Rays trade for Nelson Cruz

[Eye Black]

Per Jeff Passan…

 

BREAKING: The Tampa Bay Rays are finalizing a deal to acquire slugger Nelson Cruz from the Minnesota Twins, sources tell ESPN.

[jjfanec]

Cruz and minor league pitcher Calvin Faucher for Joe Ryan and drew Strotman. Ryan and Strotman are 10 and 17 in the rays system

[endaround]

For Ryan and Strotman. Two older AAA pitchers who are basically MLB ready.

[jjfanec]

Ryan's numbers are really impressive. Might be a nice haul for the Twins.

[homer]

He's twice as old as Wander Franco

[nate82]

Two 45 FV players that is a nice return for the Twins for a rental of Cruz. Though I am not all that sold on Ryan at least not in the rotation he is definitely a bullpen arm. Strotman has a chance to make it as a starter and is probably the better prospect coming back to the Twins. Strotman has top of the rotation stuff but he has had TJ surgery so that may or may not be an issue going forward. Still a nice trade for the Twins and a nice trade for the Rays also.

[SRB]

Ryan and Strotman are 10 and 17 in the rays system

 

This initially seemed like a light return to me, but apparently the Rays just have a ridiculous system as Ryan was a top 100 prospect prior to 2020.

 

Seller's market so far, not ideal for us

[endaround]

Ryan and Strotman are 10 and 17 in the rays system

 

This initially seemed like a light return to me, but apparently the Rays just have a ridiculous system as Ryan was a top 100 prospect prior to 2020.

 

Seller's market so far, not ideal for us

 

Cruz projects to be worth about 1.3 wins going forward. That's about $13M in value given higher premium on wins now. He is owed about $6M so about $7M in in value. FV45 pitching prospects on average are valued at about $4M. Total of $8M vs $7M. So really not outside the win premium of $10M for wins for teams trying to make the playoffs vs $8M or so per win in general.

[PeaveyFury]

Cruz is an outstanding offensive addition for an AL team.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I honestly didn't know he was still playing. And he is still quite good apparently.

[adambr2]

It's crazy that we are still talking about the same Nelson Cruz (who is still very good) that we talked about trading in 2006. And he was an old prospect at the time.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Nelson Cruz has put up some pretty prodigious power numbers in his career. Not bad for a guy who didn't really become a full time regular til he was 28.

[Bulldogboy]

Market now set for a good bat. Brewers should be on the phone and get something done before the Sox leave town.

[clancyphile]

It's crazy that we are still talking about the same Nelson Cruz (who is still very good) that we talked about trading in 2006. And he was an old prospect at the time.

 

Should be a lesson about not dismissing someone who is an "older" prospect. Think about what having him would have meant in 2008 and 2011.

[badgerbeerman81]

Yeah, but then we wouldn't have seen Kevin Mench try to squeeze his large head into a Brewers hat. Even trade, in my opinion.

[wildcat83]

Just noticed Cruz has played 1B in one of the Phillies games, and went 3-4 that game.

 

Lots of people, me included, dismissed Cruz at the deadline because he couldn’t play in the field. Granted one game is different than becoming the full-time 1B, but interesting to see the Rays use him there.

[jerichoholicninja]

I'll never understand why fans and organizations freak out over the idea of a player playing a position he's never played before for 1 game or even just a few innings. These guys are professional athletes who have been playing baseball their whole lives. They'll be fine and the negative impact they can have on a game is so minimal unless something totally unusual happens it's not worth the worry. Especially a guy like Cruz. His bat makes up for his lack of defensive issues. Now I'm not talking put him in the field everyday but if you need him to wear a glove 1 or 2 days a week his play will be fine.

[Thurston Fluff]

I'll never understand why fans and organizations freak out over the idea of a player playing a position he's never played before for 1 game or even just a few innings. These guys are professional athletes who have been playing baseball their whole lives. They'll be fine and the negative impact they can have on a game is so minimal unless something totally unusual happens it's not worth the worry. Especially a guy like Cruz. His bat makes up for his lack of defensive issues. Now I'm not talking put him in the field everyday but if you need him to wear a glove 1 or 2 days a week his play will be fine.

 

Two words. Mark Kotsay.

[PeaveyFury]

I'll never understand why fans and organizations freak out over the idea of a player playing a position he's never played before for 1 game or even just a few innings. These guys are professional athletes who have been playing baseball their whole lives. They'll be fine and the negative impact they can have on a game is so minimal unless something totally unusual happens it's not worth the worry. Especially a guy like Cruz. His bat makes up for his lack of defensive issues. Now I'm not talking put him in the field everyday but if you need him to wear a glove 1 or 2 days a week his play will be fine.

 

Escobar has had a couple of errors caused at first because he hasn't been able to dig out throws that a more experienced first baseman absolutely would have. One of them was in the game we lost to Pittsburgh during the bullpen COVID stuff that caused runs to score. Defense matters, and poor defense costs runs.

[jerichoholicninja]

And Escobar was/is getting significant planned time at 1B. I'm talking like what happened with Cruz. He played 1 game at 1B because they couldn't use the DH and the general reaction was "OMG how crazy is it that he played the field!" Just about any major leaguer can play any non-catcher position for 1 game. I mean Kris Bryant never played a position other than 3B before getting called up and then Joe Maddon plays him in all 3 OF spots and 1B.

[PeaveyFury]

And Escobar was/is getting significant planned time at 1B. I'm talking like what happened with Cruz. He played 1 game at 1B because they couldn't use the DH and the general reaction was "OMG how crazy is it that he played the field!" Just about any major leaguer can play any non-catcher position for 1 game. I mean Kris Bryant never played a position other than 3B before getting called up and then Joe Maddon plays him in all 3 OF spots and 1B.

 

The situation I described above literally happened in Escobar's first game ever as a 1B.

[monty57]

I'll never understand why fans and organizations freak out over the idea of a player playing a position he's never played before for 1 game or even just a few innings. These guys are professional athletes who have been playing baseball their whole lives. They'll be fine and the negative impact they can have on a game is so minimal unless something totally unusual happens it's not worth the worry. Especially a guy like Cruz. His bat makes up for his lack of defensive issues. Now I'm not talking put him in the field everyday but if you need him to wear a glove 1 or 2 days a week his play will be fine.

 

In the first sentence, you say "1 game or even just a few innings," while in the last sentence you say "1 or 2 days a week."

 

I agree that sometimes you need an "emergency" player to come in. Then you just hope that he doesn't get many balls hit his way, and you rectify the situation with some roster moves after the game. That's much different than playing a defensive butcher once or twice a week, which could do harm to your team. The defense subtracts from your offense, so even if you are a good offensive player, the team will eventually look to replace you if your defense is bad enough.