The offseason rumors are already taking off as the 2013 World Series is coming to a close and the New York Yankees are grabbing the attention of the public. They do not want to spend money, but with their 2013 struggles and unhealthy roster, fans in New York suffered watching the Yankees play. They made a surprising run, but they were never truly in position to make the playoffs.
Rumors will be heard of the Yankees' interest in Nelson Cruz. Yes, the Texas Rangers outfielder who was suspended 50 games for doping. Think of the positives that could come of a possible deal. The Yankees do not have to pay him a ton of money and they can wait to see what the rest of the league is offering the right fielder.
Of course, after the PED's suspension, many teams will wonder if Cruz can do it clean. Last year, he had a solid season, hitting 27 home runs with 76 RBI and posting a .266 batting average and .327 on-base percentage. The numbers are not outstanding, but plug him in the sixth hole behind Mark Teixeira and Alfonso Soriano and suddenly, the Yankees have a respectable middle of the lineup. His 27 home runs would have matched Robinson Cano's team-high in 2013.
However, the downfall of the Yankees having interest in Cruz is his inability to play the field well. Remember 2011? St. Louis Cardinals' fans do because they saw their team win the championship thanks to a missed play in the outfield by Cruz. The Yankees will need a solid defender, like Ichiro, in right field and the DH spot will probably be busy as the aging Yankees will need days off. Placing Cruz as a permanent DH would only handcuff the team's ability to move players around on a day-to-day basis.
Cruz is a career .278 hitting in the postseason with a .336 OBP along with a 1.018 OPS. He has 14 career postseason home runs, making him one of the deadliest hitters to play October baseball. Once again, who knows if he was clean at the time.
Conclusion: Cruz would fit the Yankees' clubhouse and would be a great addition to the lineup since he can uncork a few balls over the fense. However, at the price and the risks that come with signing a player with Cruz's history would not be worth it for the Yankees. The Yankees, like always, will continue to look for established major leaguers that will not bring them shame the way Alex Rodriguez has done for the past decade he's spent wearing Yankee pinstripes.
