Article: 3 Reasons I'm All In on Nelson Cruz

[Channing1964]

And of Course Sano would play against lefty starters...thats the only time we would need him!!!.....also the lineup looks like 13 players only because i have Adrianza and Kepler as backups at more than one position. I know for a fact Kepler has experience at first base. Garver too for that matter.. Plug any decent left handed bat into that equation and it is FIERCE. Marwin Gonzalez is a switch hitter and he plays a little 3rd base too. He only played left field last year because some one of Houstons prospects bombed or got hurt or something. He's a utility Infielder just like the one we used to have.

[Mr. Brooks]

And of Course Sano would play against lefty starters...thats the only time we would need him!!!.....also the lineup looks like 13 players only because i have Adrianza and Kepler as backups at more than one position. I know for a fact Kepler has experience at first base. Garver too for that matter.. Plug any decent left handed bat into that equation and it is FIERCE. Marwin Gonzalez is a switch hitter and he plays a little 3rd base too. He only played left field last year because some one of Houstons prospects bombed or got hurt or something. He's a utility Infielder just like the one we used to have.

You still have 13.

Your list:

1. Cruz

2. Garver

3. Castro

4. Cron

5. Schoop

6. Polanco

7. Adrianza

8. Sano

9. Moustakas

10. Rosario

11. Buxton

12. Kepler

13. Cave

[Blackjack]

 

I haven't read every post, but the amount of traffic here being dedicated to this one signing shows just how low the bar is in Twins Territory.

 

Falvine is making a good PR move here, but they need to focus on developing a system, not signinf free agents, and they know it.

I was thinking the same thing, that 'traffic' here on TD really picked up after the Cruz deal. Shows that Twins fans are really looking for a little bit of hope for a winning, watchable team.

[jctwins]

 

How does the Cruz signing limit their focus on developing a system?

 

It doesn't. My point is that signing a free agent or two is not what will make them serious contenders. Developing their system is, and they know it, which I'm far more grateful for than any free agent acquisition they might make right now.

 

 

 

 

[mudcat14]

My excitement about this signing can be boiled down to one word, SANO.  I believe having the slugging veteran Dominican will have a huge impact on Sano in multiple ways.  The fact that he has been what I believe Miguel wants to become, one of the most feared and consistent sluggers in the game will benefit Sano not only in the batter's box, but even more so in terms of conditioning and preparation.  The fact that they share a Dominican heritage will only serve to make his example even more impact-full on him.

 

Very pleased with this signing.  Muy bueno!  

[darin617]

2 & 3 will be true when some pitching help is added.

[Minfidel]

Moustakas won't sign here to be a back up.

 

No, but if the money is right, and with Sano still being a huge (but perhaps slimmer) question-mark, he could see that there’s opportunity.

[jmlease1]

I'm all in on this one too. There's a little risk that age will finally catch up to him, but the contract makes that a manageable risk. The upside is absolutely worth it, and he's likely to be a serious middle of the order threat that should make the guys around him better.

 

I love the fact that his platoon splits are so solid. He crushes LHP (.927 career OPS) but RHP don't exactly get a day off (.835 career OPS) so you don't worry so much about stacking a couple of righty hitters together. Home vs. Away? makes no difference. First half vs. second half? He just keeps on hitting.

 

It's a good signing. I wanted us to go there as soon as the rumors started, and I'm glad we did it. Hope it works out!

[Channing1964]

I just wanna see us Win....You can show me all the alalytics until your throat cracks but Championships are still won with Team Chemistry! If you dont believe me just ask Alex Cora or any member of the 2018 Boston Red Sox.

[Han Joelo]

I've always seemed to enjoy this team more whenever they've got a Hall of Fame type DH on board.  Baylor, Chili, Winfield, Molitor, Thome,  Hunter(?).  This will create lots of good fuzzy feelings.

[rv78]

What will make this a really great signing is if Cruz takes Tyler Duffeys spot on the roster. Don't want to see him take the mound anymore. Hoepfully Bye Bye Duff.

[Platoon]

What will make this a really great signing is if Cruz takes Tyler Duffeys spot on the roster. Don't want to see him take the mound anymore. Hoepfully Bye Bye Duff.

I read that the long Cruz HR at TF was off The Duffman. Trading Duffy to a Central division foe would be a great move for the Twins offense.

[ashbury]

I just wanna see us Win....You can show me all the alalytics until your throat cracks but Championships are still won with Team Chemistry! If you dont believe me just ask Alex Cora or any member of the 2018 Boston Red Sox.

What a coincidence! The team with the highest payroll, not to mention one of the more longstanding analytics departments, just happened to win a championship.

 

We can go talk payroll or chemistry or analytics in some different thread devoted to those topics, and I don't want to get off the topic of Nelson Cruz here, but this kind of nonsequitur shouldn't go unmentioned.

 

For what it's worth, I expect Cruz to be a plus in the clubhouse. But I don't particularly overstate his value as a mentor - teams hire coaches and managers to handle those roles as well. Another player will listen to Cruz because he is a peer? Even though Rocco is a year younger?

[ChrisKnutson]

No way do the Twins sign Moose, nor would he want to come here to be a backup. IMO, signing Lowrie to play 2B/3B seems more likely, but that’s not gonna happen either (since we got Schoop).

 

As a team that now hopes to contend in 2019, the only way for the FO to make the Cruz and Schoop signings matter is if they go out and get a proven closer like Cody Allen, because without that kind of stability in the bullpen, Cleveland (maybe Chicago???) still wins the AL Central.

 

It’s as simple as this, if the Twins FO really want to be the “favorites” to win the division, they’re gonna need to beef up that bullpen. Despite feeling (overly) confident about the decent amount of pitching depth they’ve built up, I already know that’s not gonna be enough, the reality is that we need more proven arms like Allen, Blake Parker, Tony Watson, Kirby Yates, Adam Conley, etc in the bullpen; meaning we’re either gonna have to spend more, trade from areas of depth (Austin, Cave, De Jong, Gonsalves, Littel, etc), or a little bit of both.

[Rosterman]

I don’t see Cron or Austin being the future of the Twins anyway be it 2020 or even beyond. Rally and Rooker should be battling fir s place on the roster and first basemen are nit a hard commodity to find if you need a place setter for the moment. I hope they do keep Austin thru spring training just in case and keep him st AAA.

[jorgenswest]

What will make this a really great signing is if Cruz takes Tyler Duffeys spot on the roster. Don't want to see him take the mound anymore. Hoepfully Bye Bye Duff.

I don’t have much hope but he still has an option.

 

There is enough hope in his curveball and strikeout/walk rates to give him another year in AAA on An options shuttle. Let’s hope the new pitching coaches will find the adjustment he needs, I wouldn’t give up his spot on the 40 before Granite’s or Reed’s. Relief pitchers with options will be needed to extend the bullpen.

[Doomtints]

The AL has this great thing called the DH. Some baseball writers, pundits, and other fun people don't seem to understand what this is all about even after all this time and say things like, "Gosh, signing a guy who can't play the field is a bad plan."

 

The converse is true. Using the DH to give your mediocre batters a breather is the bad plan. Get the best boomstick you can find and have him be your full time DH. That's what it's for.

 

And don't stick him in the field. Keep him healthy. The DH position is for hitting. If he twists his ankle going for a routine pop fly that any other yob could be out there fielding for you, you just broke the DH position.

Edited January 3, 2019 by Doomtints