He’s on the Major Leagues’ Short List

The U.S. national baseball team filed onto Dodger Stadium’s field last week, down the wide stairway between the yellow seats, each of the players carrying a red, white and blue duffel bag.

They strode past the ever-diligent scouts and the stadium workers cleaning up after the previous night’s crowd. Bobby Crosby walked among them, a bag slung over his right shoulder. He wore a happy expression, along with the physical bulk of the modern shortstop.

He arrived batting a team-high .563 after six games of a tour that had taken the club through Arizona and Hawaii, with a summer of games throughout the United States and the Netherlands ahead.

Crosby, from La Quinta High and Long Beach State, turned down the chance to play in the respected summer Cape Cod League to be a part of this, an afternoon game in Dodger Stadium against Japan, with “USA” across his chest and no name at all across his back.

“It’s been one of the best experiences of my life,” Crosby said.

He is 20, having just completed his sophomore season for the 49ers. He batted .348 in 56 games and led the team with 79 hits and 123 total bases. If those don’t sound much like a shortstop’s offensive numbers, neither do these: Crosby stands 6 feet 3 and weighs 195 pounds, and he committed only six errors in 309 chances.

The baseball experiences seemingly will come rapidly for Crosby, then. He’ll likely play only one more season in Long Beach, then enter the major league draft, of which national team (and USC) Coach Mike Gillespie said, “I’ll be astounded if he wasn’t a first-rounder.”

“It’s amazing the progress he’s made,” Long Beach State Coach Dave Snow said. “He just seems to get better every year. We were in no big recruiting battles for him. He’s a late bloomer with a good work ethic. Combine that with his talent and he’s got a good future.”

Only, where?

Crosby will enter the draft as a shortstop, same as his father, Ed, who played for St. Louis, Cincinnati and Cleveland in six big-league seasons. However, because of his size and an ever-growing potential for power, he could come out of it a third baseman.

Crosby wouldn’t fight a move to the corner, but his heart is at shortstop, a position redefined 20 years ago by Cal Ripken Jr., and replicated in this generation by Alex Rodriguez, Nomar Garciaparra and Derek Jeter.

“It’s where I’ve always played,” Crosby said. “I feel completely comfortable there. I played some third base in the [national team] tryouts and it’s not the same as playing shortstop. I love playing shortstop. I like getting as many balls as I can. I probably like fielding more than hitting.

“I hope I stay there. But, if I go to third in the future, then we’ll see how it works out.”

Ed Crosby, employed by the Angels as a part-time scout, said the debate is ongoing.

“But, from what I’ve seen--from the perspective of a dad and a scout--he’s got great hands, he’s got range and he’s got arm strength,” Ed said. “In my mind, there’s no reason he can’t play shortstop in the big leagues.”

Crosby hit in the middle of the order for the national team in its first six games, then batted leadoff Friday. As if to answer questions of size and quickness, Crosby bunted for a hit to start the first inning. Six innings later, he made an exceptionally nimble defensive play on a grounder that took him to the right-field side of second base, and then he flied to the left-field warning track in the eighth inning.

“I understand the question, I understand why it would be a question,” Gillespie said. “I would think that five years ago, just by the mentality of baseball people, that would have been a slam dunk: He’s a shortstop on his way to becoming a third baseman. But--and not to suggest that he’s Nomar or that he’s Jeter or Rodriguez, please understand I’m not trying to throw that on him--but now we’re seeing bigger shortstops.

“So, I think when he gets drafted, whoever takes him leaves him at shortstop and sees if he plays himself off shortstop. He really is a good shortstop. His hands are good, he’s got plenty of arm, he gets his outs. He’s a real good advanced player.

“I’m not prepared to say he can’t be a professional shortstop. But, like all human beings he’s going to get bigger. So, does that automatically make him a third baseman? He could do that too because he has that kind of power potential. As he gets bigger and stronger, there’s got to be more power in there.”

While Snow called him defensively “unorthodox,” a description that caused Crosby to raise an eyebrow, he claimed Crosby had all the tools to play where he wants.

“My only concern is if he outgrows the position,” Snow said. “But even as he’s gained size and strength over the last couple years, he’s maintained good range and foot quickness.”

Crosby was drafted in high school by the Angels in the 35th round. He didn’t sign. He knew he needed the same bulk that two years later has become such an intriguing conversation topic.

“I was just starting to grow,” he said. “My junior year [in high school], I was 5-9 and I weighed 150 pounds. My senior year, I was 6-2, 180. I don’t think I was ready to go into pro ball, with how big I was and how mature I was. I think after my junior year [in college], I should be ready to go. I’ve seen enough good pitching, I’ve played against a lot of good players and I think I’ll be ready after this year.”

It appears he’ll find a place somewhere.

“Bobby just wants to play,” his father said. “It doesn’t matter where.”