Bobby Crosby

Robert Edward Crosby

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 195 lb.
• School California State University, Long Beach
• High School La Quinta High School (Westminster, CA)
• Debut September 2, 2003
• Final Game August 21, 2010
• Born January 12, 1980 in Lakewood, CA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Bobby Crosby played eight seasons in the big leagues, primarily with the Oakland Athletics. He was the American League Rookie of the Year in 2004.

Crosby was a star at Long Beach State, where he was 2000 Big West All-Star shortstop and 2001 Big West Player of the Year. In 2000, he also won the Jacques Reuvers Award during Haarlem Baseball Week. He was picked in the first round of the 2001 amateur draft by the A's and had a terrific 11 games in Modesto of the California League. Back at Modesto in 2002, he hit .307 in half a season and was called up to Midland of the Texas League where he hit .281. The following year, in 2003, he starred at Sacramento of the Pacific Coast League, posting a batting line of .308/.395/.544 and being named Baseball America First Team Minor League All-Star shortstop as well as PCL Rookie of the Year.

Bobby had a brief cup of coffee with the major league team in 2003, going 0-for-12 with a run scored. In 2004, although he won ROTY honors, his limitations were apparent. He hit .239/.319/.426 with 22 home runs and 32 doubles but struck out 141 times and grounded into 20 double plays. His power and his range factor in the field could not be overlooked. He was the sixth member of the A's to be named Rookie of the Year. In 2005 and 2006, Crosby struggled with injuries, going on the disabled list four different times. In 2005, although he missed half a season, his .276/.346/.456 was notably better than the previous season. In 2006, his numbers were back down again (.229/.298/.338 in 96 games). In the second half, he struggled with a back injury that greatly limited his playing time.

Crosby was only 27 in 2007, and should have been coming into his best years. If only he could have stayed healthy. Through 2007, several of the most similar players to Crosby were catchers, indicative of the fact that Crosby's batting average was low while he showed decent power. He again missed a lot of playing time, getting into only 93 games, and hit a modest .226/.278/.341 (OPS+ 67). He did have a bit of power, with 16 doubles and 8 homers, but drew only 23 walks. In 2008, he was healthy again, playing 145 games, but hit .237/.296/.349. He did slug 39 doubles, score 66 runs and drive in 61, but overall his game still remained well below average. Bobby played one final season with the Athletics in 2009, but he hit only .223/.295/.357 in 97 games, with 24 walks, 10 doubles and 6 homers. For the first time, he was no longer a shortstop, splitting his time between first base and third base.

The A's did not retain Crosby for 2010 and the Pittsburgh Pirates signed him with no intention of making him a starter. Even playing for a last-place team, his .224/.301/.295 with only 9 extra-base hits in 61 games was not enough, and at the trading deadline, he was dumped on the Arizona Diamondbacks in a five-player trade. Bobby went 2 for 12 for the D-Backs before drawing his unconditional release before the end of August, bringing his big league career to an end. He attempted a comeback in 2013, going to spring training with the Milwaukee Brewers after having spent a full season away from baseball.

Crosby returned to the Athletics in 2019 when he became a coach with the Midland Rockhounds. He was scheduled to manage the Stockton Ports in 2020 before the season was cancelled due to COVID-19. Crosby managed Midland in 2021-2023. After the 2022 season he managed the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League.

Bobby is the son of Ed Crosby, and his brother, Blake, was drafted by Oakland in 2009 out of Sacramento State. Blake currently works as a Toronto Blue Jays crosschecker. Their older brother, Brian, zagged out of the family business to become an artist for Walt Disney Imagineering.

Notable Achievements

• 2004 AL Rookie of the Year Award
• 20-Home Run Seasons: 1 (2004)

AL Rookie of the Year
2003	2004	2005
Angel Berroa	Bobby Crosby	Huston Street

Year-by-Year Managerial Record

Year	Team	League	Record	Finish	Organization	Playoffs
2021	Midland Rockhounds	Double-A Central	59-60	6th	Oakland Athletics
2022	Midland Rockhounds	Texas League	66-71	8th	Oakland Athletics
2023	Midland Rockhounds	Texas League	70-68	4th (t)	Oakland Athletics