FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Carl Crawford is an affable sort. He is quick with a smile, which is often times immediately followed by something in between a giggle and guffaw. 

But Tuesday the Red Sox outfielder admitted that there has been something bothering him.

Crawford said that since he signed his seven-year, $142 million deal with the Sox, all he has been hearing is how his game will have to morph into something else. He will surely have to rely less on speed, and perhaps more on the power that has slowly begun to emerge over recent years.

Simply put, he doesn't get it.

"All I know is that all the great base-stealers kept stealing well into their 30's, so I don't see why I should be any different," the 29-year-old said. "I should just keep stealing and figure out how to keep running.

"I can see the change (adding in more power), but I'm not trying to get away from what I do. Everybody keeps saying I want to change, but I've stole bases my whole career. I want to continue that. I can't see myself stopping. I get at first base and I know I can steal a base, and that's what I'm going to continue to do."

Crawford got so annoyed by the talk that he took it upon himself to do a little research. He ventured onto the internet to find out exactly when the premier base-stealers in the game started to slow down.

What he found was encouraging. 

Rickey Henderson -- the all-time leader in steals -- swiped 66 bags at the age of 39. Lou Brock totaled 118 while 35-years-old. Former Red Sox Otis Nixon was 38 when he stole 59, and the current leader in steals among active players, Juan Pierre, notched 68 steals last season at the age of 32.

And while Henderson's all-time mark of 1,406 steals might be unattainable, reaching No. 2 on the list -- Brock's 938 -- could be realistic with the right approach. Crawford finds himself 529 away from the St. Louis Cardinals legend.

"I looked them all up," Crawford said. "I always hear I'm not going to steal as many bases, so I got tired of hearing that so I decided to pull these guys' numbers up. I'm like, 'These guys stole bases well into their 30's, why am I being the guy who's going to stop?' All those guys kept still running. I take really good care of my body. That's something I like to do."

Crawford enters the 2011 season second among active players in steals, having totaled 409 in just nine seasons. Other than an injury-plagued '08 campaign, he has never had fewer than 46 steals as a starter, having led the American League on four occasions.

But people see the 19 home runs and career-best .851 OPS of a year ago and start trying to predict Crawford's future. And he isn't about to suggest the power numbers won't keep maturing.

It's just that Crawford envisions the speed and pop going hand in hand, even in the waning years of his current deal. And, according to the left fielder, he will be able to accomplish the goal through a newfound awareness he first fully embraced in '10.

It's all about saving himself for when it counts the most.

"I always said it, but I actually started doing it last year where I wouldn't even shag [during batting practice]. After I hit I would just go in," Crawford said. "I didn't even like stretching on the [Tropicana Field] turf. To me, every step you take is a damaging step. There should be no turf stadiums at all. I don't care who gets upset about it, having my body go through that and seeing what it did to my body, players shouldn't have to go through that.

"I don't really have to think about it as much because my home games are at Fenway so i won't have to run [in the outfield] as much, and, two, I'll be on grass all the time. When I was talking about saving my legs it was more about being at home on the turf. I wouldn't even shag. I didn't even like walking out there because of the turf."

The strategy paid off in '10, as not only did Crawford steal 16 bases in 18 attempts, but he finished by hitting .360 and an OPS of .989 in Sept.

It plan didn't revolve so much around attempting fewer steals, as it did making sure he limited his turf time for Rays' home games. And when he did hit the road, Crawford would use the opposition's grass fields to "go out and run and keep my muscles going that way."

"I think when I took that approach I felt the best I ever felt at the end of the year," Crawford said. "It seemed like I was running less, and I started hitting better. If I don't have to run as much I think I can be a better hitter. You steal all those bases, you can get base hits but when you start trying to drive the ball it can get kind of tough.

"I'm going to try and steal as many bases as I can. You take away the fact I'm not on turf anymore, I can do it because I'll have the strength in my legs."