall. Despite playing ball and spending the summer in the Bay Area, Crosby prefers the comforts of the Southland at season's end, as he returns to his home in Long Beach.

"Long Beach is where I went to school," he said. "I love the people. This is where I workout, and so many of my good friends are here."

On Sept. 30 in the dead heat of the AL West pennant chase, Crosby had his most memorable moment as a big leaguer. The rookie blasted a walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Seattle Mariners to propel the A's into playoff contention. Oakland ultimately came up short and didn't make the postseason but, nonetheless, the 24-year-old left an impressionable mark on fans and baseball writers around the country.

"Making the playoffs was the main goal all along," he said. "I've never hit a walk-off home run before. It was the best feeling."

Crosby described how fortunate he is to play behind the young and talented Oakland A's starting pitching staff that includes, Tim Hudson, Barry Zito, Mark Mulder, and Rich Harden.

"It's an awesome experience," he said. "I was told before the season not to worry about my hitting and just to play good defense."

In absolute disregard to the advice from the A's coaching staff, the shortstop went out and posted spectacular power numbers for his rookie campaign. Crosby attributed the surge to working out with his personal trainer who helped him build strength. Additionally, Crosby has the extra benefit of having his father, Ed who played six years in the major leagues and knows what he's going through.

"Some guys don't have the luxury that I have. I can go to him for everything, whether on the field or off and it's comforting," the rookie said.

Despite carrying the status of a professional athlete, Crosby still makes time for the places and people that helped him get to where he is. The shortstop plays in the annual Pro Alumni Game in January at Blair Field and often returns to Long Beach State to give advice to current Dirtbag players.

"You have to be the first one to practice and last to leave," Crosby told the shortstops at Long Beach State. "You gotta go out and get it. You just can't rely on talent alone."

Long Beach State's President Robert Maxson was ecstatic at the fact that Crosby won the award. Maxson predicted on ESPN Radio before the start of the 2004 baseball season that Crosby would be rookie of the year. With the official announcement, the president's prediction has come to fruition.

"It's an honor to have a president of a university as a friend," Crosby said.

"He is my biggest supporter and he has so much confidence in me."

Rather than getting caught up in the limelight of stardom, Maxson prefers to describe Crosby with more humanistic qualities that are seldom found in millionaire ball players.

"I'm so happy," Maxson said. "Bobby is a great baseball player. He doesn't boast or complain and he's the nicest human being. Even though he's making a lot of money now, it doesn't change him."