What does Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford expect out of the 2021 season? ‘It’s time to win’
The Mariners have spent the past two seasons rebuilding after committing to a massive roster overhaul following another disappointing finish in 2018.
Progress has been made. Seattle debuted several of its up-and-comers in 2019 and 2020. Outfielder Kyle Lewis was the American League Rookie of the Year this past season, and rookie first baseman Evan White and shortstop J.P. Crawford won Gold Gloves.
The trend of development will continue in 2021, with more prospects expected to find their way to T-Mobile Park.
But, some of the Mariners’ more seasoned players don’t believe the continued push toward growing young talent has to come at the expense of competing.
Crawford, one of the centerpieces of this rebuild, who came to the Mariners as part of the Jean Segura trade with the Phillies following that 2018 season, is entering his third season with the club.
He said Thursday during a video call with reporters as part of the club’s Virtual Baseball Bash his focus has turned to winning ballgames.
“I think it’s time to go,” Crawford said. “Everyone’s had their time. Everyone’s got their little cup of (coffee), and I think we have the competitiveness to go out there and win every night and be a winning team.
“I think if we just all believe that, and we all play like that and show up each day like we can do that, it will make a big difference.”
The upcoming season marks 20 years since the Mariners last made the playoffs — way back in 2001, when Ichiro Suzuki was the AL Rookie of the Year and MVP, the club had eight All-Stars and won a record 116 games.
The two-decade postseason drought is the longest active streak in North American professional sports.
But, Crawford, now in his fifth season in the majors, and others in Seattle’s clubhouse, are set on turning the Mariners back into a contender.
“That’s been my main goal since I got here,” Crawford said. “I just want to win.”
The 26-year-old former Phillies first-round pick has mentioned his postseason ambitions often since arriving in Seattle, and has put in the individual work to help make them a reality.
Crawford has logged many hours working with infielders coach Perry Hill the past two seasons — Crawford has often credited the 68-year-old coach for his defensive breakout — which has elevated him to one of the top shortstops in baseball and a first-time Gold Glove winner last fall.
“You look at J.P. the year before, he showed the flashes, he showed all the physical tools obviously, but he cleaned up a lot of little things in there,” Mariners veteran third baseman Kyle Seager said. “You’ve got to give J.P. a lot of credit there because you can tell he put the work in, he put the time in that it takes and he listened to things.”
Seager said he’s consistently seen his teammate out on the infield early taking ground balls, and sees purpose in Crawford’s work.
“He’s putting himself in the right position that he wants to get to in the games,” Seager said. “When you practice like that, you can put yourself in the right position so then naturally your athletic ability takes over.
“That’s something that I remember Brendan Ryan used to do. He used to just do the craziest things in practice, and then all of a sudden he’d come up there and he’d do it at 7 p.m. at night and everybody would ooh and aah over it, but for us, he’d been doing it all day. We’d seen him doing it for weeks.
“J.P. is very similar in there, where he’s got all the physical tools you could possibly want, but he does work and he does care, and he takes it very serious.”
As Crawford has made defensive strides — including a few highlight-reel plays along the way — the Mariners have also seen their young shortstop emerge as a clubhouse leader.
“He came in, he put his head down, and he showed everybody the work,” Seager said. “He started — especially on the defensive side — having a lot of success and then especially towards the back half of that last year, I could notice a difference out there, where he’s taking charge.”
Crawford is prepared to continue expanding his leadership role as Seattle’s young nucleus continues to arrive and settle in.
“I think it’s definitely that time to step up,” he said. “I’m ready for it. I’m up for the challenge.”
Another challenge Crawford has been tackling this offseason is upping his production on offense. He hit a career-best .255 during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season as Seattle’s leadoff hitter, and cut down on strikeouts from the year before, but the Mariners believe he has yet to hit his offensive ceiling.
“While he wasn’t carrying gaudy offensive numbers, the consistency in his approach from beginning to end, I thought was a real standout,” Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said. “We with the Mariners have always talked about the reliance on process over result. J.P.’s process in 2020 was outstanding, and the offensive results we feel like will eventually start catching up with his process.”
Crawford said he and Seattle’s hitting coaches have an offensive plan that gives him confidence.
“I’m feeling good about my offense this year,” he said. “I’ve been working every day this offseason with Evan and (Sam) Haggerty down here in the complex, and the swing feels good.
“It’s shorter and quicker and the ball is jumping off better than it ever has before, so I’m really excited to get this year going.”
Crawford moved to Arizona last offseason to be closer to the Mariners’ spring training facility, and said having that access has made a difference.
“It’s huge,” he said. “I’ve put on muscle that I haven’t had before. I’m more explosive. The defense is still there. I get to work out every day and just get better with my teammates. I love it down here. It’s one of the best decisions I’ve made.”
And as Crawford has made strides forward individually, he hopes the team success follows.
“I’m ready,” he said. “Let’s go. Let’s start winning.”
