Nelson Cruz is having a huge year, and the Mariners are still slumping
The Seattle Mariners made a ton of noise this offseason. A year after signing All-Star second baseman Robinson Cano to a 10-year, $240 million deal, general manager Jack Zduriencik inked designated hitter Nelson Cruz to a four-year, $57 million contract. Along with third baseman Kyle Seager, it appears the Mariners had a nucleus for a championship lineup.
However, things have gone haywire. Well, everything but Cruz’s production. In the first week of May, Cruz would be the frontrunner for the American League Most Valuable Player award. Cruz is hitting .343 with a league-leading 13 home runs and 25 RBI. Cruz has been a force throughout, forcing teams to pitch to Seager and Cano while providing a right-handed power presence which has been absent in the Emerald City since Adrian Beltre and Richie Sexson.
Unfortunately for Seattle, Cruz’s production has not helped out his co-stars through the first 25 games. Cano is hitting .255 with just one homer and seven RBI. Not exactly worth $24 million per year. Perhaps even more worrisome with Cano is his .298 on-base percentage. Last year, Cano’s OBP was .382 after being .383 in his last year with the New York Yankees.
Seager has also struggled, batting .244 with a pair of home runs and 12 RBI. Without support, Cruz will start seeing more and more at-bats in which pitches are simply thrown out of the strike zone. Considering Cruz is not threat to run, teams will begin taking their chances with the other slumping sluggers.
It is still extremely early, but the Mariners need to start seeing production from somewhere other than Cruz for a multitude of reasons, including Cruz’s penchant for getting hurt. Last year, Cruz played 159 games, tied for the most he has ever suited up for in a campaign. Outside of 2012 when he also played 159 contests, Cruz has never played 130 games in any of his other eight seasons.
At 10-15, the Mariners are eight games out of first place in the American League West behind the surging Houston Astros, who finished sweeping Seattle at Minute Maid Park this weekend. It’s time to start playing better baseball as it enters an important series with the Los Angeles Angels in the City of Angels.
Brewers fire Ron Roenicke
After giving Milwaukee Brewers manager Ron Roenicke a vote of confidence two weeks ago, team owner Mark Attanasio has now overseen a change. On Sunday night, Roenicke was relieved of his duties with Milwaukee sporting a 7-18 mark, a Major-League worst.
Roenicke was the Brewers manager since 2011, reaching the postseason as the National League Central champ with a 96-66 mark that season. However, Milwaukee has not made the playoffs since and appears to be on a road for oblivion in 2015.
There has no been an announcement made on who will take over the team at this time.
