The Chicago Cubs moved another piece off their team of the damned in their season of futility today by trading utility infielder Mike Fontenot away for San Francisco minor league outfielder Evan Crawford.
Right around the MLB trading deadline, the Cubbies moved Ryan Theriot, and now with Fontenot gone, the “O boys,” whose last names are pronounced in French, are no more.
Fontenot, 30, was hitting .284 (48-for-169) with 20 RBI in 75 games for Chicago this season. He was acquired by the Cubs from Baltimore in February 2005 in a four-player deal that included outfielder and disgraced steroid diva Sammy Sosa heading to the Orioles. In his MLB career Fontenot is hitting .269 (276-for-1,025) with 67 doubles, 22 home runs and 132 RBI in 422 games for the Cubs.
Coincidentally, the Cubs trading partner happens to be their opponent tonight. Crawford, 22, was selected by the Giants in the ninth round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft. He began his pro career by hitting .300 (54-for-180) with nine doubles, three triples, a home run and 30 RBI between the Rookie League Giants and Single-A Salem-Keizer last season. Crawford hit safely in 19 of his final 23 games, batting .348 (32-for-92) in that span, including an eight-RBI, four-hit performance against Everett , August 27. High A ball is the highest level he has reached so far in the pro level.
A right-handed hitter and fielder, Crawford this season has a .255 batting average (110-for-432) with 12 doubles, 12 triples, four home runs, 35 walks and 24 stolen bases in 109 games for Single-A Augusta. He batted .289 (58-for-201) in May and June after beginning the campaign with a .198 April batting average (16-for-81). Crawford has been successful in his last seven stolen base attempts dating to July 21.
The six-foot, two-inch 167-pound Crawford joins the Cubs organization with a .268 batting average (164-for-612), 101 runs scored, 21 doubles, 15 triples, five home runs, 59 RBI and 38 stolen bases in 156 career games. Born and raised in St. Louis , Crawford attended Indiana University and in 2009 led the Big Ten Conference with 27 stolen bases.