Rays and Crawford table contract talks until after the season

The agent for Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Carl Crawford say that that team and the player have decided that it’s best to wait until after the season to discuss a long-term deal.

“We had an opportunity to exchange ideas with the club about a contract extension for Carl and it was clear to all of us that an immediate agreement was not going to materialize,’’ agent Brian Peters told the St. Petersburg Times. “Thus, we all agreed to table discussions until the end of the year. We’d like to minimize distractions for Carl and the club and keep the focus on baseball, so we don’t plan to comment upon Carl’s contract status again until after the season.”

Rays officials were unavailable for comment, but Crawford seems to think it’s best if they just wait.

“I have said before that I’d love to sign a contract extension with the Rays and I hope that things work out that way,’’ Crawford said. “This organization has been great to me and I love playing here. For now, I just want to put all my efforts into helping the Rays return to the World Series, and to win it this time. There will be plenty of time after the season is over to talk about a new contract. To avoid potential distractions for me and my teammates, this is all I’m going to say about my contractual situation until after the season.”

The 29-year old is entering the final season of a six-year, $33.5 million contract.