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Heyman says White Sox interested in Nelson Cruz


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2 hours ago, Capital G said:

I like this for the same reason I'd like a Haap type signing.

If we also sign Machado or, I can dream, Machado + Corbin this opens our window to the AL C in 2019. Especially if Cleve decides to sell.

What's the worst that could happen? We have Cruz on a 1 year deal (maybe 2), no one else signs with us, we suck again this year. We can flip him at the trade deadline to a team in contention that could use his bat (and if he sucks we eat his contract. Again, no biggie due to our low payroll). Not like the $ we would spend on him would tie us up in our rebuild window and/or keep us from signing one or more of Machado/Harper/Corbin.

 

I can live with this in 2019

Castillo/Narvarez

Abreu 

Moncada

Anderson

Machado

OF:

Palka

Engel (we'd likely need him and have to deal w/ his bat if we plan on having Palka in the OF)

Eloy

DH: Cruz

SP:

Rodon

Lopez

Haap/Gio Gonz/etc (If somehow we land Corbin of course move him to #1)

Gio

Covey

With a very weak ALC (assuming Cleve does sell) we could win the ALC in 2019 and still have contracts of Cruz/Haap fall off once were ready to bring up our young guys and still have payroll flexibility.

Corbin is IMO too risky for what he's likely to get paid. I think for the money you'd spend on Corbin, or close to it, you could likely get Yusei Kikuchi, Gio Gonzalez, Michael Brantley, and Nelson Cruz. I think the latter four put the team in better position to contend alongside Machado than the former.

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Just now, Dam8610 said:

Corbin is IMO too risky for what he's likely to get paid. I think for the money you'd spend on Corbin, or close to it, you could likely get Yusei Kikuchi, Gio Gonzalez, Michael Brantley, and Nelson Cruz. I think the latter four put the team in better position to contend alongside Machado than the former.

Yeah I don't really want Corbin. Completely fine with gambling on guys like Gio.

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11 hours ago, CWSpalehoseCWS said:

This should be the only reason to bring him in, but I really want nothing to do with Cruz. Keep him away if at all possible. He's entering his age 38 season and already showed slight signs of regression this past season.

Did he? 137 wRC+ with 37 homers. 153 wRC+ with 30 homers against LHP. He would have been the best offensive player on the Sox last year by a lot. 

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15 minutes ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

Did he? 137 wRC+ with 37 homers. 153 wRC+ with 30 homers against LHP. He would have been the best offensive player on the Sox last year by a lot. 

I had to look this up because those splits would be extreme. He hit 11 homers against lefties (.266 avg) last year, 16 against righties (and a .253 avg).

Edited by soxfan2014
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1 minute ago, Y2Jimmy0 said:

Did he? 137 wRC+ with 37 homers. 153 wRC+ with 30 homers against LHP. He would have been the best offensive player on the Sox last year by a lot. 

His age seems to indicate he isn't long for the major leagues. And his production, while still great, did go down a bit last season. And he's a DH. Would you be surprised if at age 38 he gets injured or his production drops significantly? Do you really think the White Sox have much of a chance to contend in 2019? Do you really think 38 year old DHs bring back significant prospects at the trade deadline? It isn't worth paying him. If he were a few years younger, then sure. Not now.

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5 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

His age seems to indicate he isn't long for the major leagues. And his production, while still great, did go down a bit last season. And he's a DH. Would you be surprised if at age 38 he gets injured or his production drops significantly? Do you really think the White Sox have much of a chance to contend in 2019? Do you really think 38 year old DHs bring back significant prospects at the trade deadline? It isn't worth paying him. If he were a few years younger, then sure. Not now.

Unless they really think they have a chance in 2020 and they think Cruz won't suddenly fall off over the next couple years. You get Kopech back in2020, Cease should be up day 1 that year (assuming everything goes right this year and he comes up at some point), Lopez, hopefully huge strides from Giolito this year and you never know. Of course, there are a lot of "ifs" in this scenario like the above situations, signing Machado, the young position players and starters and bullpen, being good, signing a good starter, etc.

Edited by soxfan2014
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On ‎9‎/‎26‎/‎2018 at 10:03 AM, Dick Allen said:

 

 

1 hour ago, Dick Allen said:

The White Sox lost 100 games with one of the weakest schedules in baseball. To think Machado, Happ, Cruz, and Eloy makes them instant contenders is very wishful thinking. The Sox used to add guys like Cruz and Happ to teams that had guys like Sale and Q and Eaton and in his prime Jose Abreu, and it didn't work.

Typically I would agree. But at those times there was always a team that was a clear cut playoff  contender.

Tigers/Royals/Indians.

 

IF Cleve sells who is going to be a far and above better team than the team I outlined? Not the Tigers and Royals. Not the Indians if they sell. Minny?

Not to mention signing a Haap and Cruz for a couple years wont hurt us if it does not work out. We don't lose prospects and we don't have to worry about salaries. Whether it works or not our rebuild is not impacted at all. We either compete this year or we don't and we flip Cruz. Even if for some reason Cruz bombs he'd be gone before he is blocking anyone in the minors and his salary would not keep us from FA this or next year.

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7 minutes ago, soxfan2014 said:

I had to look this up because those splits would be extreme. He hit 11 homers against lefties (2..6 avg) last year, 16 against righties (and a .253 avg).

I did have this wrong. He hit 11 homers vs LHP and 26 vs RHP. This part is same though. 

Vs LHP: 153 wRC+, .389 wOBA

vs RHP: 126 wRC+, .350 wOBA 

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4 minutes ago, Capital G said:

 

Typically I would agree. But at those times there was always a team that was a clear cut playoff  contender.

Tigers/Royals/Indians.

 

IF Cleve sells who is going to be a far and above better team than the team I outlined? Not the Tigers and Royals. Not the Indians if they sell. Minny?

Not to mention signing a Haap and Cruz for a couple years wont hurt us if it does not work out. We don't lose prospects and we don't have to worry about salaries. Whether it works or not our rebuild is not impacted at all. We either compete this year or we don't and we flip Cruz. Even if for some reason Cruz bombs he'd be gone before he is blocking anyone in the minors and his salary would not keep us from FA this or next year.

People keep mentioning this but they're only talking about a couple key pieces that are almost gone anyway (Kluber) and they would likely be getting back a guy or two that could help them next year or after (think a guy like Clint Frazier who doesn't have a spot currently but who would easily be in the linup on other teams).

Edited by soxfan2014
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41 minutes ago, Dam8610 said:

Corbin is IMO too risky for what he's likely to get paid. I think for the money you'd spend on Corbin, or close to it, you could likely get Yusei Kikuchi, Gio Gonzalez, Michael Brantley, and Nelson Cruz. I think the latter four put the team in better position to contend alongside Machado than the former.

 

40 minutes ago, soxfan2014 said:

Yeah I don't really want Corbin. Completely fine with gambling on guys like Gio.

What's the worry about Corbin? Just the money or his performance? I don't know much about him.

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29 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

His age seems to indicate he isn't long for the major leagues. And his production, while still great, did go down a bit last season. And he's a DH. Would you be surprised if at age 38 he gets injured or his production drops significantly? Do you really think the White Sox have much of a chance to contend in 2019? Do you really think 38 year old DHs bring back significant prospects at the trade deadline? It isn't worth paying him. If he were a few years younger, then sure. Not now.

Why does it matter though if it’s on a short-term contract?  Adding Cruz is an easy way to improve the team and doesn’t prevent us from making other splashier additions.  I’m all for it if the price is right.

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1 minute ago, Capital G said:

 

What's the worry about Corbin? Just the money or his performance? I don't know much about him.

Really good, but suddenly got amazing last year so seems to be a regression candidate you'd be paying full price for. Was a pretty average pitcher before.

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I don’t see this as anything more than making Cruz aware that the Sox would give him a soft place to land if his market falls apart  

I guess we, as fans, are conditioned to think of team salary as a transient, temporal resource that comes and goes from year to year — but to an owner, I gotta believe $30M is $30M. I’m not saying there’s no situation where we could end up with him, but if you think that it won’t affect the White Sox ability or willingness to spend big later, I think you’re crazy. 

Edited by Eminor3rd
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2 minutes ago, raBBit said:

Thing that is interesting about Cruz is his track record is very consistent yet he will have few suitors. How many teams in the AL are trying to compete and don't already have a DH?

That's what I was thinking too. He's at the end of his career and doesn't have a ring. That could be important if offers are close. Astros, who are listed in the original tweet, make a ton of sense for him.

Edited by soxfan2014
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On 11/7/2018 at 3:31 PM, Orlando said:

I like a Cruz signing at 2/30. I think it makes sense for both parties. He would have been one of, if not the best hitters on the team last year.

That is an understatement, over the last 3 years cruz has a higher ops+ than machado and Harper, he was a top hitter.

However at his age decline or injury can come quickly.

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