The Oneil Cruz Thread - Page 5

gmarutiak · 07-30-2022, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coupie21

I feel your pain! Pulled into my driveway listening to the bottom of the 10th. One could hear the utter disappointment in Pirates' announcer Greg Brown's voice. Wouldn't be surprised if he/Cruz gets sent back down....if for no other reason than to send a message. According to Brownie, that's his second base running gaffe in 2 days...didn't watch the game yesterday....they are hard to watch most nights anymore.

Yeah, I hate to say it, but the more I watch Cruz, the more I get a Gregory Polanco vibe from him. To be clear, that is not a compliment.

Boredlawyer · 07-30-2022, 10:11 PM

I am starting to wonder if Cruz is like the anti Tommy Edman. Edman is not hobby good, and doesn't do anything to stand out, but he helps his team win games.

Cruz is a stat cast darling, might fill up the HRs and SBs for fantasy purposes, and doesn't help a team win any games, because he's airmailing missiles into the fifth row.

DonrussDean · 07-31-2022, 02:12 PM

I have no issue with Cruz working out his struggles at the top level. The Pirates aren't going anywhere and are banking on 2025-2026 with all the prospects they have. That sai, I do have issue sending their home run leader down, while they continue to give AB to VanMeter and Yoshi.

jhssketchcards · 07-31-2022, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daeve

any idea what he paid?

I don’t, he didn’t tell me. He said he worked on the deal all night the night before. The guys shop has had some big pulls lately. Same week he had a Mac Jones Prizm Black auto from a blaster and Julio Rodriguez 1987 Auto.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

LCM1223 · 07-31-2022, 04:40 PM

Well small sample size but in one 4-game series I never saw one errant throw to first. Just a handful of 95mph perfect strikes to first from shallow outfield off his back foot.

hammertime · 08-24-2022, 12:27 PM

122.4 mph single against Atlanta today.

Hardest hit ball in Statcast era.

Merkle14 · 08-24-2022, 12:33 PM

Can we give the kid a little time? My god... he's playing on a team going nowhere with zero protection in the lineup. If I am playing the pirates I am going to make the others guys in the bottom of the lineup beat me instead of Cruz, plain and simple.

NYRE2PECT · 08-24-2022, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hammertime

122.4 mph single against Atlanta today.

Hardest hit ball in Statcast era.

Physically impressive human being.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

daeve · 08-24-2022, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hammertime

122.4 mph single against Atlanta today.

Hardest hit ball in Statcast era.

saw the replay - insane what this dude is physically capable of.

Badgers0821 · 08-24-2022, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merkle14

Can we give the kid a little time? My god... he's playing on a team going nowhere with zero protection in the lineup. If I am playing the pirates I am going to make the others guys in the bottom of the lineup beat me instead of Cruz, plain and simple.

This is such a, what have you done for me lately hobby, no one is patient anymore. It goes both ways with players playing well and players struggling. It’s pretty ridiculous.

Boredlawyer · 08-24-2022, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merkle14

Can we give the kid a little time? My god... he's playing on a team going nowhere with zero protection in the lineup. If I am playing the pirates I am going to make the others guys in the bottom of the lineup beat me instead of Cruz, plain and simple.

Why would I pitch around the guy who's OPSing 20% below the MLB average? By all accounts, Cruz is a unicorn with more talent than any one else on the team.. but it hasn't blossomed into good baseball. Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't, but I'll probably take my chances against a guy that's striking out almost 40% of his at-bats. Until he learns how to drastically change his approach to off-speed (particularly, the slider), he's going to be a guy that can only hunt fastballs. Pitchers have this figured out. Eye-popping EV is awesome, but there's a huge difference in the approach Aaron Judge and Franchy Cordero.

MiamiMarlinsFan · 09-13-2022, 12:46 PM

Anyone watching this afternoon’s game? The umps strike zone on Cruz is about 4’ wide and 5’ high.

hammertime · 09-13-2022, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MiamiMarlinsFan

Anyone watching this afternoon’s game? The umps strike zone on Cruz is about 4’ wide and 5’ high.

Yeah he's getting the Judge treatment.

Boredlawyer · 09-14-2022, 01:39 PM

Another 0/3 with 3 K effort. Currently striking out at a 40% clip.

Extrapolated to 600 ABs, that would be 240 K's, shattering the single season record (223 K's in 662 PAs by Mark Reynolds).

There have been only three instances of a player hitting 200 K's in less than 600 ABs. Cruz would be on pace to do it in 500 this year.

Starting to think that he did need more time in AAA. He definitely can't hit lefties (.216 OBP with a 59! % K rate in 88 PAs).

OhioLawyerF5 · 09-14-2022, 01:41 PM

A lefty facing Nick Lodolo is completely unfair. I can't fault him for today's strikeouts. Teams typically refuse to play lefties against Lodolo and poor Cruz was the only lefty the Pirates hung out to dry today.

sportzluvr1 · 09-14-2022, 01:42 PM

So many outlets trying to make this guy the next big thing. I wonder why.

rngrdanny22 · 09-14-2022, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sportzluvr1

So many outlets trying to make this guy the next big thing. I wonder why.

East Coast.
Wander hurt.
Hits missles.

Why not?

daeve · 09-14-2022, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sportzluvr1

So many outlets trying to make this guy the next big thing. I wonder why.

could it be that he's large, physically gifted, and hits/throws/runs hard?

He's at a career 99 wRC+, in 71 games. 100 is average. Wanna crucify him for that 1% ?

OhioLawyerF5 · 09-14-2022, 02:01 PM

And....as soon as the Reds took Lodolo out they put in a righty and Cruz blasts a homer.

atomic619jd · 09-14-2022, 02:43 PM

A staggering pop of 19 for his 2022 Topps S2 Rookie card! I almost sent a batch of them in when they dropped the bulk submission price back down to $22... Wondering if he picks up any hobby traction in the future or fizzles out.

rngrdanny22 · 09-14-2022, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atomic619jd

A staggering pop of 19 for his 2022 Topps S2 Rookie card! I almost sent a batch of them in when they dropped the bulk submission price back down to $22... Wondering if he picks up any hobby traction in the future or fizzles out.

His pop count will likely explode in the near future as orders get processed.

Zauron · 09-14-2022, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

And....as soon as the Reds took Lodolo out they put in a righty and Cruz blasts a homer.

Nothing like going 1-5 with a homerun and 4 strikeouts

StraWMyerS · 09-14-2022, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MiamiMarlinsFan

Anyone watching this afternoon’s game? The umps strike zone on Cruz is about 4’ wide and 5’ high.

Bit off topic but isn't it strange how the rules call for different zones based on player height? Should be uniform in my opinion.

rfgilles · 09-14-2022, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StraWMyerS

Bit off topic but isn't it strange how the rules call for different zones based on player height? Should be uniform in my opinion.

It isn't strange at all. In other words, should Altuve have the same strike zone as Cruz and if so, what should the height be?

MiamiMarlinsFan · 09-14-2022, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StraWMyerS

Bit off topic but isn't it strange how the rules call for different zones based on player height? Should be uniform in my opinion.

It needs to be adjusted a bit for each player, but the strike zone was just particularly massive yesterday for Cruz.

07-31-2022, 04:40 PM	#105
LCM1223 Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 26,689 lucards1295	Well small sample size but in one 4-game series I never saw one errant throw to first. Just a handful of 95mph perfect strikes to first from shallow outfield off his back foot. __________________ Total Topps BUNT Profits: $1652.51 KICK: $3243.82 HUDDLE: $300.22 STAR WARS CARD TRADER: $3075.61 STAR WARS FORCE COLLECTION: $1318.14 TWD: $94.09 SKATE: $697.03

08-24-2022, 12:27 PM	#106
hammertime Member Join Date: May 2020 Location: OH->MI->MD->VA Posts: 7,007	122.4 mph single against Atlanta today. Hardest hit ball in Statcast era. Last edited by hammertime; 08-24-2022 at 12:31 PM.

09-14-2022, 01:42 PM	#116
sportzluvr1 Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: the blue waffle of the Great Midwest Posts: 7,798	So many outlets trying to make this guy the next big thing. I wonder why. __________________ PSA 10 is a LIAR……(sometimes)

09-14-2022, 02:43 PM	#120
atomic619jd Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 564 atomic619jd	A staggering pop of 19 for his 2022 Topps S2 Rookie card! I almost sent a batch of them in when they dropped the bulk submission price back down to $22... Wondering if he picks up any hobby traction in the future or fizzles out. __________________ Yankees 28th when?

07-30-2022, 10:11 PM	#102
Boredlawyer Member Join Date: Jan 2019 Posts: 2,245	I am starting to wonder if Cruz is like the anti Tommy Edman. Edman is not hobby good, and doesn't do anything to stand out, but he helps his team win games. Cruz is a stat cast darling, might fill up the HRs and SBs for fantasy purposes, and doesn't help a team win any games, because he's airmailing missiles into the fifth row.

07-31-2022, 02:12 PM	#103
DonrussDean Member Join Date: May 2019 Posts: 1,433	I have no issue with Cruz working out his struggles at the top level. The Pirates aren't going anywhere and are banking on 2025-2026 with all the prospects they have. That sai, I do have issue sending their home run leader down, while they continue to give AB to VanMeter and Yoshi.

08-24-2022, 12:33 PM	#107
Merkle14 Member Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Virginia Posts: 702	Can we give the kid a little time? My god... he's playing on a team going nowhere with zero protection in the lineup. If I am playing the pirates I am going to make the others guys in the bottom of the lineup beat me instead of Cruz, plain and simple.

09-13-2022, 12:46 PM	#112
MiamiMarlinsFan Member Join Date: Jun 2020 Location: Florida Posts: 14,040	Anyone watching this afternoon’s game? The umps strike zone on Cruz is about 4’ wide and 5’ high.

09-14-2022, 01:39 PM	#114
Boredlawyer Member Join Date: Jan 2019 Posts: 2,245	Another 0/3 with 3 K effort. Currently striking out at a 40% clip. Extrapolated to 600 ABs, that would be 240 K's, shattering the single season record (223 K's in 662 PAs by Mark Reynolds). There have been only three instances of a player hitting 200 K's in less than 600 ABs. Cruz would be on pace to do it in 500 this year. Starting to think that he did need more time in AAA. He definitely can't hit lefties (.216 OBP with a 59! % K rate in 88 PAs).

09-14-2022, 01:41 PM	#115
OhioLawyerF5 Member Join Date: Feb 2022 Posts: 7,149	A lefty facing Nick Lodolo is completely unfair. I can't fault him for today's strikeouts. Teams typically refuse to play lefties against Lodolo and poor Cruz was the only lefty the Pirates hung out to dry today.

09-14-2022, 02:01 PM	#119
OhioLawyerF5 Member Join Date: Feb 2022 Posts: 7,149	And....as soon as the Reds took Lodolo out they put in a righty and Cruz blasts a homer.