07/14/2005 12:13 PM ET Crisp's mailbag: Tribe can win Central MLBPLAYERS.com

Coco Crisp's favorite players growing up were Rickey Henderson and Brett Butler. (Jeff Glidden/AP)

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If you were starting a new team today and could choose any current player to be the cornerstone of your franchise (regardless of salary) who would you take?
-- Rocky L., Hillsdale, NJ

I'll take Albert Pujols. He's a top-tier guy with all-around hitting ability. He's a good guy, too. I know the kind of character he has from playing with him in the St. Louis organization.

• Crisp mailbag: Tribe can win Central • Pierzynski mailbag: Enjoying Chicago • Cruz mailbag: D-Backs are top notch • Young mailbag: Keeping it loose • Carpenter mailbag: From rock to country • Lieber mailbag: Appreciating Philly

Grady Sizemore is one of my favorite players due to his intensity in playing the game and his ability to hit the ball so well. What is it like to compete with him in center field?
-- Cam R., Franklin, Mass.

We're all cool with one another in the clubhouse because we're all around the same age. We get along well and hang out a little bit.

What is your real name?
-- Nick V., Muncie, IN

My grandmother called me "Co" for short. My real name is Covelli, and then once my sister and my god brother got a whiff of the cereal Cocoa Krispies, they started calling me that and making fun of me. My nickname started as a big joke and I didn't like it at first. But then it started catching on and everyone started calling me Coco so I got used to it. It resurfaced again in Double-A when they put it on the scoreboard and now I like it. I've just adopted it as my nickname. It helps me stick out in the crowd. When I go on the road people love to say the name. It's also easier to pronounce than Covelli.

Did you enjoy recording the "Oh Say Can You Sing" CD that was recently released? I loved your cut.
-- Jane M., Duluth, Minn.

It was fun. It was slightly different than what I'm used to. I have cousins in the industry. My god brother has been doing some stuff and my cousins have their own studio so I've been down there pretty frequently to record with them before and have some fun. So when they called with this opportunity, I jumped on it. Working with Scott Schorr, the producer, was real easy. It took me a couple days to get the lyrics down and re-write them and get them the way I wanted them. Scott gave me some direction and it seemed to work well. I think I'm going to stick with baseball, though. ( Listen to Coco's song.)

CC, I was wondering if there are any tips or drills you could give me to become a great hitter like you? I'm 12 and I play travel ball and I'm just trying as hard as I can to make it to where you are.
-- Brady J., LaQunta, Calif.

Hitting is the toughest thing in baseball. You're going to have a lot of ups and downs at any age. So the first thing you should remember is don't give up and keep working hard at it. But, beyond that, I'd suggest that you work on hitting the ball to all fields. Most young kids have a tendency to want to pull the ball and don't learn to hit the ball the other way. You'll be a better hitter if you learn to hit the other way. Practice that and, as you get older, you'll become a better all-around hitter.

Who is the toughest pitcher that you've faced?
-- Roger T., San Diego

It was Jason Grimsley, especially a couple of years ago. He had that 95 mph sinker that looked more like a fast split-finger to me.

Who is your favorite player (besides you)?
-- Brady G., Lakewood, NJ

My favorite players when I was growing up were Rickey Henderson and Brett Butler. I loved Henderson as a leadoff hitter with power and the way he stole bases. Butler would bunt a lot and play center field with that big glove. Those are the guys I liked to watch. Nowadays, I'm playing among great players and I have a lot of respect for all of the guys.

Do you think you have a better chance of catching Chicago or winning the Wild Card? Also, I was wondering if you guys actually pay that much attention to the standings and stats, or if you just go out there and play ball?
-- Joe J., Chicago

Obviously right now we have a better chance of winning the Wild Card because we're closer to that, but you never know what's going to happen in baseball because we have half the season left. The White Sox could somehow lose seven in a row and we could win seven in a row. We've already had a nine-game streak so I don't think of anything as impossible. As far as checking out the standings, we don't do much of that at this point, but you always have a pretty good idea with the media in your face. When we're playing Chicago, we have the power to do something about it. Other than that, what the White Sox do is out of our hands.

What baseball team did you like to watch when you were a kid?
-- Tracie B., Las Vegas

It was the Angels and the Dodgers where I grew up. I was a Dodgers fan. That's when I started watching Brett Butler. I always liked the speed guys. I adopted that from my dad. He wasn't a power guy. He always liked to watch the shortstops and their positioning and paid attention to the little things that make the game so great. He always wanted to go to the game when Ozzie Smith came into town.

Who has helped you the most in Major League Baseball?
-- Todd S., Chicago

Probably some of the guys that helped me early on -- like Matt Lawton. When I wasn't playing yet, Matt would tell me about some of the things that he went through to kind of help me and help me keep my spirits high. It was the first time in my life that I wasn't a starter so I wasn't used to being a role player. That helped. He helped with a lot of the tricks of the trade when I was first starting out.

What is a typical day for you when you have a night game?
-- Joe L., Bronx, NY

I don't do anything usually. I wake up around one o'clock and take care of the essentials like brushing my teeth and stuff. Then I'll go get a bite to eat and hang out with my wife a little bit. Then I'll head over to the ballpark. Of course, sometimes I have appointments or some odds and ends to take care of, but those things aren't part of the routine.

Coco, What is the funniest thing that has ever happened to you on the field?
-- Trenton, NJ, Dave M.

I don't remember if it was my first year or my second year, but we were in Minnesota and I was stealing a base. I went to slide head first and my palms got jammed in the dirt and my legs came up and almost flipped over the top. I had dirt in my face and on my cheeks. It was just this weird, weird slide -- more like my most embarrassing moment. It was funny to other people, though. I think the announcers compared me to an airplane landing without wheels. My teammates were in the dugout holding their hands over their mouths, trying to keep from laughing. But when I got to the dugout, they asked if I was all right. They had fun with it. It's funnier looking back on it.

Coco, who is your favorite actor?
-- Jimmy S., Las Vegas

Denzel Washington is probably my favorite. I like Tom Cruise, too. One of my favorite up-and-coming actors is Rashaan Nall. He's in the sitcom, "One on One" on UPN. He's a pretty funny character.

Coco, I am a HUGE fan of you and the Indians. I have always wanted to know what it was like when you first got in the Major Leagues? I bet you felt nervous, but really excited at the same time. You are the best!
-- Cassondra S., Cleveland

I was initially nervous. The first day I came up I was nervous, but I didn't play. But the next day I was fine and I played. If I had played my first day, I would have been nervous. But they let me suit up and mingle with the guys for a day. I had just been traded from the Cardinals organization so I didn't even realize Eddie Murray was there. When I saw him, I was like, 'Wow, that's Eddie Murray, sitting on the bench. I'm really here.' But after talking to the guys -- Ellis Burks, C.C. Sabathia -- I was fine the next day. I don't get nervous very easily. I was nervous when I went on stage to perform my rap song, but not on the baseball field.

How come you haven't been looking to steal as many bases as people expected? Also, I've always been curious if it is you who decides to try and swipe a bag, or if it's usually the coach's decision.
-- Jerry J., Boston

I have the green light to go whenever I want, depending on the situation. It's not always the right thing to do, especially when I'm hitting in the No. 2 spot. If I was batting lower in the order or in the leadoff spot, it would probably be different. But we have Victor Martinez and Travis Hafner hitting after me and they kind of like to keep that hole open. I just haven't had a lot of opportunities, even with the green light. Maybe someday I'll be in a different situation and be in position to utilize my speed for stealing more bases. I like to run.

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