Heyman: Cruz and O's agree on deal (1 - $8M)

[scOtt]

Just woke up. I have to say I'm very disappointed we got Cruz and not Morales.

But I'm awful glad we got one of them. :2yay-thumb: :2yay-thumb: :2yay-thumb:

[Frobby]

2. He's not even worth 8 million

Why? He's been worth 10.3 rWAR over the last 5 years, inclluding 2.0 last year even though he missed 1/3 of the season serving his suspension. I have some concern that without the PED's he may decline, but that performance is certainly worth more than $8 mm.

[AdamK]

I love our roster options these days. Lots of flexibility to focus on trades now that the pressure to add an arm and bat are gone.

Os are in a position of strength to further refine the roster. Perhaps ship some guys out who are creating a log jam of averageness.

Love it. Keep grinding, Duke. Stay hungry.

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[Lester Freamon]

Why? He's been worth 10.3 rWAR over the last 5 years, inclluding 2.0 last year even though he missed 1/3 of the season serving his suspension. I have some concern that without the PED's he may decline, but that performance is certainly worth more than $8 mm.

Yeah, I'm very curious about this too. 33 going on 34, will his age start to show? The Biogenesis stuff came out before last season and the place was "shuttered up" as well. You might presume that his 27 homers in 109 games was on the up and up. Or, knowing how easy it apparently is for guys to beat the test, perhaps he was getting his "anti-aging" stuff from some other place?

[MDK02]

Why? He's been worth 10.3 rWAR over the last 5 years, inclluding 2.0 last year even though he missed 1/3 of the season serving his suspension. I have some concern that without the PED's he may decline, but that performance is certainly worth more than $8 mm.

Did Cruz even test positive for the drug last year? Or was it cause he was just associated with the Biogenesis case? Either way lets hope he comes in hungry and ready to play ball. He's worth 8+ mil.

[Ohfan67]

Cruz is likely to hit better than Reimold/Young over the season. Well, almost certainly will. A one year contract for eight million is a financial win for the O's. So they are likely to get good production for their investment. But I gag a little every time I think of Nelson Cruz in an Orioles uniform. I would not have signed this guy under basically any circumstances. I am a little surprised that Angelos et al. agreed to this. I think it is a solid baseball move in terms of likely on field productivity and business, but I really, really don't like signing a guy that was suspended 50 games last year for being involved in the biogenesis mess. I also think it is likely that he will perform well for the deal he is getting, but he could end up being really mediocre given his age and probable lack of chemical supplements.

[isestrex]

I wasn't happy when it looked like we were going to sign him but at 1/8 I'm totally okay with this. My main problem with him earlier in the offseason was I don't think he has more than a couple years left as a viable ML slugger. Now that's not our problem.

Pretty much my thoughts. I really fear he's going to be Vlad 2.0 (or even Sosa:eek:) but that's such a cheap price and for only one year... it's not that bad.

[Rene88]

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[Finisher]

Offseason went from a disaster to pretty incredible.

1/8 is outstanding because Cruz will have something to prove and will be playing for another contract. I think he still has a couple more 30 homerun/.800+ OPS seasons in him. Guy hit 27 bombs in 456 at-bats last year.

Have to give credit to DD for playing the waiting game. He probably figured a couple guys would fall into our laps if we simply waited long enough and that's what happened.

[DrinkinWithFermi]

That's a lie. Jiminez has been very good in 2 of the last 3 years. His bad year was an anomoly and he was hurt.

Ubaldo was pretty bad in 2011 and the first half of 2013.

2011: 4.68 ERA, 1.40 WHIP

2013, first half: 4.56 ERA, 1.49 WHIP

[Finisher]

I really fear he's going to be Vlad 2.0 (or even Sosa:eek:) but that's such a cheap price and for only one year... it's not that bad.

I just don't see it. Sosa and Vlad's numbers were falling off a cliff when we got them and they were older than Cruz. Cruz was on pace for 35 homeruns last year; guy still has a couple good years left in him imo.

[weams]

Hopefully, we have a gentleman's agreement that Cruz will turn down our QO next year and put him back in this same position next year.

Now we have a bit of a hole at closer (hopefully we don't derail Gausman's career into the closer position if Hunter and other's struggle there).

1. There is no such thing. But no FA has ever taken any QO offer, even when it has cost them 7 million dollars as it did Cruz.

2. All hands on deck. Better than being locked in Johnson. As St Louis and Boston have taught us.

[MDK02]

I'll tell ya what, Cruz has a lot more speed than I thought. He also isn't afraid to get dirty in the OF, which i respect. Love to see that oppo field power too... I'm liking this signing a little more by the minute.

[AlbionHero]

Ubaldo was pretty bad in 2011 and the first half of 2013.

2011: 4.68 ERA, 1.40 WHIP

2013, first half: 4.56 ERA, 1.49 WHIP

He was only bad in 2011 if you only believe standard stats and don't dig deeper.

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=3374&position=P

he had a higher WAR in 2011 than he did last year, and his xFIP was about the same as 2009, 2010 and 2013. The problem was he had a terrible defense behind him which caused him to give up many base hits that an average defense would have prevented.

[jtschrei]

Wanted to Morales, who is clearly a better hitter. That said, I understand this signing because of the risk factor. Adding a 4th year for Ubaldo was risky. Giving a 1 year deal to Cruz is not. He can be traded mid-season if he's not performing.