Cruz Cruisin

I've got some beef. Why in the world was Nelson Cruz allowed to hit six home runs in one play off series? It defies all logic and I simply cannot believe that the Tigers were so blind that they couldn't make an adjustment to get him out. Nelson Cruz is not that great of a hitter. He isn't Albert Pujols, Ryan Braun or Miguel Cabrera. He is not a hitter that makes good pitches look like meatballs and he doesn't do crazy things with a bat that mortals can't fathom.

Case in point, game 5 of the ALCS. Granted he was facing Justin Verlander arguably the best pitcher in baseball right now and without a doubt one of two pitchers with absolutely unhittable stuff. Following is the pitch sequence to Nelly Cruz. Pitch 1 - Fastball that is so right down the middle that I'm sure Nelson couldn't believe it was happening. Pitch 2 - Fastball up in the strike zone that Cruz apparently didn't agree with despite the fact that it was belt high over the middle. Pitch 3 - A hanging curveball that should've been hit 98375789235 feet. Cruz almost crapped his pants and made a swing that would make every little league uncoordinated benchwarmer everywhere proud. Three pitches, one out.

Nelson Cruz receiving ALCS MVP

Nelson is a professional hitter and he gets paid to mash the ball all over the park, but he is also facing professional pitchers and their staff of video watching, chart making, analysts. One would think that eventually someone in the Tigers organization would say hey, Nelson Cruz can't hit a pitch low and away and throw every pitch of every at bat there. Look at his slugging chart which is a tomato red over the middle of the plate, inside, high, low, but wait! What is this blue/black we see on the outside corner? Thats exactly where anyone with half a brain should pitch Nelson Cruz until he proves he can hit it.

The same problem occured last year with the Philadelphia Phillies in their NLCS matchup with the San Francisco Giants. They ran up against the Cody Ross brigade who apparently loves to hit pitches on the low inside corner and apparently the Phillies pitchers loved getting whiplash from watching Cody Ross destroy balls over the left field fence. I know blind men who could tell you where you absolutely couldn't throw a pitch to Cody Ross. However, the Phillies pitchers didn't get it and got hurt again, and again, and again.

My problem is not that Nelson Cruz broke the record for hitting the most homeruns in a playoff series. Congratulations to Cruz. My problem lies with pitchers who get paid to throw pitches, coaches who get paid to tell them where to pitch it, and analysts who tell the coaches where hitters can't hit. All I'm saying is that if any team out there needs someone with a little common sense, I'm available.