According to Rotoworld:
Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes reports that the Orioles have reached an agreement with Nelson Cruz on a one-year, $8 million contract.
The deal is pending a physical which he'll undergo
on Sunday, and also includes an additional $750,000 that can be earned
in incentives. The 33-year-old slugger will likely see most of his time
as the Orioles designated hitter, and should have plenty of RBI chances
in the middle of a strong O's lineup.
9 comments:
Wow. That has to be a sign for the other non pitcher free agents. I really was never on the Drew train but if you can sign him for under 10 or 9 millions per year than the Mets should do it
I read today where the Mets offered Drew a similar deal at one point and he turned it down. So we'll see if this changes Boras' thinking in that regard. I'm not crazy about Drew either but rolling the dice for a year of his services is worth the risk.
Really? ?!
Orioles get Cruz for $8million/1yr
Mets get C. Young $7million/1yr
Alderson apologists now here is something to defend.
Alderson wants contract extension? ?!!!!
HAHAAHAHHHAHAHAAHAAHAAH!!!!!!!!!!
These Mets sure know how to build a team.
Yet we are told to TRUST them.
What a JOKE! !!!!
Bob-It's really more of a Granderson/Cruz argument since they are the player's who would've cost us the 2nd round pick. At the time Young was signed it was on the heels of the Murphy/Clev. and Byrd/Phils signings-both similar to the Young deal.
Those two deals set the market for that level of OF. You wouldn't have gotten Cruz for near that price then. So your choice is Granderson or Cruz. Now, knowing that even after signing Young the Mets needed a power corner bat who would have chosen Granderson or Cruz? That's a more pertinent argument. Because unless you wanted to lose your 2nd and 3rd round picks you couldn't have an OF with both players.
Also, hindsight is 20/20. I seriously doubt in November anyone, least of all Cruz, thought he'd sign so late in the offseason at a bargain price.
Should Alderson have waited out the market? Possibly, but let's face it if the team headed in Spring Training without addressing the corner OF problem the fanbase would be raising hell, and rightfully so. It's easy to bitch and complain about Alderson but in this case you're warping the facts and outcome to fit your own agenda.
It's not about being an Alderson apologist, whatever that is, it's about the way MLB operates in the offseason since the advent of losing a draft pick when signing player's who receive Qualifying offers. Which in its own way is a slight return to the pre-Free Agency reserve clause days.
Mack-I think what the Orioles are doing will become the template for team's in the future. You'll see more teams extending Qualifying offers and as a result more late low-cost, 1 and 2 year deals.
D Whit - which only supports my theory that Alderson still isn't done with Drew.
Bob -
I wasn't thrilled with the early signing of Chris Young, but there was no way of predicting that Cruz would still be around and could be signed for less than $2mil more... still, his defense makes Duda look like a good right fielder...
Mack-It's a solid theory. To me, this signing defines the market for Drew and Morales. Neither will get a multi-year deal now. I predict both will be signed within 48 hours. In that scenario, the Mets hold the best angle on Drew. The Pirates bite the bullet on Morales and Ike Davis stays put.
Bob -
Why do you think Alderson needs apologists when most knowledgeable fans agree he has done a great job with the resources he was given? One of the major sportswriters recently listed the five best moves of the off season, and while the Mets didn't make the top 5, he listed Alderson's signing of Chris Young as "honorable mention". (And no, I don't have a link.) At least in his opinion, it was the best of the Mets moves this off season.
I have first hand knowledge that Alderson wasn't thrilled with the Chris Young signing either (to use Mack's words) because he pointed to it as an example of how crazy the free agent market was at that time. But he wanted Young for his defense and his potential power, and he paid what was necessary at the time. At another time it might have been another story. I personally believe that Young will be more valuable to the Mets than Cruz would have been. And I think Alderson has better baseball judgement (and more smart advisors) than either you or I.
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