Deivi Cruz, 2003 Topps Traded #T68

By now you've probably heard that the Orioles signed a Cruz yesterday...don't worry, it's not a reunion with Deivi, who clunked his way to a .269 on-base percentage in Baltimore's last pre-Tejada season. Instead, they've filled a hole at designated hitter by bringing in former Rangers slugger Nelson Cruz on a one-year, $8 million contract. As February rolls on, Dan Duquette seems hell-bent on making my two-week old rant about the team's lame offseason look as stupid as possible. I love that the Birds are only committed to Cruz for one year, and I trust that they're smart enough to keep an outfielder's glove away from him. He's paid the price for his dalliance with performance-enhancing drugs, having served a 50-game suspension last season. Nelson has slugged .515 over the past six years, and he should give the Orioles another productive bat in the middle of the lineup. The O's are a better team today than they were a week ago. I don't know why that surprises me.