Evan Crawford Lookalikes?

After meeting lefty hurler Evan Crawford and getting to photograph him a bit a couple weeks back on a New Hampshire Fisher Cats road stop in Trenton, NJ, I began to notice some similarities between the man that would become a Blue Jay, and a pair of celebrities. Check out the imagery below and let us know what you think.

Above, we see Crawford side-by-side with actor Bradley Cooper, star of the classic film The Midnight Meat Train and other things too probably.

Also, we can check out Crawford beside pro wrestling champion Chris Sabin, who we presume you've likely never heard of.

Tell us your thoughts. If you have other Blue Jays or baseball lookalikes, let us know about those as well.
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1BJW Interview: LHP Evan Crawford

With Blue Jays reliever Sergio Santos missing some time on paternity leave, Toronto called up left-hander Evan Crawford from Double-A New Hampshire on Friday. Crawford, 25, was a member of the Fisher Cats club that won the Eastern League championship last year.

In three outings with the Fisher Cats this season, the 8th round draft pick from 2008, has not allowed a run. Additionally, this spring, with the big league club, Crawford struck out 5, walked 1 and allowed no hits or runs in 4 innings.

Last week, prior to Crawford's promotion, I spoke with the Alabama native about his time with the big club in spring training, his pitch repertoire, his coaches and plenty more. Check out the media player below to listen to the full interview.




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Chad Jenkins Begins His Rise Up The Ladder

LANSING, Mich. – The Lansing Lugnuts, in conjunction with the Toronto Blue Jays, announced that pitchers Chad Jenkins and Evan Crawford have been promoted to the Dunedin Blue Jays (A-Advanced, Florida State League).  In a corresponding move, pitchers Scott Gracey and Egan Smith have been transferred to Lugnuts from the Auburn Doubledays (Short-A, New York-Penn League).

Jenkins, 22, was selected 20^th overall in the 2009 Amateur Draft and was voted to the Midwest League Eastern Division All-Star team.  In 13 starts with Lansing, the right-hander posted a 5-4 record with a 3.63 ERA in 79.1 innings.  He walked only 13 batters while striking out 64.

Crawford, 23, cycled between the Lansing bullpen and the starting rotation, going 3-2 with a 4.01 earned run average in 16 appearances (seven starts).

Gracey and Smith each began their 2010 campaigns with the Lugnuts before they were transferred to Auburn on June 15^th.  In a pair of starts for the Doubledays, Smith allowed no earned runs over 11 innings while striking out 11.  Gracey added five scoreless one-hit innings in a pair of relief appearances.

The Lugnuts roster comprises 25 active players and two players on the DL. 

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DELETE:  RHP Chad Jenkins, transferred to Dunedin (A-Advanced, Florida State League)

DELETE:  LHP Evan Crawford, transferred to Dunedin (A-Advanced, Florida State League)

ADD:  RHP Scott Gracey, transferred from Auburn (Short-A, New York-Penn League)

ADD:  LHP Egan Smith, transferred from Auburn (Short-A, New York-Penn League)

Eiland’s walk-off caps Lugnuts comeback

LANSING, Mich. – Mark Sobolewski's home run tied the score in the bottom of the ninth and Eric Eiland's RBI single in the tenth inning completed a thrilling Lansing Lugnuts (26-16) 5-4 victory over the Great Lakes Loons (27-16) on Sunday afternoon at Cooley Law School Stadium.
The win brought the third place Lugnuts within three games of first place Lake County in the Eastern Division race. 28 games remain in the first half.
Trailing 4-0 in the sixth inning, Brad McElroy's solo home run against Great Lakes starter Josh Wall snapped a streak of 24 consecutive scoreless innings for Lansing's offense.
Though the Lugnuts trimmed the deficit to a run in the eighth inning on an A.J. Jimenez RBI single and an Eiland sacrifice fly, the situation looked dire after Oliver Dominguez was caught stealing and Ryan Schimpf struck out swinging to open the ninth.
But Sobolewski came through, taking Loons relief ace Steve Smith long to square the score at 4-4. It was the first gopher ball served up all year by Smith, who entered the game with a 0.87 ERA.
In the tenth, Balbino Fuenmayor drilled a one-out double against Great Lakes' fireballing closer Luis Vasquez (1-1). Fuenmayor was replaced by pinch-runner Chris Hopkins, who came racing for the plate on Eiland's sharp line drive to left-center.
Dustin Antolin (2-2) earned the victory for Lansing with a scoreless top of the tenth inning.
Both Sobolewski and McElroy collected three hits and scored two runs in the winning cause for the Lugnuts.
Nuts right-hander Dave Sever allowed one run on six hits in five innings in his first start since April 20th. Matt Wright allowed three runs (two earned) in an inning of relief, with Scott Gracey pitching shutout ball from the seventh through the ninth innings.
The Lugnuts and Loons play the finale in their four-game series on Monday night at 7:05, pitting Lansing left-hander Evan Crawford (3-1, 2.75) against Great Lakes right-hander Brett Wallach (3-0, 2.81).

Crawford, Lugnuts coast past Whitecaps, 7-1

LANSING, Mich. – Evan Crawford allowed only one run in eight outstanding innings and the Lansing Lugnuts (19-14) coasted to a quick 7-1 victory over the West Michigan Whitecaps (11-22) on a Grand Slam School Day at Cooley Law School Stadium.
Crawford (2-1) served up a Wade Gaynor solo home run in the first inning -- and then locked down the Whitecaps order. The left-hander gave up only a trio of singles and a walk while lowering his ERA to 2.61.
West Michigan starter Jade Todd (0-5) fared worse, reached for nine hits and seven runs (six earned) in 5 2/3 innings.
Right fielder Chris Hopkins led the charge from the ninth slot in the batting order, collecting three hits and four RBIs. A.J. Jimenez and Balbino Fuenmayor each scored a pair of runs, as the Lugnuts went 5-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
The game was played in a neat two hours and eight minutes, the Nuts' shortest game of the season.
Lansing next heads out for a seven-game, eight-day road-trip beginning with an 8:05 p.m. game on Thursday night at Bowling Green. Right-hander Chad Jenkins (2-2, 3.68) will start for the Lugnuts against Hot Rods right-hander Jason McEachern (1-2, 5.65).
The Lugnuts return home on May 21st to open a seven-game homestand.

Lugnuts one-hit Silver Hawks, 5-0

LANSING, Mich. – Evan Crawford combined with two relievers on a one-hitter as the Lansing Lugnuts (16-12) blanked the South Bend Silver Hawks (13-15), 5-0, before a Labatt Blue Light Thirsty Thursday crowd of 8,213 at Cooley Law School Stadium.
Errol Hollinger's fifth inning leadoff single was all that the Silver Hawks could manage in losing the rubber match of the three-game series. Lansing finished 3-4 on its seven-game homestand.
Crawford (1-1), a member of the bullpen until the final week of April, walked one while striking out six in five impressive innings. He was replaced on the mound by Matt Wright, who notched three K's in two perfect frames. Dustin Antolin pitched perfect eighth and ninth innings to shut the door.
On a night Lansing enjoyed the lineup returns of sluggers Mark Sobolewski and Brad Glenn, the Nuts were led offensively by Ryan Schimpf. The second baseman went 4-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and two RBIs to spearhead an 11-hit attack..
Not to be outdone, cleanup hitter Glenn singled and walked twice to extend his consecutive on-base streak to 21 games.
South Bend starter Eric Smith (3-2) took the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits and three walks in 4 1/3 innings.
The Lugnuts next head on the road, opening a three-game trip to Fort Wayne with a 7:05 p.m. Friday night affair at Parkview Field. Lansing right-hander Chad Jenkins (1-2, 3.94) will oppose TinCaps left-hander Mike Watt (2-1, 2.70).