Pondering a Nelson Cruz Reunion

Too many young players who need those at bats more than Cruz. 

He's not what this team needs.

This is exactly the type of trade that should happen but has close to zero chance of happening. 

The Twins will not want to: add his salary, cut someone from the big-league roster or the 40-man roster for him, and bury other players like Sano in order to give the Boomstick ABs.

But Cruz's leadership should not be undersold and if he's anything close to his 2019-2020 self he's a better hitter than all the other options. 

Don't need him back on this roster.  He isn't the difference maker and earlier in the year the team chemistry per some players was at it's best from previous years.  Clubhouse leadership and mentor to Sano.  Sano obviously didn't learn anything from Cruz.  Why bring back a bloated DH salary when younger guys are outperforming Father Time?  Thanked him for his time last year, not need for a welcome back tour for a true rental player for 2 months

He doesn’t pitch right? When I consider it today, I just don’t see how that acquisition would address a need for the Twins. However, it could look very different a couple weeks down the road.

A baseball season can humble me repeatedly.

I love Cruz and any playoff team would love to have his bat.

I’d be more interested in Josh Bell though. Would allow Kirilloff to take left and Miranda to DH.

 IMHO we should not bring back Cruz. Loved the guy on the team but we have moved on. We have a lot of guys that are developing in the big show now that we had questions about, and all seem to be showing the ability we need. Consistency, defense, hitting are being shown by Kirilloff, Garlick, Miranda, Gordon, Celestino plus Larnach who is on IL. Buxton .222 wow, Kepler .233 oooh, catch anything hit in their direction with cannons. Correa, Urshela, Polanco, Arraez, all are gamers and hit. Our two catchers are adequate. 

We need relief pitching for the last haul through the summer and by that time we will have guys off the IL or on the Saints that can come up fresh, if we manage to get to the playoffs.

He is a talent, and up the road might be a good coach, but let another team enjoy his talents. We had fun and benefitted from him on the team.

Go Twins!

Twins Geezer.....out!

I think you're just writing this to make Twins Daily readers angry.

A contender can always use another bat.  Fans don't often realize this until deep in the post-season.  See:  Braves:  Atlanta:  2021:  Rosario:  Eddie

Deal with the bullpen first.

In a season in which he started extremely slow and appeared done, he has produced 46 RBI's, which no one on this team has.  On a team that DH's Sanchez too much of the time, what would be the down side, other than (obviously) a roster spot?  A guy who knows how to conduct himself in tough scenarios (October?) might be worth the small price Washington would want for him.  It would all depend on where we are at the end of the month, as well as where he is, but I wouldn't rule it out.  Concentrate on pitching first, but the roster spot he would take would have nothing to do with the 13 man pitching staff.  Keep an open mind.  

I love Cruz but the fact is he isn't needed at this stage for this team.  Twins need pitching help foremost.  Let's concentrate there

I loved him when he was here but bringing him in is only going to take a roster spot from a young developing player. And we need the defensive flexibility that he doesn't have. 

And I'm not giving up a Joe Ryan to get him

It is a hard no for me.  I always liked him, and could he add some offense, maybe.  However, the way we are using the DH this year would make using him very limited.  Right now we have a bit of a clog in a couple of positions, and needing to use Buck at DH some games means someone will be sitting out.  

I like how the Twins are using the DH this year moving different guys in there to give them rest from the field but keeping the bat in there.  Cruz would just mess that up.  

We had a thread on this already. No. 

no.....and can we also not have Sanchez and Jeffers both in the lineup.....we have enough bats (that can actually hit) to not have these guys and their feeble swings both in the lineup......was hoping for more out of Sanchez......but at least a short deal.  

We need bullpen help. On another note though, what do you think about Cruz's HOF chances? A good 2022 would have bolstered his case no doubt. The shortened 2020 season didn't help either.

I think at some point this summer Miguel Sano will get hot in St. Paul. And hopefully this year the Twins can sidestep that first month or so when he fouls off meatballs before striking out. The prospect of maximizing the benefit of a streak in the wake of some IL stint in the second half is more enticing to me than giving something up for Nellie. 

2 hours ago, bighat said:

I think you're just writing this to make Twins Daily readers angry.

No one click baits like Cody.

1 hour ago, Trov said:

It is a hard no for me.  I always liked him, and could he add some offense, maybe.  However, the way we are using the DH this year would make using him very limited.  Right now we have a bit of a clog in a couple of positions, and needing to use Buck at DH some games means someone will be sitting out.  

I like how the Twins are using the DH this year moving different guys in there to give them rest from the field but keeping the bat in there.  Cruz would just mess that up.  

As much as you are probably in the majority, personally, I hate the way they are using the DH.  The DH was brought into play for two reasons, as I remember them.  In no particular order, they were to get the pitcher out of the batters box and put a little more offense into the game and, maybe even more to their goal, to keep guys like Cruz, or Molitor when he couldn't play the field anymore, or any other aging star who could still hit but not play the field in the game because the fans still wanted to see them.  No one at the time intended it to be used as a day off on a rotating basis, or for a 2nd catcher to bat when not catching.  If you want to give someone a day off, give them a day off.  Guys like Buck get hurt running the bases more than they do anything else, so what good does it do to prevent injuries?  The DH was created exactly for the Cruz's of the game, to keep them in the game; not for rookies to get at bats they can't get because they don't have a settled position on the team yet.  

Anyway, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.    

No no no no,  We need 3-4 Bullpen arms.  Cruz is done and would be a complete waste of a trade.  Cruz is terrible in clutch situations and we don't need his leadership.  This is Buxton's team and we don't need anyone to come in and mess with that.  We need arms period!

I cant be the only one that gets tired of seeing "we should trade for Cruz" every single week.  Move on from the old man and watch the awesome young guys mash. I am really enjoying the young guys play.  It is so exciting to see them get better every week.  

3 hours ago, JustinTyner said:

I love Cruz and any playoff team would love to have his bat.

I’d be more interested in Josh Bell though. Would allow Kirilloff to take left and Miranda to DH.

Where are you playing Arraez?  3rd? 

When you have Spencer Steer in AAA and Matt Wallner in AA, why go outside for Nelson Cruz? Right now the team is practically overflowing with power potential. Both Kirilloff and Miranda are starting to pound balls over walls. Buxton is slamming. Polo is pouncing on paltry pitches. Kepler is heating up. Correa continues to bang line drives. Sanchez is hitting bombs. Garlick is hitting lefties and righties. Even Jeffers is waking up at the plate. 

Oh, I forgot Arraez. He's okay. 

Pro: Cruz is a veteran slugger, a dedicated DH that allows the rest of the position players have real days off. 

Con: Cruz ain't what he used to be, to the point that either Steer or Wallner could probably do his DH job, plus provide backup for IF or OF, respectively. Plus pinch running and hitting. 

I don't do this deal. As mentioned, acquiring at least one solid veteran relief pitcher is far more important. 

No. This nostalgic whataboutism needs to stop. 

Love having Cruz with us in the past, but unless he can now suddenly pitch, we're not a good fit.  Like all teams - we have limited trade assets, I'd prefer to use those assets to acquire pitching, not hitters - we have those.

7 minutes ago, jimbo92107 said:

Con: Cruz ain't what he used to be, to the point that either Steer or Wallner could probably do his DH job, plus provide backup for IF or OF, respectively. Plus pinch running and hitting. 

 

What magic says they can even hit major league pitching?

I'm not opposed as a depth piece, playing 50/60% of the time instead of the Jeffers/Sanchez DH rotation at present.

But not if he has a player option for year 2. And not if he costs more than a fringe prospect. 

Would the Nationals take Sano for him? It would be the same roster spot from MIN most likely and that gives a bad team a player who might be able to give them something next year (and they can opt out if not).

In other words, I view a Cruz addition in 2022 as a Phil Nevin or Don Baylor equivalent. If you can improve a roster spot at low risk, sure. But he's too inconsistent at his current age to give up anything of value.