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In what turned out to be a great deal for the Red Sox, the team traded then-outfielder Coco Crisp to the Royals for unheralded relief pitcher Ramon Ramirez, who went on to turn in a strong year for the Sox (2.84 ERA in 70 games). Crisp, meanwhile, stumbled in his first year with the Royals, hitting .228 with 3 HR and 18 RBI in just 49 games. He missed most of the season after undergoing surgery to repair the rotator cuff and labrum in both shoulders.

“I’m not worried about the capability of playing 100 percent as far as the season goes, but teams are, and that’s very understandable coming off of surgeries,” Crisp told MLB.com.

Teams (as a plural word) you ask? That’s right, because Coco estimates “there’s close to a dozen teams with a level of interest.” One of those teams is one of his former employers. No, I’m not talking Burger King, or the Cleveland Indians, but your Boston Red Sox, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney.

Obviously, Crisp wouldn’t make the the $8 million he could have made this year if the Royals picked up his option. But, if Crisp does indeed come back, there would be only two likely scenarios:

• Fourth outfielder (though that’s kind of unlikely considering the Sox have Jeremy Hermida)
• As part of a platoon in left field with Hermida and another free agent veteran

I don’t like either scenario, and he probably doesn’t either, as he would definitely find more playing time with another team. He may also re-sign with the Royals, who are in search of a centerfielder, and apparently up to 10 other teams as well. Keep dreaming, Coco.

Tags: Coco Crisp, Hot Stove, Red Sox, Winter Meetings