PHILADELPHIA -- Justin Crawford waited 22 years and 72 days for this moment.
It took seconds to make the most of it.
Crawford (Phillies' No. 3 prospect, No. 53 MLB prospect) singled on the first pitch he saw in his first MLB plate appearance in the Phillies’ season opener on Thursday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. Crawford laced a first-pitch fastball from Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi up the middle for a two-out single to center field in the bottom of the second inning.
Crawford said before the game that he had about 40 family members and friends in town for his debut.
He spent Wednesday’s workout at the Bank getting a feel for center field and the “heartbeat” of the ballpark. He said he slept well on Wednesday night, adding that he grabbed his first cheesesteak at a joint close to the ballpark.
“I slept almost too good,” he said.
Crawford entered Spring Training as a virtual lock to make the Phillies’ Opening Day roster, but he got official word from Phillies manager Rob Thomson on Saturday in Clearwater, Fla. Crawford immediately called his mother, Amy Freeman, and father, former big leaguer Carl Crawford, upon getting the news.
“I called my mom first,” Crawford said the other day. “Back home [in Las Vegas], it was like 3 in the morning, so she didn’t answer. I just told her, ‘It’s urgent. Call me back.’ She called me back. I talked to her. She started crying. It was a really cool moment. Then, I called my dad. He was really excited. And then my little siblings were probably the most excited because they’ve been dying to go to Philly to see a game.”
Crawford’s siblings are 12, 6 and 5 years old.
“It was so special to hear their reaction,” Crawford said. “I can’t even put into words how special and exciting that moment was.”