Nelson Cruz: Appeal or No Appeal

[TheRangerDude]

Would like to have him as a 4th OF/DH next year.

LOL, why don't you just say you don't want him then? What other two starters do you have?

 

[DT LUNA]

Then I say go see what the mariners would seriously consider for Morse.

agree and JD must be in high gear as we speak.

 

[Hambombs]

Lance Berkman come back !

 

[romeo212000]

LOL, why don't you just say you don't want him then? What other two starters do you have?

How about Martin and engel Beltre. Might not be an awful idea to put him in rf again next year but he'll be making the transition to dh sooner than later.

 

[romeo212000]

Lance Berkman come back !

Berkman needs to stay away. He doesn't help this team.

 

[DT LUNA]

LOL, why don't you just say you don't want him then? What other two starters do you have?

Cruz has never been a top notch cof. He would be a great DH which we need and the outfield of Gentry Martin and E Beltre or someone through acquisition would be ideal IMO.

 

[Nathan Ahle/Triple 7]

Well i will have to eat my words on this one. A month ago I couldn't see Cruz being suspended but these past couple days made it seem inevitable. While Cruz technically can come back for the postseason, there is no guarantee that he will even be physically able to play (out of shape). Obviously he can still work out on his own, but last year the Giants didn't bring back Melky Cabrera for that reason.

Despite all that's happened, I think we can still take back the west for 3 reasons- (1) the rotation, which is the best the Rangers have ever had (and can possibly get more boost from Lewis or Harrison if either are in baseball condition before the season's end), (2) the bullpen, which is also the best we have ever had, and (3) the August schedule- even without Cruz, we should still be able to score enough runs against the likes of the Astros, Mariners, and Angels to win most of our games this month.

However the rest of the season plays out, it will be a nail biter down the stretch. Murphy and Berkman (when he gets off the DL) play the biggest roles to the offense- both guys are vets and know how to hit, but its a matter of when they will start hitting. Cobra and Harry are also key factors for the stretch and the postseason- I would fell alot better about our chances if our postseason rotation was Darvish-Garza-Holland-Lewis/Harrison with Ogando (and maybe Perez) in the BP.

 

[jaar01]

Really wanted Cruz to play in Anaheim. He seems to hit some mammoth shots there. Someone or someones have got to step up.

 

[Nathan Ahle/Triple 7]

Berkman needs to stay away. He doesn't help this team.

Like it or not we kinda need him. If he can produce like he has in years past then he can still be a contributor.

 

[romeo212000]

Like it or not we kinda need him. If he can produce like he has in years past then he can still be a contributor.

If his play after the first 6 weeks of the season are any indication, he can't.

 

[Nathan Ahle/Triple 7]

If his play after the first 6 weeks of the season are any indication, he can't.

Still better the Murphy. Speaking of Murph, that guy needs to hit. I'm sick and tired of watching him not hit

 

[TheRangerDude]

Cruz has never been a top notch cof. He would be a great DH which we need and the outfield of Gentry Martin and E Beltre or someone through acquisition would be ideal IMO.

It's rare that an OF is made up of 3 top notch defensive players though. In many cases at some point you sacrifice a little D for some power. That being said, Cruz is not as bad as people make him out to be on D... a lot of the judgement on his D skills comes from one play. Sure, a Beltre, Gentry, and Martin OF would be great Defensively, but who is going to knock in runs?

 

[romeo212000]

It's rare that an OF is made up of 3 top notch defensive players though. In many cases at some point you sacrifice a little D for some power. That being said, Cruz is not as bad as people make him out to be on D... a lot of the judgement on his D skills comes from one play. Sure, a Beltre, Gentry, and Martin OF would be great Defensively, but who is going to knock in runs?

You do know the dh still hits every day right? I mean that is the dh's only job.

 

[pegasusredleg]

Looks like Joey Butler will get the call from AAA Round Rock in the short term:

Joey Butler Stats, Bio, Photos, Highlights | Round Rock Express Stats

 

[romeo212000]

Still better the Murphy. Speaking of Murph, that guy needs to hit. I'm sick and tired of watching him not hit

Murphy is going to be in the lineup from now on so we better get used to it.

 

[DT LUNA]

It's rare that an OF is made up of 3 top notch defensive players though. In many cases at some point you sacrifice a little D for some power. That being said, Cruz is not as bad as people make him out to be on D... a lot of the judgement on his D skills comes from one play. Sure, a Beltre, Gentry, and Martin OF would be great Defensively, but who is going to knock in runs?

Cruz at DH will still be providing RBI'S

 

[romeo212000]

Looks like Joey Butler will get the call from AAA Round Rock in the short term:

Joey Butler Stats, Bio, Photos, Highlights | Round Rock Express Stats

Well, lets see if the lifetime AAA player can catch lightning in a bottle.

 

[DT LUNA]

Murphy is going to be in the lineup from now on so we better get used to it.

This year is probably going to be Murphy but this is Monday and to early in the week to be thinking about it.lol

 

[pegasusredleg]

The part about MLB dangling harsher penalties does bother me. There should be a set suspension, whether you appeal or not.

I am using some thoughts of Rosenthal's as heard on ESPN. I think we are seeing only the tip of the iceberg with the Biogenesis scandal. Meaning MLB may be looking even deeper into other potential PEDs use throughout the league. What concerns some of the MLB officials is the fact that the 20 or so who have been dealt suspensions or soon to be dealt, have all had negative test results for PEDs. That concerns them that potentially there tests are not finding a new masking substance and there may be more places like Biogenesis out there no one has uncovered yet. Biogenesis was found out the old fashioned way...good shoe leather local reporting following leads. It was not any of the major national or sports media that uprooted the Biogenesis link, but local reporters digging into it.

So MLB may be a bit uneasy and went for the throat threatening stiffer fines/suspensions if the 20 or so mentioned did not come clean and come clean fast. So there may be a new masking agent out there that current testing cannot pick up as evidenced with the 20 players linked to Biogenesis. There could also be other clinics out there not revealed yet. So some of the questioning of the players currently involved may have been "what masking agent did you use?" If there is such a new agent and MLB knows about NOW, it could turn up more than we think.

 

[TheRangerDude]

You do know the dh still hits every day right? I mean that is the dh's only job.

You are kidding? The DH hits everyday? But seriously, Cruz is not going to accept a DH position... he will just go to another team. He is pretty vocal about liking to play defense and his not as bad at it as some of you make him out to be. He is not a premium defender by any means but he is not yet at the point where a team isn't going to sign him unless he will DH. I for one surely hope our OF next season is not Beltre, Gentry, and Martin. We need at least one power bat out their.