TOWER GROVE — Back in 2001, two years after the St. Louis Cardinals selected him in the seventh round of the June draft, an athletic outfielder by the name of Covelli Crisp won the organization’s player of the year award. He hit .306 that season in High-A, with 80 runs scored and 39 stolen bases.

Not that long after, he was gone, as a player to be named later.

The Cardinals one-time prospect, Crisp, known better now as Coco Crisp, played for four different teams at three different levels in 2002, starting in Class AA with the Cardinals and then zooming through the ranks to the majors after being added to a trade with Cleveland. He helped the Cardinals land veteran lefty Chuck Finley, and by the end of the season — as Finley went 7-4 with a 3.80 ERA in his last turn as a major-league pitcher — Crisp had position himself to be the Indians starting center fielder.

He’s been a part of a couple trades since, including last offseason’s swap that sent him to Kansas City for reliever Ramon Ramirez, who has become a fixture of Boston’s bullpen.

Crisp had a sour season in KC this summer, batting .228 before his season ended in June. He needed surgery on both shoulders, and recently told reporters in KC that he hopes to return to the Royals — healthy, ready, and, of course, re-signed — in spring training. Before the surgery, but not before the struggles, Crisp took a few moments to answer The P-DQ.

Way back in June, I warned that there were handful/dozen or so of these question & answer exchanges that had been done and not printed. For awhile now, I kept all of the center fielder ones aside for an off day like today — something of a thematic P-DQ bunch, so to speak — and it was while setting those up that I came upon Crisp’s. It may seem an unusual one to print (three All-Star center fielders will follow), but his answers were too good not to share …

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What is a piece of advice from a parent that stays with you?

Never give up. That’s a good one.

What is a memorable Christmas or holiday gift you received?

The one I got was a Nintendo game that I wanted. It was the Olympics. Back in 80-something.

What is the word or phrase you use too often?

‘Sup-playa?

Who is your favorite superhero?

I would have to say … tough one. Flash Gordon.

What is the best baseball movie?

Mr. Baseball

What is your greatest achievement?

Winning the World Series (with Boston).

Who is your favorite ballplayer growing up?

Rickey Henderson

What was your first car?

Volvo. 1995.

What is your current car?

Bentley.

What is the place you must visit before you die?

I know where I’d like to visit after I die. And I hope it’s not a visit, either. But before? Phillipines. See my wife’s family.

Most embarrassing song on your iPod?

Has to be some Tom Jones on there. Pussycat. Or, It’s Not Unusual. Probably those. I don’t think those are embarrassing though. They’re pretty bad—.

What is the movie you’ll stop to watch whenever it comes on?

Coming to America and Last Dragon.

Do you sing in the shower or in the car?

Not really.

I wish I knew how to …

Sing.

You know you’re in the minors when …

When you’re there.

I tune out when people talk about …

Baseball.

When I think of St. Louis, I think of …

Being drafted by them.

What is your greatest fear?

My kids dying before me.

What is your treasured possession?

My great grandmother’s birth certificate.

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Previous P-DQs: Adam Wainwright … CC Sabathia … Skip Schumaker … David Wright … Brian Barton … Ryan Ludwick. … Ryan Franklin. … Brad Lidge … Chris Carpenter. … Brandon Phillips. … Todd Wellemeyer. … Dustin Pedroia. … Jason Isringhausen. … Chris Perez. … Matt Capps. … Evan Longoria. … Brian Barden. … Joe Thurston. … Mark DeRosa. … Lance Berkman. … Colby Rasmus. … Aaron Miles. … Brad Hawpe. … Ryan Braun. … Coco Crisp. … Grady Sizemore. … Nate McLouth. … Curtis Granderson.

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