Would you have matched SEA offer to keep Cruz an Oriole?

[Sammy Seagull]

most sane people would

[DirtyBird]

I wasn't around here in 2014, so I just got my "Yes, that's reasonable" vote in now.

[Frobby]

7 hours ago, DrungoHazewood said:

From age zero through 32 Cruz was worth 12 wins, which is the 523rd best mark of all time among 1B/RF/LF/DHs.  Just below Dmitri Young, Hal Morris and Dan Gladden.  Quite a few slots behind such luminaries as Aubrey Huff and Chris Davis.

From age 35-38 Cruz was worth 16 wins, which is 10th all time at those positions.  A few spots behind Roberto Clemente and just in front of Stan Musial and Paul Molitor.

I guess if you saw that coming, good on you.

I mentioned yesterday the study I’d done of active players through age 36.    The average player in that group acquired 51% of their total WAR by age 29; the median was 53.5%.    Cruz was the lowest in the group, at 25%.    And that didn’t even include the 7.2 WAR he put up in his age 37-38 seasons.    He’s about as extreme an outlier as you’ll ever find.   

[OsEatAlEast]

I wasn't any seer or anything but I felt the O's would have done well to re-sign both Cruz and Miller. It's not like we as O's fans had windows a plenty for winning. They needed to strike while the iron was hot and they plainly didn't.

[weams]

On 12/1/2014 at 12:19 PM, isestrex said:

If given the chance, would you have paid 4y/$57M for Cruz if he came back and asked the Orioles to match?

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/07/nelson-cruz-discusses-future-plans.html

Quote

“I don’t see it [soon],” Cruz said of calling it quits sometime soon, and he went on to state that “my body is in good shape, and I’m doing everything I can to keep it that way. Why would I retire?”

Indeed, based on the eye-popping offensive numbers he has put up over the past few seasons, Cruz doesn’t look like someone who’s anywhere near the finish line. Cruz was a force with the Mariners from 2015-18 over 2,558-plate appearance tenure in which he slashed .284/.362/.546 (147 wRC+) with 163 home runs, and he only got better a year ago.

Owing to his age and his inability to factor in as a defender, Cruz didn’t secure a multiyear guarantee in free agency after his time in Seattle ended. He instead inked a one-year, $14.3MM deal with the Twins, though that contract did come with a $12MM club option for 2020. The Twins exercised it this past offseason, which was a no-brainer in light of the production Cruz posted in Year 1 in Minnesota.

...

While Cruz only played in 120 games, his fewest since 2013, he still managed to amass 41 home runs across 521 PA and slash .311/.392/.639 – good for a personal-high wRC+ of 163. His HR total played a major role in the Twins setting a single-season record with 307.

 

[Ruzious]

On 12/1/2014 at 3:49 PM, Ruzious said:

I would go with Seattle over you on this one. If he stays healthy, he'll be worth the money. And winning is better than losing.

You guys don't know what it's like to be right all the time.  You're so lucky to not have that burden.  

[Redskins Rick]

40 minutes ago, Ruzious said:

You guys don't know what it's like to be right all the time.  You're so lucky to not have that burden.  

Like Frobby mentioned, this is as big as an outier as they come.

[BohKnowsBmore]

2 hours ago, Ruzious said:

You guys don't know what it's like to be right all the time.  You're so lucky to not have that burden.  

I feel like I am now ready to weigh in here...

"Would you have matched 4y/$57M for Cruz?"

Yes

And why can't Dan Duquette see this very obvious, compelling evidence that it's a smart idea!?!?!?!?!

[HowAboutThat]

When I saw that this post had been resurrected I had a brief thought that somehow we had signed him for 2020, and my first subsequent thought was that NOW he’s going to drop off the cliff.

[Moose Milligan]

Would have been nice to have kept him if it meant we couldn't sign Davis to the contract we did.  

[HowAboutThat]

It seems that today is Nelson’s birthday, and a little blurb listed all of his accomplishments. I’m wondering if he is in that no man’s land of Hall of Fame voting, where he gets votes for a while and then drops off?

Or does he perhaps have a real shot at induction?

[makoman]

19 minutes ago, Philip said:

It seems that today is Nelson’s birthday, and a little blurb listed all of his accomplishments. I’m wondering if he is in that no man’s land of Hall of Fame voting, where he gets votes for a while and then drops off?

Or does he perhaps have a real shot at induction?

Anything’s possible and WAR isn’t everything but he has less WAR than Baines, who was roundly considered an awful pick. No way Cruz gets voted in—maybe he’ll be best buddies with someone on whatever committee in 25 years. 

[Can_of_corn]

8 minutes ago, makoman said:

Anything’s possible and WAR isn’t everything but he has less WAR than Baines, who was roundly considered an awful pick. No way Cruz gets voted in—maybe he’ll be best buddies with someone on whatever committee in 25 years. 

He's a known steroid user.  The ones that are actually HoF worthy need to be put in before he has a chance.

[SteveA]

35 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

He's a known steroid user.  The ones that are actually HoF worthy need to be put in before he has a chance.

The HoF x-factor is that writers seem to love him.   In her recap of her years as a beat writer with the O's, Britt Ghiroli says he is flat out the nicest player she ever dealt with and a was a joy to work with.

[Can_of_corn]

3 minutes ago, SteveA said:

The HoF x-factor is that writers seem to love him.   In her recap of her years as a beat writer with the O's, Britt Ghiroli says he is flat out the nicest player she ever dealt with and a was a joy to work with.

I'd like to see a voter defend voting for Cruz when they didn't vote for Bonds or Clemens.

Does Britt have a HoF vote?