How much will Nelson Cruz impact O's offense?

They didn't have to go far to do it, but the symbolic gesture by several key Orioles to attend Nelson Cruz's press conference may be a big step forward for Cruz with his new team. With their words - and yesterday with their actions - the Orioles players have warmly welcomed Cruz to the team. They are not condoning his suspension, but they are also letting him know he is one of them now and it's time to go to work. Of course, it's now up to Cruz to avoid another suspension that would hinder his new club's chance to make the playoffs. Now it's up to Cruz to start bashing baseballs while protecting Adam Jones and Chris Davis in the lineup. So just how much impact can Cruz have on an Orioles offense that was already tied for fourth in the American League in runs scored last year? If you go by the OPS stat - on-base percentage plus slugging percentage - the Orioles finished above the AL average at four spots last year and below in five others. That seems somewhat surprising for a team that produced 745 runs, which was 33 more than the 2012 club that made the playoffs. But the O's were below average on OPS at second base (.707 AL average with O's at .669), left field (.724 to .706), right field (.740 to .688), catcher (.705 to .688) and designated hitter (.725 to .704). The O's were above average at first base (.776 to .977), third base (.738 to .754), shortstop (.681 to .741) and center field (.736 to .812). Whether Cruz gets most of his at-bats at DH or in left field, he can help impact the offense. At this point, he seems more likely to get DH at-bats. Cruz's .506 slugging percentage and .833 OPS last year, and his career numbers of .495 and .823 in those areas, would both top any O's starter last season except for Chris Davis - unless you count Danny Valencia as the DH starter, and he had just 161 at-bats last season. Orioles DHs, thanks to Valencia's late-season surge, finished with a combined 21 homers and 69 RBIs last season. Cruz had 27 homers and 76 RBIs - and that was in just 109 games. Cruz, no doubt, helps an offense that already scored more runs than all but four teams in the majors last season. But will the O's offense be better overall? Sure, Cruz helps, but Davis could certainly fall off with his production after hitting 53 homers with 138 RBIs. But will Nick Markakis do better? Will Matt Wieters? Will David Lough help upgrade left field, or can Nolan Reimold stay healthy and help there, too? The Orioles, it appears, have not made significant upgrades to team OBP unless Lough can produce numbers there like he did in the minors. They still could be a club that needs improvement in the OBP stat and still rank low in the AL in pitches per plate appearance, a stat they were 12th in last year. But the end result - the runs scored - could well increase in 2014 for an O's offense that already was scoring at a good rate in 2013. So how much difference do you feel Cruz will make for the offense? Can the O's approach 800 runs, a figure just one team (Boston at 853) topped last season and two others (Detroit with 796 and St. Louis at 783) approached?