Crosby OK with return to 51s

Nick Christensen

Friday, June 20, 2003 | 10:27 a.m.

Bubba Crosby knew he was lucky even to get to the major leagues.

So when Crosby, a 26-year-old outfielder, was sent back to the Las Vegas 51s Tuesday after a 20-day stint with the Dodgers, he wasn't too surprised, much less disappointed. Crosby was sent down after the Dodgers reactivated injured Daryle Ward.

He arrived in Edmonton Wednesday, where the 51s are playing a four-game series against the Trappers. "At this time in my career, I think that it only benefits me to play every day," Crosby said via telephone from Edmonton, where the 51s lost 4-2 Thursday. "I think it's best for me to be somewhere where I can be in that lineup, because for this stage in my career, every at-bat is a learning experience."

Manager John Shoemaker said it's nice to have Crosby back.

"Everybody is just happy that he had a chance to reach the major leagues and unfortunately, he wasn't able to stay," Shoemaker said. "His coming back to us gives us a ballplayer that left here leading the league in hitting, and was one of the best players in the league when he left."

Crosby was hitting .401 when he was called up. He was 1-for-3 Thursday with two strikeouts. With the Dodgers, he got nine at-bats. He had a hit and drove in a run the first time up, but was 0-for-8 after that.

Shoemaker said he thinks it will take some time for Crosby to regain his form.

"He was in the major leagues for 19 days, and only got nine at-bats," he said. "Facing live pitching again, it's going to take him just a little while, but it shouldn't take too long. Playing on an everyday basis will be a bigger adjustment to him than facing the pitching."

Crosby thinks his timing is off from where it was when he left. "I was getting to the point where I need to keep the timing," he said. "It's true that if you stay out of it long enough, you do a lot of backtracking.

"My timing was a little off today, but I kind of expected it. It's pretty normal for being out of a game for eight or nine days. It feels good to be back in the batter's box. I was a little anxious, a little aggressive, it was a typical first day back."

Crosby said that while .400 isn't a realistic goal, he wants to do as well as he can.

"Hitting .400 at the professional level is extremely difficult. But I believe I have the ability, the same ability that I had the first two months of the season. It's just a matter of getting back to getting comfortable."

"It's a good time for me to get back and play every day until I get an opportunity, whether it be with the Dodgers or any other organization."

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