Give Coco Crisp credit. When he was picked off first base in the first inning Thursday by White Sox lefty Clayton Richard, he didn’t just quit. It was just a Spring Training game and he’s not a rookie trying to impress people.

Yet Crisp dodged and twisted and avoided the first baseman’s tag, getting back safely to first base. That kind of effort is just what any team needs.

Crisp got on base with a single and also walked twice, giving him nine strolls in just 33 plate appearances. That’s also a very good sign. His on-base percentage is well above .500.

John Gibbons, the Royals’ bench coach, had a lot of chances to see Crisp the last three seasons over in the AL East. He was the Blue Jays’ manager while Coco stirred things for the Red Sox.

“He’s one of those guys. He makes things happen, he sets the table,” Gibbons said. “That’s one of the reasons they were so good in Boston. He and a few other guys on the team — that’s what they did and that’s why they scored so many runs.”

–Dick Kaegel