The Red Sox were happy to finally pull off the deal for the Indians' outfielder, who had reportedly been of interest for some time.

01:00 AM EST on Sunday, January 29, 2006

BY ART MARTONE
Journal Sports Editor

Even when Johnny Damon was patrolling center field for them, the Red Sox had their eyes on Coco Crisp.

"We actually identified him [as a potential acquisition] quite a ways back," assistant general manager Jed Hoyer said yesterday in a conference call with the media. "[Both] our scouting reports and our quantitative analysis had this guy trending straight up."

"We've been tracking Coco Crisp for a year and a half now," general manager Theo Epstein concurred.

So when it began to appear as if Damon might not be returning to Boston, the Sox knew right where to look.

"Coco was the top guy on the list," said Hoyer. "That's why we really went after him so hard."

It took most of the offseason, but the Red Sox finally got their man late Friday night. Crisp, reliever David Riske and catcher Josh Bard are headed to Boston in a deal that sent prized third-base prospect Andy Marte, reliever Guillermo Mota, catcher Kelly Shoppach, cash, and a player to be named to Cleveland. The player to be named will be determined by how healthy Mota is in 2006, with the Sox sending a lesser minor-leaguer to the Indians if Mota pitches all season or a slightly more promising farmhand if he has to spend time on the disabled list.

"It's not every day you get a chance to acquire a guy for his age 26, 27, 28, 29 seasons, at least, [and] who we think will be above-average offensively and defensively at a premium position," Epstein said.

Crisp, for his part, is equally happy that the trade went through at last.

"I'm excited," he said in a separate conference call. "I can't wait to get out there and play. Boston definitely [was] one of my favorite ball teams growing up as a kid. To be able to play for them is like a dream come true."

Crisp was attractive to the Sox for many reasons. One of them, they admit, was monetary, as Crisp -- who earned only $364,900 last year -- isn't eligible for free agency until after the 2009 season.

"I think it's safe to say we probably would not have given up Marte in any deal . . . in which we were only getting back a player with only one or two years of [contractual] control," Epstein said. "To get four years of control of a player the caliber of Coco Crisp, going into his prime, that softens the blow a little bit of giving up six years [before free agency] of Andy Marte."

But the numbers that really impress the Sox aren't on his paycheck.

"He's already a very accomplished player," Epstein said. "[And now] he's moving into his [athletic] prime. He [also] helps us get a little bit younger, a little bit more athletic.

"A couple of his strengths really complement our weaknesses as a club, [such as] his [above-average] defense up the middle and his outstanding baserunning. Also he's a guy who has a chance to hit leadoff. He had a .370 on-base [percentage] last year away from Jacobs Field and he's got a chance to use Fenway to his advantage."

And some of the things that impress them have nothing to do with numbers.

"Almost every person we talked to [during their investigation of Crisp's off-field makeup] really thought he would thrive in our environment," Hoyer said, adding a bit later: "He's . . . got a certain energy and swagger we think will translate very well to Fenway."

If Crisp's self-analysis is accurate, Hoyer is right.

"I love the game," he said. "I play hard. I'm not afraid to run into a wall and get hurt. You know, go all-out. I think that's the type of player they love in Boston."

While their affection has cooled considerably since he signed with the Yankees, Damon is that type of player and there's no question Red Sox fans loved him. Crisp said he admires Damon, too.

"I'm a fan of the game so I like a lot of ballplayers, and Johnny's definitely one of them," he said.

And yet he doesn't feel any added pressure having to replace him.

"As far as going into his shadow, I don't believe it's like that," he said. "I [just have to] play my own game . . . I just sit back and relax. There's nothing really to it. Go out there and play your game and have fun, and the rest takes care of itself."

That coolness under fire is yet another thing that impressed the Red Sox. The Indians made a stirring, if ultimately unsuccessful, run for the postseason late last season and Crisp led the charge, hitting .345 with six home runs in September.

"He was just an unbelievable player in September," Hoyer said. "Coco was fantastic in the games that mattered most down the stretch. I think that's something we looked at a lot."

If the Sox were looking to replace the free spirits they've lost in the clubhouse since the 2004 championship season . . . well, Crisp may fit the bill there, too.

"I'm a fun guy," he said. "I just like to have fun, pull pranks. That type of a guy."

All of which explains why the Red Sox were so anxious -- and worked so hard -- to trade for Coco Crisp.

"Obviously, we gave up a lot to get him," said Hoyer. "But we think it was well worth it."

amartone@projo.com / (401) 277-7345