In 2019, two former O's will reunite in Minnesota

The Minnesota Twins have added two former Orioles this month. And the addition of one could really help the other.

When Nelson Cruz led the majors with 40 homers and helped the Orioles to the 2014 American League East title and a berth in the AL Championship Series, he was a huge positive force in that clubhouse. He was particularly huge for young infielders Jonathan Schoop and Manny Machado.

Now Schoop and Cruz will be teammates again in Minnesota. The Twins signed Schoop to a one-year deal worth $7.5 million on Dec. 6 and this week agreed to a one-year deal with a team option with Cruz, who turned 38 on July 1. Cruz will get $14 million for 2019. His club option for 2020 will pay him either $12 million if picked up or earn him $300,000 via a buyout.

Cruz may be one of the nicest and most respectful players I've ever dealt with. He was always available to reporters. He was always polite and articulate. His impact on his teammates was strong and that appeared to be throughout the entire clubhouse.

And as Schoop tries to bounce back from a poor 2018 season, having Cruz there every day should be a huge plus. Schoop hit .233/.266/.416 last year for the Orioles and Brewers. His OPS+ of 85 was well below the 124 from 2017, when he hit .293 with 32 homers and 105 RBIs for the Orioles. He made his first All-Star team and was voted Most Valuable Oriole. Then he could do little right in 2018.

Meanwhile, if the Orioles could rewind the clock to late in 2014, they may ask for a do-over with Cruz. They offered him a three-year deal, but didn't seem willing to go to four years for the free agent. Seattle did go four and got Cruz for $57 million over four seasons.

Who knew he would still be bashing at 38?

But he has. In three years before he became an Oriole, Cruz had a combined .808 OPS and homered once every 18.4 at-bats. In the four seasons after he left Baltimore - all with Seattle - Cruz had a .908 OPS, hit 163 homers and averaged one every 13.8 at-bats. He's not getting older, he's getting better, and his 203 homers since 2014 lead all of the majors.

Almost no one could have predicted that Cruz, playing half his games at Safeco Field, could be so productive as he approached 40. He'll turn 39 next July 1 and if he is still a Twin in 2020, he'll turn 40 during that season.

Cruz was huge in his one season as an Oriole and we can only wonder what might have happened had he stayed in Baltimore for four more seasons. What if Machado had Cruz to lean on daily - would he have been less of a villain this past October? Would Schoop not have fallen so far last summer?

We'll never know those answers, but just based on his one-year impact in Baltimore, it is not exactly going out on a limb to think Cruz would have made a difference. I'll admit I didn't think he had much of a chance to be this productive at 37, 38 and 39, and could understand the O's reluctance to go beyond three years for Cruz at the time.

But he's continued to hit and remains a strong leader. The Twins and Schoop will get the benefit of that next season.

MLB home run leaders since 2014:
203 - Nelson Cruz
188 - Giancarlo Stanton
185 - Edwin Encarnacion
182 - Khris Davis
178 - Mike Trout