Update 11:04 AM ET: Jim Bowden is saying via twitter the A's have indeed moved closer to re-signing Crisp, corroborating Gammons' earlier mystery tweet to us.
Update 8:27AM ET: In a response to our story, Peter Gammons tweeted us: "late night text claimed Oakland."
Update 8:27:05 AM ET: Jon Heyman says Coco's team IS NOT the Baltimore Orioles, though they are still looking for a leadoff hitter. This may or may not put the resulting Adam Jones rumors to bed, depending on who they find.
Coco Crisp has picked a team, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle via Crisp's agent. Which team, though, is something of a mystery. Jon Heyman suggests it could be the Baltimore Orioles according to his sources, and Britt Ghiroli says that if it is Baltimore, a bigger trade involving Adam Jones could follow.
This could be one of those ripples that gets bigger and bigger until we see the real splash. Who knew it might come from a guy like Coco? Until we get more this is obviously all speculation built on top of agent-fueled rumor, but you knew that:
- Coco Crisp decides on next team, but won't say - Susan Slusser
"Crisp's agent, Steve Comte, confirmed that he has continued to talk to the A's all along, and he said Monday that Crisp has decided where he will play next year. [...] The Cubs and Dodgers are other teams recently linked to the Crisp, with Chicago potentially a front-runner. Comte estimated that he has spoken to 13-14 teams about Crisp this winter." - Crisp signing soon; could it possibly be Orioles? - Jon Heyman
"The news of Coco Crisp's imminent signing with some unknown mystery team added intrigue to the baseball interest Monday night. Nobody seems to know for sure what team it is, but here's one guess out of left field: the Baltimore Orioles." - Crisp Signing Could Signal Adam Jones Trade - Britt Ghiroli
"Yes, I’m aware of the rumors that outfielder Coco Crisp could possibly be signing in Baltimore, which CBS’ Jon Heyman tweeted as an unconfirmed possibility early tonight. I’m also aware that –if it happens — it could mean set up a bigger trade involving outfielder Adam Jones."