Seattle Mariners :Why Signing Cruz Might Not Be As Simple As You Want

With everything that has happened recently in Mariners fandom, including a clubhouse fight and an embarrassing loss to Baltimore Orioles, it’s hard not to start thinking about 2019. So… that’s what we are going to do.

However, before we decide what the Mariners should do, we first must answer 3 questions: who could be leaving, who could be available, and where are the areas of most improvement? Today, we tackle the first and easiest of these questions; who could be leaving?

Let’s start things off with the biggest and best player who could be on the chopping block, Nelson Cruz. Cruz, the fan and clubhouse favorite is wrapping up another successful season with the Mariners and seems like an easy candidate to re-sign with the team.

After all, his production is undeniable. However, what seems obvious on the surface, may not be so. A number of factors need to be considered by the Mariners and Nelson Cruz. First and foremost, Cruz is old. While it’s easy to forget when you watch him play, Cruz is 38-years-old and has shown signs of slowly falling apart.

In addition to his age, there is the problem of versatility. Many teams in recent years have used the DH spot to give regular’s half-days off, to play matchup with a platoon, or to give bench bats an opportunity to get regular AB’s.

The Mariners may be the only team in baseball to employ a full-time DH. Even J.D. Martinez and Khris Davis can play the OF to free up the DH spot if needed. Unfortunately, for Nelson Cruz and the Mariners, this isn’t really an option.

The third factor is what direction the Mariners want to take. If they decide to rebuild, which seems unlikely, re-signing Cruz isn’t wise. Or perhaps the Mariners have decided they want the versatility the DH can provide.

The fourth, but perhaps the most important factor, is whether or not Cruz wants to stay in Seattle. It seems likely that he is open to the possibility, but we can’t possibly know for sure.

Either way, there are several key factors that take what seems like an easy decision and makes it anything but. Nobody would be upset to see the Mariners re-sign Nelson Cruz, but if they don’t, it shouldn’t shock anybody either.

Because of the way the AL values the DH position, it is possibly Cruz will not get his true market value as a hitter, which would likely be roughly $18-$20 million AAV if he could play the field. The possibility of retaining an incredible bat on a short-term, below market value deal is tantalizing.

However, it may be in the best interest of the team to look for other options. Only time will tell if Cruz and the Mariners are ready to recommit to each other. Hopefully, for the sake of their fans, they make the right decision.