Replacing Cruz's Bat

[Mayor McCheese]

I'm actually more excited about the prospect of having Manny and Wieters back than I am concerned about Cruz leaving.

We just lost our MOO cleanup batter. Who do we replace him with!?! Jones...Pearce... Davis...

I wasn't for signing Cruz but I really do hope we have a plan.

We also do not have a starting LF / leadoff hitter

[mdbdotcom]

Yeah, if these guys come back healthy then I think that makes up for the loss of Cruz right there. Plus Davis could always play better than replacement level next year too.

Davis worries me.

[MemorialStadKid]

Yeah, if these guys come back healthy then I think that makes up for the loss of Cruz right there. Plus Davis could always play better than replacement level next year too.

Possibly.

Davis and Wieters are extreme question marks as of this time. Matt showed promise before his exit last season but neither of those guys are proven commodities. Cruz was the real deal. Right now, quite literally, we don't have anyone like that on the squad.

MSK

[Tx Oriole]

I'm actually more excited about the prospect of having Manny and Wieters back than I am concerned about Cruz leaving.

I am glad Manny will be back. I like Cruz and would have liked to have had him

back for a year or two. But not at 14 million a year for four years. That's too long

and the Mariners may rue the day they made that deal.

[Frobby]

Cruz wasn't going to replace the 2014 Cruz. That's the big misconception.

The Orioles went 52-29 in June, July and August. In that time Cruz hit .214 and slugged .398. I wish we had him back (not for that contract), but we shouldn't overstate our dependence on his bat in order to be a winner.

Two very wise statements here. I do think we may want to look for another bat now, but Cruz wasn't likely to repeat his 2014 season and we can find other ways to win.

[Ohfan67]

I think the O's will go into 2015 season hoping that Davis and the cheap OF's they signed late in the offseason will supply the offense that we lost with Cruz's departure. I seriously, seriously doubt that the O's will sign a comparable free agent or trade for a "big bat".

[Ohfan67]

The Orioles went 52-29 in June, July and August. In that time Cruz hit .214 and slugged .398. I wish we had him back (not for that contract), but we shouldn't overstate our dependence on his bat in order to be a winner.

Eye opening data. Guess the Orioles really are about good pitching and excellent defense.

[Roll Tide]

The homers aren't that important. Its the ability to hit with runners in scoring position and drive in runs. Cruz is preferable to Hunter but Hunter would do on a one year contract. There are so many issues with Kemp. Money, attitude, defense. I don't see that happening.

So you didnt want to give Cruz 4 years at 34 and apparently neither did DD. But you are for the Orioles throwing a pile of money at Hunter even at one year at 39? Seems to make little sense. With Hunter you are trading Cruz at 38 for Hunter at 39 in accelerated fashion.

Im not a big Nelson Cruz fan for the record. But if I see a starting OF of De AZA, Lough, and Jones with T Hunter at DH I will vomit.

[gmelson26]

Cruz is not or was not (even in Baltimore) going to hit 40 HRs again. I think realistically what we need to replace is about 30 HRs and 85 RBIs. Getting Wieters and Manny back for a full year doesn't quite do that for me. They will probably offset Pearce coming back down to Earth a bit.

[wildcard]

So you didnt want to give Cruz 4 years at 34 and apparently neither did DD. But you are for the Orioles throwing a pile of money at Hunter even at one year at 39? Seems to make little sense. With Hunter you are trading Cruz at 38 for Hunter at 39 in accelerated fashion.

Im not a big Nelson Cruz fan for the record. But if I see a starting OF of De AZA, Lough, and Jones with T Hunter at DH I will vomit.

Big difference between signing a one year contract and a 4 year contract.

[Roll Tide]

Big difference between signing a one year contract and a 4 year contract.

Well now your arguing the in between years. My point is everybody seemed okay with three years. But again not the 4th year at Cruz' 38 year season. The comp is buying Hunter at age 39 for 10-12 million for 1 year.

[LookinUp]

Not one mention of Kendrys Morales in this thread. Seems like a perfect buy-low guy to me. ...

And that's what we need, because it's exceedingly unlikely that we get Kemp, and not many 40 HR guys are walking through that door.

[Frobby]

Cruz is not or was not (even in Baltimore) going to hit 40 HRs again. I think realistically what we need to replace is about 30 HRs and 85 RBIs. Getting Wieters and Manny back for a full year doesn't quite do that for me. They will probably offset Pearce coming back down to Earth a bit.

Insert the word "probably" in your first sentence and I'd agree. Cruz hit 27 homers in 2013 despite being suspended for 50 games, so he was on a 40-homer pace each of the last two years. I can't rule out completely that he could have done it again in 201, but it's not likely.

[jpking17]

I wish we would get out of the mindset of picking up guys out of the bargain bin and hoping they can regain their old form. Someday we are going to actually have to outbid another team for a top tier player...we don't have a turnstile of young talent ready to take the place of a Nelson Cruz. While I don't disagree with the move....my mind goes back and thinks of how many games Cruz carried us this past season...somewhere down the road we are going to have to ante up for some top tier talent and hope the dice don't roll another Jimenez.

[Three Run Homer]

I wish we would get out of the mindset of picking up guys out of the bargain bin and hoping they can regain their old form. Someday we are going to actually have to outbid another team for a top tier player...we don't have a turnstile of young talent ready to take the place of a Nelson Cruz. While I don't disagree with the move....my mind goes back and thinks of how many games Cruz carried us this past season...somewhere down the road we are going to have to ante up for some top tier talent and hope the dice don't roll another Jimenez.

It doesn't seem like we would have even had to ante up top tier money to re-sign Cruz. In today's market, $14-15M a year for four years is not a high price to pay for an impact bat.