Is Crisp coming to Baltimore?

By Roch Kubatko

Orioles

January 02, 2012, 5:25pm

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Free agent outfielder Coco Crisp reportedly is close to signing with a new team, and a hot rumor tonight links him to the Orioles. Jon Heyman from CBSSports.com is speculating that the Orioles have emerged as the mystery team. Crisp's agent, Steve Comte, recently told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle that his client had made a decision. The Orioles already have Adam Jones in center field, and they signed Endy Chavez as a fourth outfielder. However, Heyman is speculating that Jones could move to left field. I'm not sure how Jones would feel about that arrangement, considering that he won a Gold Glove in center field in 2010. Crisp, a switch hitter, has played 804 games in center and 216 in left during his 10-year major league career. As long as we're stoking the rumor mill, would Crisp's arrival signal that a trade is in the works? Run wild with it. It's the hot stove season. Crisp, 32, hit .264/.314/.379 with 27 doubles, five triples, eight homers, 54 RBIs and 49 stolen bases in 136 games with the Athletics last season.