Crisp: A's purposely benching me to avoid paying vesting option

Coco Crisp believes there's an unfair conspiracy keeping him on the bench.

The center fielder called out the Oakland Athletics front office and manager Bob Melvin on Monday, accusing the club of not playing him to avoid paying him a $13-million vesting option for 2017.

"This is shady. Everyone else is getting used off the bench," Crisp told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle on Monday. "BoMel can't even look me in the eye right now."

Crisp's vesting option kicks in once the outfielder appears in 130 games. So far, he has only appeared in 93 with Oakland this season, with only 63 games remaining in the year.

Melvin, however, affirmed Crisp's lack of playing time isn't a penny-pinching move, but to give the team's youth more at-bats.

"We're in a position where we're playing other guys in games against left-handers," Melvin said, according to Slusser. "Coco won't start against left-handed pitchers. I know it's tough on him. I know it’s different."

Crisp has failed to appear in three of the Athletics' 14 games in August, and the club is essentially out of playoff contention, sitting 14 games behind the Boston Red Sox in the American League Wild Card chase.

Still, the 36-year-old, who's been in Oakland since 2010, believes he's being unfairly looked over by his coach.

"I want to suit up, but there are some nights where there is no point - they're not going to put me out there anyway and there isn't anything I can do about it," he said.

"I'm down there waiting on the bench, wearing my batting gloves, holding my bat, I'm like that kid in class who when the teacher asks a question is waving his hand up and down, 'I know, I know, call on me, I'm right here!' and the teacher says, 'Is there anyone else?'"

In 356 at-bats this season, Crisp is slashing .239/.307/.410 with 10 home runs.