Cruz DFA

[AZZenny]

Wow - Theo must have had a total brain fart on this deal. Maybe it was a secret last installment owed on the Schilling deal or something.

BOSTON - Jose Cruz Jr. did not last long with the Boston Red Sox.

Less than two weeks after being acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks, the veteran outfielder was designated for assignment Monday.

Cruz, 31, went 3-for-12 in four games with the Red Sox after being acquired for a pair of minor leaguers on July 30. He batted just .213 with 12 homers and 28 RBIs in 64 games with the Diamondbacks.

To take Cruz's roster spot, the Red Sox recalled third baseman Kevin Youkilis from Class AAA Pawtucket of the International League. Recalled from Pawtucket for the fourth time this season, Youkilis is batting .286 with one homer and nine RBIs in 31 games this season.

 

[JerkFace]

i think this just shows how useless the prospects we received are.

 

[Phill11]

i think this just shows how useless the prospects we received are.

They're better than nothing and us having to eat his contract completely.

 

[Lefty]

Jose is now a Dodger.

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers on Tuesday acquired outfielder Jose Cruz Jr. from the Boston Red Sox for a Minor League player to be named, probably later this week.
Cruz, 31, is a nine-year veteran who was traded by the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Red Sox on July 30 for two Minor Leaguers, went 3-for-12, then was designated for assignment. With the Diamondbacks, he hit .213 with 12 home runs and had his greatest success against the Dodgers with a .320 average, three homers and eight of his 28 RBIs.

He was attractive to the Dodgers as a versatile switch-hitter, especially with the continued hamstring problems of Ricky Ledee and the absences of J.D. Drew and Jayson Werth.

Manager Jim Tracy said Cruz will occasionally start, along with providing options off the bench.

"He's not a stranger to the Major League level," said Tracy, who has been using a lot of strangers to the Major League level this season. "I've seen him play a dynamic center field. There was a time where his tools were absolutely electric. He was a very highly touted, talked-about player."

Cruz has 187 career home runs, is one of three players in history to hit 30 homers and steal 30 bases in the same season, and was a Gold Glove outfielder in 2003. Initially a center fielder, Dodgers general manager Paul DePodesta said scouting reports suggest he is now better suited for the corner outfield positions.

DePodesta said Cruz's recent play compares favorably with his earlier years. His .783 on-base plus slugging percentage is higher than that of Dodgers starters Cesar Izturis, Jason Phillips, Jason Repko, Oscar Robles, Jose Valentin and Werth.

"Frankly, the last two years we've had good reports on him and good numbers," said DePodesta, who was with the Dodgers' Jacksonville affiliate. "We haven't seen any downturn of play. He's a real good fit for us."

DePodesta said he was hopeful Cruz would report by Wednesday, at which time a corresponding roster move would be made. Cruz earns $3.5 million this year and is eligible for free agency after the season.

 

[AZZenny]

"Frankly, the last two years we've had good reports on him and good numbers," said DePodesta, who was with the Dodgers' Jacksonville affiliate. "We haven't seen any downturn of play. He's a real good fit for us."
Go for it, DePo! I guess LA is every bit as desperate as we are. LOL

Since when do young stathead GMs want to pick up way subpar old cranky veterans? I wonder if Beane infected all his stat-head GM friend's computers with the same virus... the Cruz Missile Virus. He has said he worries if there are too many guys thinking like he does in a limited pool of talent.