MIAMI — When the Giants dealt Cory Gearrin to the Texas Rangers last summer, they lost more than just a veteran reliever.
They traded away their Major League Baseball Players Association representative.
That position was left vacant during the offseason and into spring training, but at least for the time being, they’ve found an interim union rep in shortstop Brandon Crawford.
Crawford confirmed Wednesday that he has temporarily taken over as the player rep and said he’s willing to continue in the role as long as his services are needed. The Giants have not held a formal clubhouse election for a player rep since Gearrin’s departure and have no plans to do so in the immediate future, but in Crawford, they have a player who understands and values the concerns of his teammates.