Article: BREAKING: Nelson Cruz Agrees To Deal With Twins

[AlwaysinModeration]

One thing to note about Cruz’ down year last year: his batting average on balls in play was .264, which is 40 points below his career average on balls in play of .305. Correspondingly, his average (.256) was the lowest he hit in a decade. The three prior years he hit at least .287 each year. Even still, he OPSed .850. It’s possible he’s starting to decline...or it’s possible his numbers bounce back up a bit.

 

I still don’t see any guaranteed contracts for 2020.

[TFRazor]

 

Are you kidding me? This was a horrible signing. 14 million for a rental? Does anyone really think the Twins will compete now because we signed a declining 37 year old?

We needed pitching not some rental player. Unbelievable.

14 million for a rental with an 850 ops last season that would've slotted him in at second highest on the team after Eduardo Escobar (852)? Yeah, I'll take that rental

[lukeduke1980]

I know Falvey didn't say 'no more 1 year deals', but I find it funny that the first 2 FA contracts signed this year, are 1 year deals

[RedBull34]

 

I know Falvey didn't say 'no more 1 year deals', but I find it funny that the first 2 FA contracts signed this year, are 1 year deals

This does feel a lot like the Morrison signing, but I do feel that Schoop/Cruz will turn out better then Morrison/Lynn.

 

Or maybe that's just my blind optimism.

[Rigby]

Now go get Andujar from New York.

[akmanak]

Imo this is simply saving face with the fans. We dont have a good enough team to compete with Cleveland right now. Signing just Cruz will not change the outcome of the season.

 

Dont get me wrong as a fan of the bat I like this signing if it was piggybacked with another signing of a decent starter or a couple above average bullpen arms.

 

Let us not forget that we sucked in the pitching catagory much more than we did in the batting.

[crapforks]

Looking through the lineup leaves me wondering where to slot some of the hitters. There’s still moves that can be made, but it really looks like an impatient lineup at the moment.

 

(S)Polanco-ss

®Cron-1b

(L)Rosario-lf

®Cruz-dh

®Sano-3b

(L)Kepler-rf

®Schoop-2b

(L)Castro-c

®Buxton-cf

 

(S)Adrianza-if

(L)Cave-of

®Garver-c

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

Imo this is simply saving face with the fans. We dont have a good enough team to compete with Cleveland right now. Signing just Cruz will not change the outcome of the season.

Dont get me wrong as a fan of the bat I like this signing if it was piggybacked with another signing of a decent starter or a couple above average bullpen arms.

Let us not forget that we sucked in the pitching catagory much more than we did in the batting.

believe it or not, it was our offense that dragged the team down last year, not the pitching. Yeah, we definitely could have used (and still could) use a better arm or two in the pen, but we had abysmal production through out too much of the lineup, especially at hitter friendly positions such as 1B/DH. Falvey went out and fixed that this offseason.

 

Now I agree that without a Sano/Buxton rebound, we likely will have our work cut out for us, but the front office has done a good job attempting to shore up what was without question the biggest weakness on the team... and I'd add that it might provide a little protection for some of those younger players.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

I know Falvey didn't say 'no more 1 year deals', but I find it funny that the first 2 FA contracts signed this year, are 1 year deals

 

 

I think his point had more to do with some of the attitudes that came in (Morrison and Lynn in particular), both of whom were expecting big contracts. Schoope specifically requested a 1 year deal, Cron was a waiver claim, and Cruz wasn't going to get a multi year deal. You aren't dealing with a bunch of disappointed vets here for what that's worth. 

[sweetmusicviola16]

 

Looking through the lineup leaves me wondering where to slot some of the hitters. There’s still moves that can be made, but it really looks like an impatient lineup at the moment.

(S)Polanco-ss
®Cron-1b
(L)Rosario-lf
®Cruz-dh
®Sano-3b
(L)Kepler-rf
®Schoop-2b
(L)Castro-c
®Buxton-cf

(S)Adrianza-if
(L)Cave-of
®Garver-c

Don't forget about Astudillo. He should be and needs to be on this team.

[Winston Smith]

 

Are you kidding me? This was a horrible signing. 14 million for a rental? Does anyone really think the Twins will compete now because we signed a declining 37 year old?

We needed pitching not some rental player. Unbelievable.

Better than the money sitting in the Pohlad bank isn't it? They still have money for pitching they just need to spend it.

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

Don't forget about Astudillo. He should be and needs to be on this team.

 

I suspect they burn an option with him... Should make RiverBrian happy, as he's a very nice depth piece... The question I have is whether or not they go with 13 pitchers. I really don't like that personally. They lose Austin in that scenario, and I think it would be smart to keep him. 

[RatherBeGolfing]

 

Well, you can. It involves a 12-man pitching staff and a four-man bench (C, IF, OF, 1B). The problem is you then have three righties for 1B/DH.

Of course, if Austin can play some OF, he could certainly get starts against lefties in place of Kepler or Rosario.

 

Yes, but we won't be rolling with a 12 man staff

[TFRazor]

 

Now go get Andujar from New York.

This. Especially if they pull the trigger on Machado. At that point andujar is the odd man out.

[ToddlerHarmon]

 

Looking through the lineup leaves me wondering where to slot some of the hitters. There’s still moves that can be made, but it really looks like an impatient lineup at the moment.

(S)Polanco-ss
®Cron-1b
(L)Rosario-lf
®Cruz-dh
®Sano-3b
(L)Kepler-rf
®Schoop-2b
(L)Castro-c
®Buxton-cf

(S)Adrianza-if
(L)Cave-of
®Garver-c

 

Not bad, but maybe if Buxton gets it together, he at least walks enough to have an OBP:

 

Buxton

Polanco

Rosario

Cruz

Sano

Kepler

Cron

Castro

Schoop

 

[nicksaviking]

Goodbye Tyler Austin. We hardly knew ye.

I don’t have strong enough feelings about him or Cron to much care. Seems to me Austin or Kepler along with some combination of Gonsalves, Gordon, Polonco, Mejia types would be a nice package of “MLB Ready” players teams are always asking for in trade scenarios. You

[luckylager]

 

 Does anyone really think the Twins will compete now because we signed a declining 37 year old?

 

Yes. I do.

[AlwaysinModeration]

Boomstick.

[TFRazor]

 

This does feel a lot like the Morrison signing, but I do feel that Schoop/Cruz will turn out better then Morrison/Lynn.

 

Or maybe that's just my blind optimism.

Blind optimism is how the blind squirrel finds nuts. It could work

[jorgenswest]

Don't forget about Astudillo. He should be and needs to be on this team.

Astudillo offers both positional flexibility and roster flexibility with his option.

[jorgenswest]

The only way to get all of Austin, Cruz and Cron in the lineup against a left handed pitcher is to play one of them in RF or LF. If that is feasible, it should be a very good lineup against a left handed starter.

[crapforks]

Astudillo offers both positional flexibility and roster flexibility with his option.

I agree with that. I wouldn’t be opposed to having him on the team, but the deck is stacked against him opening the season on the 25:

He has an option

The team will likely carry 13 pitchers, at least at some point

Castro and Garver are ahead of him at catcher

Cave, Adrianza, and Garver cover the necessary positions for a 3-man bench.

Austin will be making a case for the extra bench bat if he is kept

We really don’t know how the team views his viability at any position

[crapforks]

Not bad, but maybe if Buxton gets it together, he at least walks enough to have an OBP:

 

Buxton

Polanco

Rosario

Cruz

Sano

Kepler

Cron

Castro

Schoop

Yes, it would solve a lot lore problems than just lineup construction if Buxton could be a top of the order hitter.

[Riverbrian]

I suspect they burn an option with him... Should make RiverBrian happy, as he's a very nice depth piece... The question I have is whether or not they go with 13 pitchers. I really don't like that personally. They lose Austin in that scenario, and I think it would be smart to keep him.

I have no problem stashing Astudillo in Rochester. There is a very small chance our catchers avoid the DL.

 

I’m also OK giving Austin the 4th OF job and stashing Cave in AAA as well.

 

I’m also Ok with the Cruz signing because he will provide a boost but I’m insistent on a handcuff move with this to upgrade Adrianza because Cruz will force Adrianza to backup Sano and we can’t gaurentee his health or performance.

 

So OK... Cruz is signed... go get Beckham or someone who can backup all 3 infield spots with some pop. Otherwise we give back the gains with a Sano issue.

[TFRazor]

 

Boomstick.

BIG Boomstick

[Blackjack]

 

Yes, it would solve a lot lore problems than just lineup construction if Buxton could be a top of the order hitter.

It would be nice if he was at the top of the order but it seems to mess with his head, leave him at the bottom of the order --- all year long, no matter how he does, let him build up some confidence. Look at the big picture.

[Blackjack]

If Cruz is so good, why didn't Seattle resign him??

[dbminn]

I really like this signing. So much uncertainty in the lineup with Buxton, Sano and Schoop. Cruz adds OBP as well as power. Now, lets see them sign a couple of RP for the back end of the game. 

[IndianaTwin]

 

Yes, but we won't be rolling with a 12 man staff

 

(Quoting yours among several commenting on a 12-man staff...)

 

Five days off in the first 15 days of the season. They don't have to use a 5th starter until the 15th game of the season. It sure would be nice if they would at least START the season with a 12-man staff. 

 

They managed to wait to game 16 to start Hughes last year, though that included snow and Puerto Rico. But that at least suggests they are willing to hold off on needing No. 5. I don't recall whether that meant carrying a four-man bench during that time. 

 

 

[Brandon]

See this....This is my Boomstick!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eyp4Sdq6i0s 

 

They should just show this clip everytime he comes to bat at Target Field.