Brandon Crawford turns 35 in January, which means he’s creeping up on retirement within the next few years. But the Giants shortstop still looks to be in the prime of his career if 2021 was any indication.
Aside from putting up the best offensive stats of his 11-year career last season, Crawford also kept bringing his smooth glovework that’s been a staple of his game. On Sunday night, MLB awarded Crawford his fourth career Gold Glove.
Citing the doubters that come with an aging career, Crawford said he took some extra satisfaction in this piece of hardware. Maria Guardado of MLB.com shared Crawford’s reaction:
“Honestly, for me, this one might feel the best out of all of them,” Crawford said, via Guardado. “I’ve always put a lot of pride in my defense. I think I’ve said that since I came up, but to have not won it for a few years and then kind of be told by everyone -- maybe not to my face -- that my defense was falling off, I’m not the same guy anymore, I’m getting old, that kind of stuff, and then to win another one. I think this one honestly feels better than the first one or any of the other three.”
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Crawford played in 138 games while playing his usual steady defense with the occasional sublime moment. He often makes plays look effortless despite their high degree of difficulty.
According to Mark A. Simon of Sports Info Solutions, Crawford picked this play as his favorite from the 2021 season.
That’s typical of Crawford -- who never seems to be in a rush.
If you still have an appetite for 2021 Crawford defensive highlights, check out this 7-minute compilation on YouTube.
Crawford signed a $32 million contract extension in August that will keep him with his hometown Giants for the next two seasons.
