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Crawford Looking For Party Favors

Published: Jul 10, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO - Carl Crawford had big, important things on his mind Monday as he took in the preliminaries leading up to his second All-Star Game.

"I hope I can get in," he said. "If I'm lucky enough, I'll get in."

Is the Devil Rays' lone representative hoping American League manager Jim Leyland gives him the chance to make a difference in tonight's game? Sure, but that's not what he was talking about.

As much as anything, Crawford was hoping he'd score an invitation to the exclusive party being thrown Monday night by Barry Bonds and hip-hop personality Jay-Z.

He even went so far as to seek the help of super agent Scott Boras, who hovered near uber-client Alex Rodriguez throughout most of the 45-minute interview session for the American League players.

Boras wasn't able to help with the party, but he and Crawford huddled for about five minutes at the end of the session. As they talked, a Devil Rays videographer sent to San Francisco to record Crawford's All-Star experience was shooed away after being asked politely to stop recording.

Crawford is represented by Houston-based agent Brian Peters, who negotiated the deal with the Rays that could keep Crawford in a Tampa Bay uniform through 2010 and pay him $33.5 million if the Rays exercise team options for 2009 and 2010.

Crawford will be a 29-year-old free agent after that. Monday's discussion with Boras won't necessarily lead to an agent switch, but it's an indication of the kind of attention Crawford is likely to receive as his earning potential continues to grow.

Meanwhile, Crawford soaked up as much All-Star atmosphere as he could. The first time around, when the All-Star Game was played in his hometown of Houston, he spent so much time visiting friends and family and responding to the many interview requests that it was all a blur.

"In Houston, this [interview] table right here was like that," said Crawford, pointing to Derek Jeter's crowded interview table. "It's definitely more easy. I can relax a little more and pace myself a little bit. Last time it was full speed. Everything was go, go, go the whole time."

ANOTHER RAYS REPRESENTATIVE: St. Petersburg's Tom Pursley, a Rays season-ticket holder since 1998, proudly strolled the streets of San Francisco on Monday wearing his green Devil Rays jersey and hat.

"I was over at Fan Fest and didn't see another Devil Rays shirt anywhere," said Pursley, who is in town for his first All-Star Game after spending a week in Southern California as part of a baseball tour group arranged by a travel agency.

FOR STARTERS: San Diego's Jake Peavy and Oakland's Dan Haren were named the starting pitchers for tonight's game by Leyland and NL manager Tony La Russa.

Peavy (9-3, 2.19 ERA, 125 strikeouts in 119 innings) joins Randy Jones (1976) and LaMar Hoyt (1985) as the only Padres named to start an All-Star Game.

"You look at his stats, it would be an easy choice," La Russa said. "But you look at the rest of the pitchers on the roster, and there's a lot of guys having good years."

Haren (10-3, 2.30 ERA, 101 strikeouts in 129 1/3 innings) is the sixth Athletics pitcher to start, following Vida Blue (1971, '75), Catfish Hunter (1973), Dave Stewart (1989), Bob Welch (1990) and Mark Mulder (2004).

"I'd be lying," Leyland said, "if I said there wasn't a nice extra touch because he pitches right across the bay here."

CALLING ALL ANGELS: Honorary NL president and Phillies chairman Bill Giles pointed out Monday that the NL went 19-4 during his father's tenure as league president but is 0-6 during his honorary presidency. La Russa didn't let the opportunity pass, leaning over to Giles and saying in a stage whisper: "You think you can work a little seance with your dad before the game?"

The AL is 15-3-1 in the past 19 All-Star Games and hasn't lost since 1996. The NL still leads the all-time series, 40-35-2.

Carter Gaddis