180 H, 97 R, 30 HR, 135 RBI, 22 SB, 331 TB, .329 AVG, .443 OBP, 1.046 OPS

No, those aren’t the numbers of Manny being Manny. Those are Nelson Cruz numbers projected over 550 at bats. Really, those numbers are beyond Manny and everyone in the majors for that matter. No player has that combination of power, speed and average this season. The closest would be Mr. Holliday, but even he didn’t come close to those RBI totals.

Maybe it is time we build our teams around Nelson Cruz…

Ok, but let’s bring this back to reality for a moment. His numbers are astronomical when projected at this high point, but you have to believe his power will go up while is average and runs batted in will come down a bit. Still, he looks like a 100/35/100/20/300 threat. That is huge.

You may say the track record isn’t there to support this, but oh it is. You see his limited experience in the majors and right him off, but he had six homers in only 130 at bats in 2006 showing his power. Still, he was inconsistent and didn’t receive a full season trial in any of the last three seasons. When 442 at bats are spread out across three seasons, you can’t write off a player as a bust just yet. That just isn’t enough consistent time for many young players to adjust. Now at 28, in Triple-A, he has matured to a point where it probably won’t even matter.

Some actual history… Nelson had 27 homers between two levels in 2005. After that, he contributed 26 homers in 2006 with a fourth of that time being spent adjusting to the major leagues. Keeping that power consistent moving up is a big positive. Keep in mind, in these two seasons he didn’t hit about .306 at any level and struggled when moving up to AAA and MLB for the first time hitting .269 and .223.

Well he really worked on his average in 2007. His 162 at bats in Triple-A resulted in a .352 average. He also had a phenomenal 15 homers in that very short time. Still, his performance at the big-league level was disappointing. All he had to do was put that completely together. This was that season in Oklahoma with 93 runs, 37 homers, 99 RBI and a .345 average across nearly an entire season. Having mastered Triple-A completely, the transition to the majors should finally be a smooth one.

If the Rangers are patient, a season from now he could be putting up superstar numbers for them as well. They better give him that opportunity because he only has five years or so of prime before it is too late. A slow developing sleeper (or one who wasn’t given enough time to adjust at a younger age), Nelson Cruz is someone you should put in control of your fantasy future. Don’t be afraid to risk mid-level 25-homer, .270-average hitters to acquire this guy. His upside is worth the modest gamble.