Hmm, so Nelson Cruz was pitching when David Freese hit that extra inning home run. Thanks, subby, because I thought that was Mark Lowe.

mikemoto: Hmm, so Nelson Cruz was pitching when David Freese hit that extra inning home run. Thanks, subby, because I thought that was Mark Lowe.

I thought Ron Washington changed his name.

I fail to see the irony in the headline.

That's a little high I'd think, particularly when he's still in arbitration. $8M for 2010 I'd approve, but only $7M for the 2011 numbers. So split it to $7.5M. Which interestingly enough is the top end of what he filed for in arbitration (scroll down).

Guess I have played enough OOTP to get good at contract guessing.

He shouldn't have been in the game in the first place. If Wash hadn't curiously pulled Gentry in the (iirc) 5th inning for a meaningless at bat when he didn't even pinch hit for the pitcher after him, the outfield would have been Gentry, Hamilton and Murphy. Murphy would have caught that ball and would have been positioned properly

CRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUuuuuuuuuuuu.... Oh, wrong Cruz? *walks away ashamedly*

lacydog: I guess the team figures his cost would go up next year?

If he has a better season, or at the very least a consistent season, his arbitration value is probably higher.

Plus players don't particularly like arbitration. It's out of their control what they make, they have to argue the case to MLB and they decide what they're worth. And he has to get arbitration. One way or another, unless you cut him, he's going to get paid. He's a Ranger until he hits FA.

I just wanted to remind everyone that after that walk off grand slam in the bottom of the 11th in game 2 of the ALCS (new window), I couldn't find a Cruz jersey or t-shirt anywhere. He's still a beloved member of the team. I ain't even mad.


lajotu: The Rangers always seem to have a big-name Hispanic player on their team. Might have something to do with the market in Texas, I dunno.

That's..... racist?

Coincidentally, I'm currently drinking a beer out of one of my 2011 Cardinals World Series Champions pint glasses.

lajotu: lacydog: I've seen a few teams do this as of late. Makes zero sense to me. If you're not buying out a free agent year or two... what's the point of these deals? You're sacrificing roster flexibility and removing any leverage you might have in contract negotiations. If Cruz goes out and bombs this year, you could have had him next year for far less than $8MM.

The Rangers always seem to have a big-name Hispanic player on their team. Might have something to do with the market in Texas, I dunno.

Which is different from most other baseball teams...how?

I'm not a Rangers fan, but I pull for Nelson Cruz. He had that 4-year run from 2005-08 where he would absolutely murder the ball in AAA, get promoted to the bigs, flail hopelessly, and repeat the cycle. 155 minor league HRs is a dubious distinction. You could tell he had the ability to hit in the bigs, but for a while he was the poster boy for the "AAAA" guy who just couldn't take that last step. I was happy to see him finally break through at the end of '08, and good on Nolan for sticking with him.

The WS fielding bumble was ugly, but I doubt the Rangers are playing in the WS if it wasn't for Nelson Cruz single-handedly dismantling the Tigers' pitching staff. (He hit .364/.440/1.273, hitting 6 of the Rangers' 7 HR.)

Again, it's not a real "World Championship" if only a handful of countries actually participate in the sport. Are the winners of the all-Ireland gaelic football trophy "World Champions" of gaelic football?