Carl Crawford Signs With Red Sox For Seven-Years, $142 Million

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Carl Crawford To Red Sox: A Look At What Boston Is Getting

The finals details are still being worked out, and he still has to pass his physical, but unless there's something drastic, Carl Crawford will be roaming the outfield for the Boston Red Sox in 2011, agreeing to a seven-year, $142 million deal late Wednesday night.

That's a lot of money -- at $20.28 million per year, it makes him the highest paid outfielder in the game -- so what exactly are the Red Sox getting? 

Offensively, they're getting someone who most compares to Roberto Clemente, and a leadoff hitter for the next seven years. He's a solid hitter -- .296/.337/.444 for his career, with an OPS+ of 107 -- with some pop, averaging 14 home runs each season, and a career high of 19 homers (in 2010).

Crawford's WAR (Wins Above Replacement, which asks, "If this player got injured and their team had to replace them with a minor leaguer or someone from their bench, how much value would the team be losing?") was 6.9 in 2010, ninth best in all of baseball (Adrian Gonzalez came in at No. 22, with a 5.3 rating). 

His on-base percentage is pretty average (career .337), but once he gets on base, he's an immediate threat. Crawford has led the A.L. in stolen bases four times in his nine year career and average 54 swipes a season. He'll run and run often, and with a success rate of 82%, he probably be standing on second with the middle of the Red Sox lineup coming up. 

But it's Crawford's defense that makes him a special player. The 2010 Gold Glove winner was the fourth-best outfielder in all of baseball in 2010, with a UZR of 18.5. For comparison, J.D. Drew, the Red Sox' best statistical outfielder, came in at 3.8; Jacoby Ellsbury has a career UZR of 15.1, including a -9.7 in 2009 (remember, zero is average). 

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Carl Crawford, Red Sox Reportedly Agree On Seven-Year, $142 Million Deal

The Red Sox have made their second big move of the offseason, reportedly signing outfielder Carl Crawford to a seven-year, $142 million deal. The move was first reported by the Boston Globe's Peter Abraham and quickly confirmed by Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal. 

The deal is still not official -- Rosenthal says there is "still some guaranteed language to be worked out" -- and Crawford must pass a physical, but it's "close to being done." The deal will make him the highest-paid outfielder in baseball history with an average salary of $20.2 million per season. 

Combined with the Adrian Gonzalez extension, that's a reported $296 million the Sox have agreed to pay in the past three days. 

At Over The Monster, they're "shocked," and a little wary of the huge contract. 

While Carl Crawford has the "young player" type of skills that don't tend to decline as quickly, seven years is still a long contract, and at $20 million per year, the Sox are putting a heavy investment in a player whose best skill is limited by their home park. Sort of the opposite of the Adrian Gonzalez deal.

Additionally, since Crawford is a Type-A free agent, the Red Sox will have to surrender a first-round pick. 

Boston has been after Crawford the past couple weeks, but the Jayson Werth deal with the Nationals indicated to many that Crawford would be too expensive to land. Apparently not. The free agent outfielder also reportedly met with the New York Yankees on Wednesday. 

Crawford has spent his entire nine-year career in Tampa Bay, hitting .296/.337/.444. The four-time All Star has led the A.L. in stolen bases four times, and in 2009 he set a career-high with 60 swipes. This likely gives the Red Sox an Opening Day outfield of Crawford, Jacoby Ellsbury and J.D. Drew.