FORT MYERS, Fla. — There are plenty of new names here at the Red Sox Player Development Complex. Veterans like Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford, experienced pitchers like Bobby Jenks and Dan Wheeler, and dozens of bullpen hopefuls trying to make an impact when they get the call this March.

Of all the new faces, the one that continues to get the most attention is Crawford. He has a smile that lights up the five-field complex here in Florida, an enthusiasm you don’t often see in a player with nine years of big-league experience.

In that time, he has played 144 regular-season games against the Red Sox. We never really got to know him that well as an opponent, perhaps because he never stood still long enough for us to focus on him.

Crawford has stolen 62 bases against the Red Sox in his career, including an incredible 35 in a row. He has stolen six bases in one game. He has stolen home.

He has basically stolen everything he can from Boston on the bases.

Now, he’s going to steal our hearts. We are getting to know the personality of this impressive athlete, and we like what we’ve seen so far.

“It’s incredible how you can hate a player when he’s in one uniform, then love him when he’s in yours,” said Manager Terry Francona.

Incredible indeed. As an AL East opponent, Crawford came off as quiet and shy — almost to the point of being surly. In fact, he’s an engaging personality who wants to be the best. He is thrilled about being a member of his new team, thrilled about being the latest installment of one of the game’s greatest positional legacies.

After toiling away in the obscurity of St. Pete, Crawford will now stand in the field once manned by Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Jim Rice, and Manny Ramirez. The first three are Hall of Famers, the fourth could’ve been.

Rice hasn’t played the position since 1989, but in the ensuing 21 years no one has ever asked him about playing the position.

Until now.

In his first days in Ft. Meyers, Crawford sought out Rice (now a NESN analyst) and asked him about the intricacies of playing the Green Monster.

“No one’s ever asked me about it in all these years,” said Rice. “Isn’t that something?”

It certainly is. Crawford is the type of player that could electrify Fenway this summer. His speed is equal to Jacoby Ellsbury’s (both have been asked who would win a foot race. Both have said it would be close, but that they wouldn’t bet against themselves. Red Sox management has made it clear there will be no such race.)

He is a Gold Glove outfielder who could hit 20 home runs for the first time if he swings to the opposite field and uses the wall.

One thing he won’t be doing is extending that stolen base streak against the Sox. He joked about it with catcher Jason Varitek the day he arrived here.

“I went up to Boston and we kind of gave each other a hug, buried the hatchet a little bit,” Crawford said of his first meeting with his new captain. “I let him know ‘I’m on your side now. You won’t have to worry about that anymore.’ “

Now, other teams will have to worry about Crawford. And that’s just one more bit of good news here in sun-soaked Southwest Florida.

Tom Caron is the studio host for Red Sox broadcasts on the New England Sports Network. His column appears in the Press Herald on Tuesdays.