Jose Cruz Jr.

[DBAHO]

The Dodgers will reportedly release Jose Cruz Jr. after being unable to find a trade for him.

 

Cruz Jr. is likely to latch on with another team once he's released, because he'd only cost about $100,000 for the remainder of the season.

 

For most of the season, I've said the need for a backup outfielder is one that we shouldn't forget. He's won a gold glove before, but his defense in Tampa Bay wasn't really all that great.

 

Since Ross Gload's now in a hot streak, nothing's likely to happen here. But I thought I would just throw it out there and see what people thought of still getting a backup OF like Cruz. FWIW his splits this season are .233/.353/.381. He also hits a lot better on the road, so I think he would improve his numbers at the Cell also.

[The Critic]

I'd think the Sox are satisfied with their bench enough to pass on Cruz.

I dont think his defensive advantage over Mackowiak (if there even is one) would be enough to override Mack's offensive advantage.

It'll take a better player than Cruz to have the Sox make a move, I think.

[DBAHO]

I'd think the Sox are satisfied with their bench enough to pass on Cruz.

I dont think his defensive advantage over Mackowiak (if there even is one) would be enough to override Mack's offensive advantage.

It'll take a better player than Cruz to have the Sox make a move, I think.

It's a shame this couldn't happen before the trading deadline. That way the Sox could have moved Machowiak to a team like the Padres for a couple of prospects, and sign Cruz to fill his spot.

 

Maybe there's a tiny chance he would accept a minor league contract in AAA until the Sep 1 callups, kind of like a Durazo type of situation. My guess is that he'll latch onto a major league team somewhere though.

[JoeBatterz]

I would be suprised if he took a minor league contract.

[Guest JimH]

I would be suprised if he took a minor league contract.

 

Yes, I agree.

 

He was officially released by the Dodgers yesterday, they owe him $900k for the rest of this season and $300k more for his 2007 buyout.

[Milkman delivers]

It's a shame this couldn't happen before the trading deadline. That way the Sox could have moved Machowiak to a team like the Padres for a couple of prospects, and sign Cruz to fill his spot.

 

Maybe there's a tiny chance he would accept a minor league contract in AAA until the Sep 1 callups, kind of like a Durazo type of situation. My guess is that he'll latch onto a major league team somewhere though.

 

Why do people want to get rid of Mackowiak so badly? The guy is hammering the ball. If he subs at LF, RF, and 3B, he's probably the best utility player in the league this year.

[DBAHO]

Why do people want to get rid of Mackowiak so badly? The guy is hammering the ball. If he subs at LF, RF, and 3B, he's probably the best utility player in the league this year.

The thing is with Mackowiak, he's not going to get used as much as he should at LF, even though we would like him to, because he's not a leadoff hitter (even though he's never really been used in that situation), and because he can't hit LHP. If he could, problem solved.

 

My line of thinking was, if you could get a good defensive center fielder that can still hit righties quite well, then yeah I would move Mackowiak, while his value is really quite high.

[Milkman delivers]

The thing is with Mackowiak, he's not going to get used as much as he should at LF, even though we would like him to, because he's not a leadoff hitter (even though he's never really been used in that situation), and because he can't hit LHP. If he could, problem solved.

 

My line of thinking was, if you could get a good defensive center fielder that can still hit righties quite well, then yeah I would move Mackowiak, while his value is really quite high.

 

I can see your point, but I'd like to add two things. Pods himself doesn't fair too well against the lefties. And if anyone should be removed from the team for a respectable back-up in CF, it should really be Gload (despite what he's done recently).

[DBAHO]

I can see your point, but I'd like to add two things. Pods himself doesn't fair too well against the lefties. And if anyone should be removed from the team for a respectable back-up in CF, it should really be Gload (despite what he's done recently).

If Machowiak could hit LHP, then bingo you've got the perfect platoon partner. But that job goes to Ozuna. Hence why Rob hardly gets anytime in LF. He doesn't get much time at all in RF and 3B because of how well Dye and Crede have played, so more often that not it'll be in CF. And you know how many people around here have been criticising his defensive capabilities there.

 

And yes I agree on Gload, in fact that was in my signature about 2 months back. But they won't be moving Ross now with the way he has hit. Personally I would still think, if you could get a better defensive bench CF than Mackowiak, then you wouldn't need Gload, as Rob could play 1B if you really needed him to.

[Milkman delivers]

If Machowiak could hit LHP, then bingo you've got the perfect platoon partner. But that job goes to Ozuna. Hence why Rob hardly gets anytime in LF. He doesn't get much time at all in RF and 3B because of how well Dye and Crede have played, so more often that not it'll be in CF. And you know how many people around here have been criticising his defensive capabilities there.

 

And yes I agree on Gload, in fact that was in my signature about 2 months back. But they won't be moving Ross now with the way he has hit. Personally I would still think, if you could get a better defensive bench CF than Mackowiak, then you wouldn't need Gload, as Rob could play 1B if you really needed him to.

 

I agree with everything you said in the second paragraph.

 

For the bold part, I think Mackowiak should flat out take Pods' job. That way, there would still be a platoon of Mackowiak and Ozuna, and we'd have a better hitter against RHP in Rob. I've been preaching about and hoping for this for a while, though, and it just ain't happening.

[Jake]

For the bold part, I think Mackowiak should flat out take Pods' job. That way, there would still be a platoon of Mackowiak and Ozuna, and we'd have a better hitter against RHP in Rob. I've been preaching about and hoping for this for a while, though, and it just ain't happening.

 

I really don't think Mackowiak will be successful as an everyday player. I think Scotty is better offensively and defensively. If we were to make a change in LF, I would want it to be a Ryan Sweeney-type, someone who actually has some upside and is better defensively.

[whitesoxfan99]

I really don't think Mackowiak will be successful as an everyday player. I think Scotty is better offensively and defensively. If we were to make a change in LF, I would want it to be a Ryan Sweeney-type, someone who actually has some upside and is better defensively.

 

Mackowiak's defense in LF>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Scotty's D

[Milkman delivers]

I really don't think Mackowiak will be successful as an everyday player. I think Scotty is better offensively and defensively. If we were to make a change in LF, I would want it to be a Ryan Sweeney-type, someone who actually has some upside and is better defensively.

 

I'm going to repeat this again. Mackowiak has played in 79 games this year. He plays all the time, and he's fishing killing RHP. He basically is an everyday player.

 

Scott Podsednik plays predominantly against RHP, too (with Ozuna getting a lot of the starts against LHP). Mackowiak is batting .333 with an OBP of .409 against RHP in 150 AB's this year. That's way past fluke territory.

 

His defense is better than Pods' D. His average is higher than Pods (especially against RHP, which is when Pods mainly starts). His OBP is better than Pods. His arm is better than Pods.

 

Pods has stolen more bases (though none recently) and gets thrown out a whole bunch. Mackowiak won't steal much, but when he does try, he's likely to be successful because he's a great baserunner.

[CWSGuy406]

I think that if the Sox really wanted to replace Gload with a true fourth OFer, that it would've been done already. At this point, it's hoping for something that isn't going to happen.

 

Cruz would be a perfect fit, too. I remember reading from Dodger fans that he can still play all three OF spots decent enough, and over the past two seasons against lefties, in about 150 ABs, he's smoked lefties to the tune of an OPS around .950.

 

I'd like to see if the Sox could convince him to play at Charlotte for a month and then be a September call-up. If that doesn't happen, he probably isn't coming here.