Cleveland Indians Coco Crisp Not Ready to Retire Just Yet

Coco Crisp may not have a job just yet, but that does not mean that the former Cleveland Indians outfielder is ready to retire.

After spending most of the past seven years with the Oakland Athletics, Coco Crisp came home to the Cleveland Indians to help their postseason push. He performed relatively well in the playoffs, with a .269/.313/.577 batting line, hitting two home runs and stealing a base. He was exactly what the Indians hoped he would be.

However, Crisp has struggled over the past three years. Battling various injuries, he has posted a .231/.312/.360 batting line, hitting 54 doubles and 22 home runs while stealing 31 bases. Crisp still possesses a bit of pop and speed despite being 37 years old, potentially making him an interesting player on the open market.

As of this point, however, Crisp has yet to receive an offer. It is, to a degree, understandable; after all, he has played in just 292 games in the past three seasons. Although he has not received interest on the open market, Crisp is not planning on retiring, and is instead looking forward to playing somewhere in the 2017 campaign.

More from Call to the Pen

• Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
• Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
• Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
• Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
• 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals

If healthy, Crisp can still help a team. He may not be the dynamic player of his youth, when he was a threat to be amongst the league leaders in steals and a solid defensive player, but he can still perform well if needed. He certainly showed that he has something left in the tank when tank during the postseason.

As a fourth outfielder, Crisp could still help a team. He really is not capable of handling center field on a full time basis any longer, having cost his 28 runs in center over the past three years. He does, however, grade out well in left, and could, in theory, play right field as well.

Crisp is not the type of player that one would want to count on as an everyday player at this point in his career. Yet, by managing his appearances, and playing him a few times a week, Crisp can be a useful piece. On a younger team, he could also serve as a valuable mentor, helping to develop those players as they get acclimated to the Majors.

Next: Indians interested in Chase Utley

Coco Crisp still has something left to offer a Major League team. As such, he is not yet ready to retire.