Boston Sports Wrap: Coco Crisp Traded, Quentin Richardson Gets All Thuggy

ESPN broke the news today that Red Sox fans have been expecting for almost two years: Outfielder Coco Crisp has been traded. The lifetime .280 hitter with the .331 on-base percentage and 124 career stolen bases will now call the baseball paradise of Kansas City his home next season, as he was traded for Royals reliever Ramon Ramirez Wednesday.

Ramirez posted a 2.64 ERA in 71.1 innings of work, putting up a 3-2 record with one save in 2008. He was seventh in the American League in holds with 21 and will likely split time with Hideki Okajima as the set-up man for closer Jonathan Papelbon.

Crisp hit .283 with seven homers, 41 RBI, and 20 stolen bases in part-time duty last season and is going into his free agency year. He never did live up to the standard that Red Sox fans expected when they traded 3rd base prospect Andy Marte for him prior to the 2006 season.

But he did make some great catches and had a decent 2008 postseason, so for what's it worth, we wish you luck, Coco. Your name gave us many overused laughs over the years.

The Big Q is a big A: Following the Celtics' 110-101 win over the Knicks Tuesday night, New York's Quentin Richardson decided to spout off a bit, illustrating why so many people have been turned off by the NBA:

"I think a few of those guys know they can’t just say anything to us. I’m just real curious to see what those guys will be saying if we weren’t in a basketball league, and didn’t have referees. I mean it wouldn’t be the same story. I mean they are the world champions and rah-rah-rah, but the tough part I don’t factor.

"I come from a neighborhood where you can say what you want to say, but 'til you do something, it don’t mean nothing. Some of those guys are happy to get a ring, but you ain’t been in the league long enough to talk to people like that. I don’t have a lot of respect for that. Like I said, I’d be curious to hear what they have to say in a different setting, I’d be very curious to see that.”

Really, Quentin? What setting: the street, a house, Yankee Stadium? Did you forget you're actually a professional athlete and probably shouldn't be saying things like this, especially when you're making $8.6 million this year and averaging 10 points and 5.2 rebounds a game?

Josh Nason started Small White Ball in 2007 and is the main contributor of content for the site. He can be reached at [e-mail].