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

[LookinUp]

That would work.

All are below his career OPS. They would work, but none are bullish. I don't think folks know what to expect from Cruz this year. The homer in me expects something closer to .825.

[OriolefaninPA]

Another Texas guy; I am sure Duke and Buck did their home work;

This guy has legit power. Remember the playoff's ; he will be swinging

for a contract and to redeem himself; as long as the power was not

PEDS enhanced. How did he do after he came back presumably clean?

[wildcard]

1) 15m Markakis -RF

2) 13m Jones - CF

3) 10.35m Davis - 1B

4) 9m Jimenez - SP1 (2.25m deferred)

5) 8m Hardy - SS

6) 8m Cruz - DH

7) 7.7m Wieters - C

8) 5.3m Norris - SP2

9) 4.072m Chen - SP3

10) 3.2m O'Day - RP1

11) 3m Hunter - RP2

12) 2.4m Matusz - RP3

13) 2.25m Webb - RP4

14) 1.425 Yoon - RP9 (may start season in the minors)

15) 1.275m Patton - RP8 (restricted list)

16) 1.2m Aceves - RP5

17) .555 Peguero - 4th OF

18) .52m Tillman - SP4

19) .51m Gonzalez - SP5

20) .5m Lough - LF

21) .5m Machado - 3B

22) .5m Flaherty - 2B

23) .5m Clevenger - BU C

24) .5m Stinson - RP6

25) .5m Weeks or De Jesus or Casilla- IF

26) .5m Almanzar -1B/3B

27) .083m Britton RP7(until Patton is eligible)(traded in May)

Total 100.34M

Possible DFA or trade candidates

28) 1.025m Reimold

29) .85M Pearce

[Frobby]

Has there ever been a team that plays defense like this AND hits home runs like this? Aren't those things usually mutually exclusive??

And a starting five of all major league starters. All.

Hmmm, pitching, defense and three-run homers.....I feel like I've heard that before.... :scratchchinhmm:

[Lester Freamon]

Another Texas guy; I am sure Duke and Buck did their home work;

This guy has legit power. Remember the playoff's ; he will be swinging

for a contract and to redeem himself; as long as the power was not

PEDS enhanced. How did he too after he came back presumably clean?

Presumably, he was clean last season from the start. The Biogenesis stuff came out and the place was closed down before the season started. But, honestly, who knows for sure. I think he only played in one game after the suspension, #163 versus the Rays.

[Ripken]

For this year only, to setup 2014 and the future, I'm fine punting picks. Jimenez, Norris, and Cruz are all + players. The only thing to possibly not like is losing the 2nd rounder for only one year of the FA. There's an upside to it being just a 1 year deal but Cruz may very well accept the QO unless he has a big year; and for $15M I'm not sure we're recouping that pick. Still, IF Morales was significantly more than 1/8, Cruz is just fine. What I like is that, along with Nick, that's $23M walking out next year, which is why I absolutely believe CD is getting extended after this season. I believe Hardy gets extended before this season starts. That means some of Markakis, Wieters, and Cruz won't return but with Urrutia, Schoop, and other options, and a ton of good pitching prospects on the way, we're in great shape. The window is much bigger than two years.

[OriolefaninPA]

My bad; he did not play after the suspension of 50 games but one game, thanks Lester.

He had 8 Hrs. post season 2011 and 6 hrs. 2010.

[Guest]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Markakis said adding Cruz doest change his stance on PEDs and players who take them. But will stand by him as a teammate.</p>— Brittany Ghiroli (@Britt_Ghiroli) <a href="

">February 22, 2014</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[MDK02]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Markakis said adding Cruz doest change his stance on PEDs and players who take them. But will stand by him as a teammate.</p>— Brittany Ghiroli (@Britt_Ghiroli) <a href="

">February 22, 2014</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I think that's needless to say for Nick.

[weams]

Another Texas guy; I am sure Duke and Buck did their home work;

This guy has legit power. Remember the playoff's ; he will be swinging

for a contract and to redeem himself; as long as the power was not

PEDS enhanced. How did he too after he came back presumably clean?

27 Home Runs 75 RBI 100 games

[weams]

My bad; he did not play after the suspension of 50 games.

He had 8 Hrs. post season 2011 and 6 hrs. 2010.

His infraction was from the year prior. 2012 BioGenesis involvement.

[elextrano8]

I gotta say, I did not foresee a scenario in which I'd be in favor of signing Cruz. But the Honey Badger GM did it yet again. I agree with many in seeing four major improvements in this single move:

1) Flawed though he may be, Cruz instantly improves our DH spot.

2) I too think this indicates that Lough will play basically full time in LF. I think he has the potential for to be a decent bat, but even if he disappoints at the plate, I expect he'll greatly improve our defense. I don't think he's necessarily gonna be Manny-in-Left-Field, but I think he will probably be well above average. Even more significantly, I think he could have a slight domino effect by taking defensive pressure off AJ, and perhaps by extension even Nick.

3) It's a cheap signing of short duration which (hopefully) allows Urrutia a full season at Norfolk.

4) If the team bombs or someone like Henry is destroying AAA and ready for the bigs, Cruz could be an attractive trade candidate. I doubt he'd net us a huge return, but I could see him netting a return worth more than the salary and 2nd rounder expended to sign him.

4a) If we keep him all year we could potentially risk putting him in the same draft pick position as he was this year. Best possible scenario, he has a strong 2014, signs elsewhere in 2015 and nets us a 1st rounder. That would essentially be trading $8 mil and a 2013 2nd Round pick for a good season and a 2014 1st Round pick. I doubt that will be the case, but I think it's a scenario that has a moderate-to-low chance of occurring.

So yeah, that was actually five, but I majored in history so whole my math may suck, I sure can number things in a deceptive manor .

All kidding aside, you can sum up my thoughts with: The Honey Badger GM does it again!

[isestrex]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Markakis said adding Cruz doest change his stance on PEDs and players who take them. But will stand by him as a teammate.</p>— Brittany Ghiroli (@Britt_Ghiroli) <a href="

">February 22, 2014</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Good on Britt asking him and a perfect answer from Nick

[El Gordo]

Yeah and if you put Manny first and Nick second you have L/R all the way through including the turnover from bottom to top. Not that I necessarily think, or want, that to be the lineup.

Jones has reverse splits, is better v RHP than LHP so he's fine in the 3 hole. To bad Buck doesn't seem to know this.

[Can_of_corn]

Good on Britt asking him and a perfect answer from Nick

I wonder if any of the players had made a stand against beating the crap our of your father in law if they would have asked them the same question when K-Rod joined the team?