Veteran outfielder and Orioles powerhouse hitter Nelson Cruz has agreed to a multiyear deal with the Seattle Mariners, pending a physical, according to ESPN. The two sides agreed on a four-year, $57 million deal that also includes a $1 million singing bonus.

The Orioles had previously made a one-year qualifying offer of $15.3 million to Cruz for 2015, which he rejected, ensuring them draft-pick compensation if he signs with another team.

According to Baltimore Sun baseball writer Dan Connolly, that is one more year than the Orioles were willing to go. The team was most likely hesitant to sign a long-term deal with a 34-year-old player.

The Orioles will need to replace his bat both in left field and in the DH spot and rumors are flying that the O’s are interested in Torii Hunter if he’s willing to accept a one-year deal. Apparently, they are also viewing free agent Melky Cabrera as an alternative. Still no word on a deal between the O’s and stalwart player Nick Markakis.

Needless to say, Cruz has left some awfully big shoes—and 40 HRs and 100 RBIs—to fill on the team’s roster. 

Thanks for the memories, Nelly!

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Give us a break.

Did John McGraw, the O’s tough-as-nails, dead ball-era third baseman, give a damn about polls? Earl Weaver, we’re pretty sure, would’ve stubbed his cigarette butt out on the paper any baseball poll was written. Frank Robinson would’ve torn it in half. Did you think Steve Pearce is interested in polls? The guy bounced around the majors for eight seasons and was placed on waivers earlier this season—then responded with 21 home runs in 383 at bats. Do polls capture that kind of fierce determination? Screw the hearts of the nation.

Here’s five reasons why the O’s whip the Royals:

1. Nelson Cruz: The guy becomes Babe Ruth in the playoffs. He delivered six hits and two HRs in the sweep of Detroit—and that’s par for the course. He was the ALCS MVP for Texas in 2011 with six home runs and 13 RBIs and is climbing the list of career, post-season HR leaders with 16.

2. The Royals lineup is lefty-laden and we have tough lefty pitchers: Kansas City’s four leading hitters against the Angels—Eric Hosmer, Nori Aoki, Alex Gorden, and Mike Moustakas—all swing from the left side. Not only do we think that bodes well for Wei-Yin Chen’s next start, but our top relievers, Andrew Miller and Zach Britton, are southpaws. Plus, the O’s likely will add lefty Brian Matusz and/or lefty T.J. McFarland to the ALCS roster.

3. J.J. Hardy: What can we say about a shortstop who flashes a Gold Glove all year and then hits .300 and blasts a key home run in the ALDS? We think the O’s signing him to a three-year extension Thursday is a great move—and an omen of more good things to come.

4. We’re the best and getting better: The O’s are 53-27 since July 1—tops in the majors. And yet, given the new addition of left fielder Alejandro De Aza (three hits and two RBI in two starts so far in the playoffs) and Miller, plus strides made by others, like starter Bud Norris, we look tougher than ever. Vegas agrees, by the way—we’re favored to the win the World Series right now.

5. Buck and our home-field advantage: Okay, we crammed two reasons here to keep our list down to five. But they’re related. Buck Showalter is the best manager in the game at the moment, exhibiting Yoda-like wisdom in the dugout. The home-field advantage and boisterous Baltimore crowds (not to pat ourselves on the back, but, let’s face it, we were incredible at Camden Yards during Games 1 and 2 against Detroit) give both Buck an advantage in making moves and the boys in the orange and black a chance to play an extra game on their home turf—if need be.

Hope the rain holds off and see you at the ballpark this weekend. We’ll be in orange.

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Stud of the Week for September 15-22:
Adam Jones

The Line:
Against the Red Sox Friday night, the center fielder crushed not one, but two home runs, pushing his season HR total to 27. He’s also batting .285 and leading the team with 176 hits while driving in 91 runs to date. 

Studliest Moment:
After the Orioles clinched their first American League East title since 1997 on Tuesday night, and their first at home since 1969, Adam Jones celebrated the way he has all season: by pieing his teammates. And then he pied a random fan, who stayed around for the post-game party, in seats near the dugout. We love this guy.

The Clincher:
For the past four years, Jones has played a Gold Glove center field while averaging roughly 30 home runs and 90 RBIs. With all due respect to Nelson Cruz, who is having a monster year at the plate and was selected the team’s MVP by the local media this year, Adam Jones is the Orioles’s best baseball player—and one of the best in the game, period.

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Stud of the Week for September 1-7:
Nelson Cruz

The Line:
Cruz extended his career high in home runs (39) and RBIs (101) and, by far, has the team’s highest slugging percentage at .531.

Studliest Moment:
Trailing Tampa Bay 4-2 yesterday in the ninth inning, Cruz cleared the bases with a triple down the first-base line, giving the Orioles a 5-4 lead.

The Clincher:
As if his two-run shot in the sixth and game-saving triple in the ninth weren’t enough, when the O’s went into extra innings, Cruz came to the rescue again. In the top of the 11th, with Nick Hundley on first, Cruz hits another bomb to left-center, winning us and the game and ultimately giving him seven RBIs for the day, the most for an Oriole since 2009. 

While he rounded the bases, it was hard to distinguish Rays’ fans boos and the visiting Orioles fans’ “Cruuuuz.” Either way, it was a sweet, sweet sound.

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Stud of the Week for July 14-20:
Adam Jones

The line:
Jones went for 2-4, with a home run, five RBIs, and two stolen bases in the O’s win over Oakland A’s Saturday.

Studliest moment:
After a heartbreaking loss in the bottom of the 9th inning Friday, Jones’s three-run shot in the first inning sent a message that O’s were ready to put that behind them and bounce back.

The clincher:

After representing the O’s at the All-Star game, he tied his career-high with five RBIs in one game while becoming the first Oriole to drive in five runs and steal multiple bases in the same game.

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Stud of the Week for June 16-22:
Steve Pearce

The Line:
Pearce currently has the best batting average on the team of .339 and has had four multi-hit games in a row.

Studliest Moment:
After tinkering with his batting stance, Pearce really began to shine early last week against the Rays—batting .500 in the series with three doubles and three RBIs. This led Buck Showalter to move Pearce up to the No. 2 spot in the order, shifting Manny Machado down to seventh.

The Clincher:
The outfielder found himself in a bit of a predicament yesterday against the Yankees, when he was sent to third by a ground ball from Nelson Cruz. Yanks third basement Kelly Johnson fielded the ball and stepped on the bag, but was tripped by a sliding Pearce. Manager Joe Girardi came out to argue interference on the play, but the call stood as an error on Johnson. 

We agree that his slide wasn’t intended to hurt Johnson, but just a good defensive move. Not only can he hit plenty of RBIs, but he can prevent double plays, too.

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Stud of the Week for May 26-June 1:
Nelson Cruz

The Line:
Cruz is leading the entire league in home runs (20) and RBIs (52).

Studliest Moment:
Though the Orioles lost to Milwaukee on Wednesday, Nelson Cruz hit two home runs (which were the Orioles first two hits, in the second and sixth innings). The multi-homer game was his second of the season, and put him on pace to hit 60 home runs this year.

The Clincher:
His three RBIs in the Orioles 4-1 victory over the Astros on Saturday gave Cruz a club record 52 RBIs before the end of May, which was previously held by Chris Davis last year. To put it another way, Cruz has driven in 23.1 percent of the Orioles runs this season. Good thing his injury, which has been diagnosed as just a hand contusion, wasn’t more serious. 

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Going into tonight’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Orioles are 12-12, a solid .500. And, while it hasn’t been the most glorious start to a season, at least we are back on a clean slate of sorts. But there is one thing for certain—we are happy to have this guy on our roster.

Stud of the Week for April 21-27:
Nelson Cruz

The line:
Cruz, who the Orioles signed for a mere $8 million in February, is leading the ball club in home runs (7), RBIs (25), and on-base percentage (.376).

Studliest moment:
Though watching the O’s outfielder hit a shot is now par for the course, he outdid himself last Wednesday against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rodgers Centre. Cruz earned his 11th multi-homer game of his career, as he hit a solo shot in the third and a mammoth go-ahead grand slam deep to left-center in the fifth. 

The clincher:
The very next day, the Orioles announced that the game against the Detroit Tigers on May 13 will be Nelson Cruz T-shirt night. The shirt design is inspired by the power hitter’s nickname, which you can hear echo throughout Camden Yards whenever he hits a dinger: “Cruuuuuuz!”

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