The Orioles earlier this morning added slugger Nelson Cruz to the roster, as expected. He signed a one, year $8 million contract with the team.
From ESPN: The Baltimore Orioles have agreed to a one-year, $8 million contract with free agent slugger Nelson Cruz, ESPN and multiple media outlets are reporting.
A source told ESPNdeportes.com that Cruz's deal also includes $750,000 in incentives. If the deal is completed, Cruz would become the Orioles' primary designated hitter.
Cruz, 33, is one of several free agents whose signability has been hurt this offseason because they turned down qualifying offers from their previous teams, meaning the club signing them would lose a top draft pick.
However, the Orioles surrendered their first-round pick earlier this week when they signed pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez. So signing Cruz would only cost Baltimore a second-round pick — the 55th overall choice in the 2014 draft.
Although the Orioles needed another bat, I’m sure many people will have an issue with a player who was implicated in the sordid Biogenesis scandal. They got Cruz on a deal that could potentially be a huge bargain if he could replicate the offensive success with the Rangers.
Then again, are the Orioles paying for someone who was aided by PEDs, or is what we have seen from Cruz really who he is?
The man will have to perform, plain and simple for not only for the Orioles, but for his own sake and future in the game.
The Orioles have done a lot in the past week to improve their roster. I was going to give the team a D for their offseason; however, the grade could be upgraded to a B at the highest.
For a team that didn’t do much until recently, the Orioles have put together a solid team. Dan Duquette has done a lot to improve the roster and his reluctance to sign a big name until this week paid off.
I also do feel that a lot will have to go right for the Birds, especially on the pitching end to be one of the elite teams in the sport.
