Nelson Cruz
Encyclopedia
Nelson Ramón Cruz Martínez (born July 1, 1980, in Monte Cristi
, Dominican Republic
) is a Major League Baseball
outfielder
for the Texas Rangers
.
by the New York Mets
, and after three years in the Dominican Summer League
, they traded him to Oakland for Jorge Velandia
on August 30, . He played in the Oakland Athletics
system.
The Brewers acquired him from Oakland along with pitcher
Justin Lehr
in exchange for infielder
Keith Ginter
on December 16, . Cruz spent the and 2006 seasons in the Brewers organization with the Double-A Huntsville Stars
, Triple-A Nashville Sounds
, and briefly in September of , the major league Brewers.
on July 28, , along with slugging outfielder Carlos Lee
in exchange for Laynce Nix
, Kevin Mench
, Francisco Cordero
and minor league pitcher
Julian Cordero.
On August 16, , Cruz hit his first grand slam
of his career. On September 4, 2006, against the Athletics, Cruz hit an inside-the-park home run
in which his bat broke on impact.
In spring training
for the season, Cruz got off to a rough start, but finished strong by hitting three home run
s in the final week, including a walk-off home run
in the final game of spring training.
because he had exhausted his minor league options. Cruz's contract was purchased from Triple-A Oklahoma
by the Rangers on August 25, , after batting
.342 with 37 home run
s and 99 RBIs
; for his efforts, he won the PCL
MVP award.
In July 2009, Cruz was selected as an All-Star as a replacement for injured Torii Hunter
(adductor injury). He also participated in the 2009 Home Run Derby
, finishing second to Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder
.
each hit three home runs in the 2010 AL division series against the Tampa Bay Rays, marking only the second time in Major League history that two teammates each hit three homers in a postseason series of five games or fewer (joining Babe Ruth
and Lou Gehrig
, who did it in the 1928 World Series
).
In Game 5 of the 2010 World Series
, Cruz hit a home run in a losing cause against the champion San Francisco Giants
off Tim Lincecum
in the 7th inning. Cruz was also the final out in the same series.
(1992) as the only Texas ballplayers to ever homer in the first three games of the season. Also, in his very next game, Cruz became the third player ever to homer in the first four games of the season, joining Willie Mays
and Mark McGwire
.
Cruz became the second hitter to hit a home run into the upper deck in right field as a right-handed batter in the history of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. The other was hit by former Ranger Chad Curtis
, during the 2000 season.
On July 22, he had 8 RBIs in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays; it was Cruz's career high in RBIs.
In 2011, he batted .263 with 29 home runs. He led AL right fielders in range factor
for the third straight year (2.29).
On October 10, 2011, Cruz hit a walk-off
grand slam in Game Two of the ALCS versus the Detroit Tigers. He became the first player in baseball history to hit a walk-off grand slam in a postseason game.
On October 12, 2011, Cruz hit a 3 run home run to seal game 4 of the ALCS for the Texas Rangers against the Detroit Tigers. He became the first player to hit multiple extra inning home runs in the same postseason series. During the 2011 ALCS
, Cruz hit 6 home runs and had 13 RBIs, both postseason series records. His efforts earned him the 2011 ALCS MVP award.
On October 27, 2011, Cruz hit a solo home run to put the Texas Rangers up 6 to 4 against the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 6 of the 2011 World Series
. The home run allowed Cruz to tie the record for most postseason home runs in a season at 8; he shares the achievement with Carlos Beltran
and Barry Bonds
.
Monte Cristi
Monte Cristi is a province in the north-west of the Dominican Republic. The capital city is San Fernando de Monte Cristi...
, Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
) is a Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
for the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
.
Baseball career
Cruz was initially signed as a free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
by the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
, and after three years in the Dominican Summer League
Dominican Summer League
The Dominican Summer League is a branch of affiliated minor league baseball which is played in the Dominican Republic. The league was founded in 1985. The 2011 72-game season begins May 28 and ends August 20...
, they traded him to Oakland for Jorge Velandia
Jorge Velandia
Jorge Luis Velandia Macias [ve-LAHN-deah] is a former Major League Baseball shortstop.Velandia played with the San Diego Padres , Oakland Athletics , New York Mets , Tampa Bay Devil Rays , Toronto Blue Jays , and Cleveland Indians...
on August 30, . He played in the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
system.
The Brewers acquired him from Oakland along with pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Justin Lehr
Justin Lehr
Charles Larry "Justin" Lehr is a Major League Baseball pitcher. Lehr played college baseball at the University of California at Santa Barbara and the University of Southern California.-Professional career:...
in exchange for infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
Keith Ginter
Keith Ginter
Milwaukee Brewers 2011Keith Michael Ginter is a former American Major League Baseball infielder now playing for the Orange County Flyers in the independent Golden Baseball League. Ginter is a graduate of Fullerton High School in Fullerton, California...
on December 16, . Cruz spent the and 2006 seasons in the Brewers organization with the Double-A Huntsville Stars
Huntsville Stars
The Huntsville Stars are a minor league baseball team of the Southern League and are the Double-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Huntsville, Alabama and are named for the space industry with which Huntsville is economically tied .The Stars play their home games at Joe W...
, Triple-A Nashville Sounds
Nashville Sounds
The Nashville Sounds are a minor league baseball team of the Pacific Coast League , and the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Nashville, Tennessee, and are named for the city's association with the music industry...
, and briefly in September of , the major league Brewers.
2006–07
Cruz was acquired by the Rangers from the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
on July 28, , along with slugging outfielder Carlos Lee
Carlos Lee
Carlos Noriel Lee is a first basemen in Major League Baseball who plays for the Houston Astros. He bats and throws right-handed....
in exchange for Laynce Nix
Laynce Nix
Laynce Michael Nix is a Major League Baseball outfielder. Nix plays all three outfield positions, but plays most of his games at left field. His younger brother is Jayson Nix, a utility player for the Toronto Blue Jays....
, Kevin Mench
Kevin Mench
Kevin Ford Mench is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent.-High school and college career:...
, Francisco Cordero
Francisco Cordero
Francisco Javier Cordero is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds...
and minor league pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Julian Cordero.
On August 16, , Cruz hit his first grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
of his career. On September 4, 2006, against the Athletics, Cruz hit an inside-the-park home run
Inside-the-park home run
In baseball parlance, an inside-the-park home run, "leg home run", or "quadruple", is a play where a batter hits a home run without hitting the ball out of play.-Discussion:...
in which his bat broke on impact.
In spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
for the season, Cruz got off to a rough start, but finished strong by hitting three home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s in the final week, including a walk-off home run
Walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game—either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning...
in the final game of spring training.
2008–09
Cruz failed to make the major league roster prior to the 2008 season and cleared waivers after being DFA'dDesignated for assignment
Designated for assignment is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball. When a player is designated for assignment, he is immediately removed from the club's 40-man roster. This gives the club 10 days to decide what to do with the player while freeing up a roster spot for another...
because he had exhausted his minor league options. Cruz's contract was purchased from Triple-A Oklahoma
Oklahoma RedHawks
The Oklahoma City RedHawks are a minor league baseball team based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros...
by the Rangers on August 25, , after batting
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.342 with 37 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 99 RBIs
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
; for his efforts, he won the PCL
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
MVP award.
In July 2009, Cruz was selected as an All-Star as a replacement for injured Torii Hunter
Torii Hunter
Torii Kedar Hunter is a Major League Baseball right fielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.Hunter has taken away many home runs throughout his 13-year major league career by "climbing the fence" in the outfield. He has won nine consecutive Gold Glove Awards as an outfielder.Hunter resides...
(adductor injury). He also participated in the 2009 Home Run Derby
2009 Home Run Derby
The 2009 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby was the sport's 25th annual home run-hitting contest and took place on July 13, 2009, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri, the host location of the MLB All-Star Game...
, finishing second to Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder
Prince Fielder
Prince Semien Fielder is a Major League Baseball free agent who plays first base. He is currently listed at 5' 11" and . He was selected by the Brewers in the first round of the 2002 Major League Baseball Draft out of Eau Gallie High School in Melbourne, Florida.He is the son of former Detroit...
.
2010
He and teammate Ian KinslerIan Kinsler
Ian Michael Kinsler is a Major League Baseball All-Star second baseman for the Texas Rangers.Despite having been drafted in only the 17th round out of college, Kinsler has risen to become a two-time All Star, and a member of the Sporting News 2009 list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball...
each hit three home runs in the 2010 AL division series against the Tampa Bay Rays, marking only the second time in Major League history that two teammates each hit three homers in a postseason series of five games or fewer (joining Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
and Lou Gehrig
Lou Gehrig
Henry Louis "Lou" Gehrig , nicknamed "The Iron Horse" for his durability, was an American Major League Baseball first baseman. He played his entire 17-year baseball career for the New York Yankees . Gehrig set several major league records. He holds the record for most career grand slams...
, who did it in the 1928 World Series
1928 World Series
In the 1928 World Series, the New York Yankees swept the St. Louis Cardinals in four games. Along with , this was the first time a team had swept consecutive Series....
).
In Game 5 of the 2010 World Series
2010 World Series
The 2010 World Series was the 106th occurrence of Major League Baseball's championship series. The best-of-seven playoff, played between the American League champion Texas Rangers and the National League champion San Francisco Giants, began on Wednesday, , and ended on Monday, , with the Giants...
, Cruz hit a home run in a losing cause against the champion San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
off Tim Lincecum
Tim Lincecum
Timothy Leroy Lincecum is an American professional baseball starting pitcher for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. He was nicknamed "The Freak" and "Big Time Timmy Jim" and "The Franchise." He throws right-handed and bats left-handed....
in the 7th inning. Cruz was also the final out in the same series.
2011
In 2011, Cruz and Ian Kinsler became the first two teammates in major league history to homer in each of the first three games in a season, joining Dean PalmerDean Palmer
Dean William Palmer is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who had a 14-year career from 1989 to 2003...
(1992) as the only Texas ballplayers to ever homer in the first three games of the season. Also, in his very next game, Cruz became the third player ever to homer in the first four games of the season, joining Willie Mays
Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
and Mark McGwire
Mark McGwire
Mark David McGwire , nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently the hitting coach for the St...
.
Cruz became the second hitter to hit a home run into the upper deck in right field as a right-handed batter in the history of Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. The other was hit by former Ranger Chad Curtis
Chad Curtis
Chad Curtis is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball who played from -, notably for the New York Yankees...
, during the 2000 season.
On July 22, he had 8 RBIs in a game against the Toronto Blue Jays; it was Cruz's career high in RBIs.
In 2011, he batted .263 with 29 home runs. He led AL right fielders in range factor
Range Factor
Range Factor is a baseball statistic developed by Bill James. It is calculated by dividing putouts and assists by number of innings or games played at a given defense position...
for the third straight year (2.29).
On October 10, 2011, Cruz hit a walk-off
Walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game—either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning...
grand slam in Game Two of the ALCS versus the Detroit Tigers. He became the first player in baseball history to hit a walk-off grand slam in a postseason game.
On October 12, 2011, Cruz hit a 3 run home run to seal game 4 of the ALCS for the Texas Rangers against the Detroit Tigers. He became the first player to hit multiple extra inning home runs in the same postseason series. During the 2011 ALCS
2011 American League Championship Series
The 2011 American League Championship Series was a best-of-seven playoff pitting the winners of the 2011 American League Division Series, the Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers, against each other for the American League championship and the right to be the league's representative in the 2011 World...
, Cruz hit 6 home runs and had 13 RBIs, both postseason series records. His efforts earned him the 2011 ALCS MVP award.
On October 27, 2011, Cruz hit a solo home run to put the Texas Rangers up 6 to 4 against the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 6 of the 2011 World Series
2011 World Series
The 2011 World Series was the 107th edition of Major League Baseball's championship series. The best-of-seven playoff was played between the American League champion Texas Rangers and the National League champion St...
. The home run allowed Cruz to tie the record for most postseason home runs in a season at 8; he shares the achievement with Carlos Beltran
Carlos Beltrán
Carlos Iván Beltrán is a Major League Baseball outfielder.-Early life:In his youth, Beltrán excelled in many sports, with volleyball and baseball being his favorites. At his father's urging, he gave up volleyball to concentrate on baseball when he was seventeen...
and Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds
Barry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds...
.