Nelson Cruz Calls it a Career, Retires at 42

[Matt Braun]

Nelson Cruz wasn’t a Twin for long—his Minnesota tenure lasted just 258 games—but few sluggers this side of Hrbek rocked the team with as much bombast and dominance as the man simply called “Boomstick.”

Image courtesy of © Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports

Signing with Minnesota in 2019 following four fruitful seasons in the Pacific Northwest, Twins fans didn’t know exactly what to expect from the soon-to-be 38-year-old. Sure, he had demolished plenty of baseballs in his career, but old-man authority in a young man’s game was something only Tom Brady and his ilk could accomplish; was Cruz up to the task? Could he turn around a team previously drenched in mediocrity?

------------------------------------

We all still remember the 2019 team. The power and overwhelming home run prowess shocked on a nightly basis, whether it was Miguel Sanó claiming the AL Central with a back-breaking Grand Slam, Max Kepler coming within a stone’s throw of 40 homers, or Ehire Adrianza smacking a solo shot off Justin Verlander to best the Astros in an unlikely victory. No matter your taste, there was a slugger for you; five different players reached the 30-homer mark that season. But overlooking all of them—standing as the unquestioned leader of the group—was Nelson Cruz, slashing .311/.392/.639 in one of the greatest offensive years in Twins history. By OPS, he’s tied with Joe Mauer’s 2009. No one else is higher.

Oh, and his 2020 campaign is 6th, smack dab in the middle of a few classic Harmon Killebrews and Chuck Knoblauch’s 1996 season.

Cruz joined a team needing more leadership following the 2018 departures of Brian Dozier, Eduardo Escobar, and Joe Mauer. His naps became as famous as his biceps, adding an air of delight to his outlandish power—an attitude that rubbed off on his teammates, who embraced Cruz almost like a father. 

Minnesota dealt Cruz at the 2021 trade deadline, netting Joe Ryan in a return that makes Nelson perhaps the greatest use of a roster spot in Twins history. His rate numbers are staggering: a .304/.386/.598 slashline, and—believe it or not—the highest team OPS+ of his career, just ahead of his run with the Mariners. He was only here for 1,081 plate appearances, but almost all were memorable. Following forgettable stints with the Nationals and Padres, Cruz has called it a career at 42, becoming one of the most memorable veteran sluggers in recent MLB history.

Cruz will play one last winter in the Dominican Professional Baseball League as a farewell tour. He'll end his MLB career with 7 All-Star selections, 4 Silver Sluggers, and 464 home runs. The homers are good for 37th all-time, one spot behind Minnesota's own Dave Winfield. 

View full article

[PDX Twin]

And it seems like he managed to keep air in Sano's balloon while he was here. It deflated (or burst) shortly after Cruz's departure.

Following that line of thinking, it's amazing how few times I've thought about Sano in the last year!

[CRF]

Really enjoyed him playing with the Twins. Would love to see him become a coach here. 

[mnfireman]

Now hire him as the hitting coach...

[Nine of twelve]

Of course, now come the comments advocating him being hired as the hitting coach. Maybe he'd be good; I don't know. And nobody else knows either. It would be a risk hiring someone with no coaching experience to be on the staff of a major league team expected to contend. He'd have to give a hell of an interview to be seriously considered.

[Nine of twelve]

1 hour ago, PDX Twin said:

And it seems like he managed to keep air in Sano's balloon while he was here. It deflated (or burst) shortly after Cruz's departure.

Correlation ≠ causation.

[stringer bell]

A great late-blooming career for Cruz. He has managed to outrun the steroid suspension he had a decade ago. There was a local article bringing up and then dismissing the suspension I found when I googled "Nelson Cruz suspension". I wonder if he could eventually make the Hall of Fame.

By all accounts Cruz was a leader and a great teammate. If the Twins could find a role for him, I hope he would come aboard.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Congrats Boomstick!

[stringer bell]

I just compared Cruz with Tony-O on BBRef, which refers the comparison to Stathead Baseball. They are separated by less than one WAR. Cruz has the gaudier counting numbers and four Silver Sluggers, while Tony had three batting championships and a Gold Glove. Tony also played his entire career for one team and had no issues to detract from his play on the field. It's possible that Cruz eventually makes the Hall.

[Parfigliano]

I was really hoping he could reach 500 HR but time won again.  Great Twin when on the team and with what he brought to the team when traded.

[ashbury]

The 2019 Bomba Squad wouldn't have been the same without him.  Congrats on a great career.

The question is stated here and other threads, how about bringing him back to the Twins organization.

Nelson has a "big" personality, and in a positive way. 

Is that personality type a plus as a coach, though?  No reason to believe he's not smart enough to adapt, much the contrary, but it's worth thinking about.  And some of it might be outside Boomstick's control - say the media chalks up every improvement in hitters' performance to the popular new coach and throws the player himself under the bus if performance slips - will that wear well over a long season?  Maybe this is no more than the normal clubhouse chemistry challenge every manager faces, but Rocco will want to think this through since he'll have a lot of say on the coaching staff.  Most major league coaches are less renowned than this when they come in.  And he has no formal coaching experience - it could be nice to make him a roving instructor for the first season and see what comes of that, but will he want to revisit the minor-league lifestyle?

More complicated than "he was great, hire the guy."   He was great, no question.

[ashbury]

1 hour ago, stringer bell said:

I just compared Cruz with Tony-O on BBRef, which refers the comparison to Stathead Baseball. They are separated by less than one WAR.

For many purposes, such as roster construction, WAR is the sort of thing I like, at least for rough analysis.  But when considering who is among the best of the best, such as HoF discussions, I prefer WAA, Wins Above Average*.  The benchmark oughtn't to be random AAAA players, instead at the very least the midpoint of major-league competence.

On b-r.com Tony outpaces Nelson by a healthy margin when WAA is the measuring (boom)stick.  Which, I think, is more in line with what one really should expect.

I guess I'll go there, and say that Win Probability Added, which IMO usually tracks well with WAA moreso than WAR because like WAA its baseline is also something akin to a .500 team, likewise rates Tony better. 

Nelson Cruz is a shoo-in for the mythical Hall of Very Good.  And that is not to demean him - great career.  But I don't want to demean Tony Oliva either.

* I suppose if the discussion were to turn to Inner Circle HoF, I want something even more stringent than WAA.  I just don't know what it would look like.

[Lasorda_This_Out]

Great comments and agree with most. Somehow, somewhere there is a organization position the Twins have that would flourish with Nelson Cruz as the head. FalVine: Make It Happen!

[Nine of twelve]

13 minutes ago, ashbury said:

Nelson Cruz is a shoo-in for the mythical Hall of Very Good. 

It's not really mythical. That's what the HOF is evolving into.

[Doctor Gast]

I remember Schoop reccommending Cruz coming to the Twins. I was over joyed when he signed. He was a great Twin. I'm sad he wasn't able to do a farewell tour with the Twins for sentimental reasons. I'd love to see us bring him on as a player coach, where he could be an occasional DH. That way he could get the love he deserves. The Twins need to find a spot for him on the coaching staff we need his experience & motivation, which we could use more of.

Congratulations Cruz on a wonderful career & thank you for your time as a Twin!

Edited November 3, 2023 by Doctor Gast

[mikelink45]

Nice write up.  The comparisons with Tony O leave out the bad knees that cut Tony out of many counting stats. 

I went to BR for more of a look at Nelson.  Since he was known as the boom stick I looked at his HRs - four years with 40 and three years in the 30s.  I like his lifetime BA of 274.  I know he had a suspension which would count against him, but looking at the BR HOF statistics makes him below the mark for induction.  So let's just remember him as he was during his Twins days - great memories.

Coach?  I have no idea.

[Doctor Wu]

10 hours ago, stringer bell said:

A great late-blooming career for Cruz. He has managed to outrun the steroid suspension he had a decade ago. There was a local article bringing up and then dismissing the suspension I found when I googled "Nelson Cruz suspension". I wonder if he could eventually make the Hall of Fame.

By all accounts Cruz was a leader and a great teammate. If the Twins could find a role for him, I hope he would come aboard.

As you said, Cruz had a great reputation among his fellow teammates and in the clubhouse. But I still find it a bit baffling that so many people shrug off his PED suspension. Maybe Cruz DID manage to "outrun" the suspension as you note, but what made him get off so easily from the steroid black cloud when you compare him to the likes of Bonds, Sosa, or A-Rod?

[Karbo]

21 minutes ago, Doctor Wu said:

As you said, Cruz had a great reputation among his fellow teammates and in the clubhouse. But I still find it a bit baffling that so many people shrug off his PED suspension. Maybe Cruz DID manage to "outrun" the suspension as you note, but what made him get off so easily from the steroid black cloud when you compare him to the likes of Bonds, Sosa, or A-Rod?

His personality with reporters

[stringer bell]

15 minutes ago, Doctor Wu said:

As you said, Cruz had a great reputation among his fellow teammates and in the clubhouse. But I still find it a bit baffling that so many people shrug off his PED suspension. Maybe Cruz DID manage to "outrun" the suspension as you note, but what made him get off so easily from the steroid black cloud when you compare him to the likes of Bonds, Sosa, or A-Rod?

I really don't know. I tend to look at all drug suspensions as a blemish that won't go away, (including Jorge Polanco BTW), but some players seem to wear their indiscretions forever, while Cruz (and others) seldom gets nicked for what they have done. That sounds a bit harsh as I type it, but perhaps Nellie's personality and presence in the clubhouse has minimized the damage to him. 

[Jeff K]

16 hours ago, PDX Twin said:

And it seems like he managed to keep air in Sano's balloon while he was here. It deflated (or burst) shortly after Cruz's departure.

Following that line of thinking, it's amazing how few times I've thought about Sano in the last year!

This made me laugh, thanks!  Not thinking of Sano is good for everyone's health!

[Minny505]

16 hours ago, Nine of twelve said:

Of course, now come the comments advocating him being hired as the hitting coach. Maybe he'd be good; I don't know. And nobody else knows either. It would be a risk hiring someone with no coaching experience to be on the staff of a major league team expected to contend. He'd have to give a hell of an interview to be seriously considered.

Many MLB orgs have a team of hitting coaches at the MLB level. It's certainly worth offering Cruz a position as an Assistant Hitting Coach. 

 

[Minny505]

5 hours ago, Doctor Wu said:

As you said, Cruz had a great reputation among his fellow teammates and in the clubhouse. But I still find it a bit baffling that so many people shrug off his PED suspension. Maybe Cruz DID manage to "outrun" the suspension as you note, but what made him get off so easily from the steroid black cloud when you compare him to the likes of Bonds, Sosa, or A-Rod?

I would guess it's because he played for more than a decade at a high level after the suspension. Tatis, Polanco, and many others are in the same boat.

Compare that to a modern player like Cano, who was busted near the end. Bonds, Sosa, McGwire, Palmeiro, A-Rod, Clemons, etc. They were all busted near the end. 

Those last 3-5 years dominate the memories of most players and their careers.

[Rod Carews Birthday]

Thanks Boomstick for a great couple of years in a Twins uniform.  He was a fun baseball player to watch and by all indications a fantastic teammate.  Hall of Fame seems out of reach, but that takes nothing away from a great career.  Enjoy retirement.  Take a summer vacation for the first time in your life!

[Five minute major]

I cannot recall another Twins player having near the positive impact on the overall lineup than Nelson Cruz did during his short tenure here.  His presence in the lineup elevated every hitter.   Sure other players may have had some better numbers but they were also surrounded by more talent.  Cripes, I would argue that Rocco owes his current paycheck to Nelly, 

[IndianaTwin]

12 hours ago, Karbo said:

His personality with reporters

And playing in places like Seattle and Minnesota. 

[Nine of twelve]

21 hours ago, Minny505 said:

I would guess it's because he played for more than a decade at a high level after the suspension. Tatis, Polanco, and many others are in the same boat.

Compare that to a modern player like Cano, who was busted near the end. Bonds, Sosa, McGwire, Palmeiro, A-Rod, Clemons, etc. They were all busted near the end. 

Those last 3-5 years dominate the memories of most players and their careers.

There are numerous players whose careers tanked immediately after being forced to give up the juice. By still playing well after discontinuing PED use a player shows that it was talent that made him a good player, not the drugs.