Pondering Nelson Cruz's future as an Oriole

With his next home run, Nelson Cruz will become the sixth player in Orioles history to hit 40 or more homers in one season. Cruz hit his 38th and 39th yesterday during his seven-RBI game in the win over Tampa Bay. Chris Davis tops the list with 53 (2013) and is followed by Brady Anderson with 50 (1996), Frank Robinson with 49 (1966), Jim Gentile with 46 (1961) and Rafael Palmeiro with 43 (1998). Cruz is tied with Palmeiro (1995-96) and Boog Powell (1964) for sixth on the club's single-season homer list. Cruz now has 101 RBIs and is tied with Nick Markakis (2009) for 36th-most RBIs in one season in club history. Cruz's seven-RBI game was two off the O's record of nine RBIs in one game set by Jim Gentile on May 9, 1961 at Minnesota and tied by Eddie Murray on Sept. 26, 1984 at California. The last Oriole with a seven-RBI game was Luke Scott at Seattle on July 7, 2009. Cruz had 12 total bases on Sunday, one short of the club record of 13. Cruz became the first player with at least seven RBIs to account for all of his team's scoring since Colorado's Jason Giambi on May 19, 2011 in Philadelphia, and the first American League player since Anaheim's Garret Anderson on May 8, 2003 against the Indians. During the last homestand, Cruz revealed that the Orioles approached him about a possible contract extension, although it is all very preliminary. Cruz again expressed his desire to stay an Oriole if at all possible and said there is a lot to like about his first season with the club. "Everything. Nice clubhouse, nice guys, great coaches, good fans," he said. "Makes for the right atmosphere to come every day and bring everything to win. "I've been part of the playoffs before and I know how important it is as a player to be a part of a team like this." Will the Orioles sign Cruz to a new long-term deal at some point? Cruz turned 34 in July and there certainly would be some risk, maybe significant risk, if signing him to a multi-year deal would tie up $40 or $50 million or more. Maybe the best play for the Orioles will be to make Cruz the qualifying offer. That would mean they either retain the slugger for at least one year in 2015 or get a draft pick is he turns the offer down. What is the club's best move with Cruz? Meanwhile here is the latest top 10 teams in the majors in ESPN's Buster Olney's power rankings: 1. Angels 2. Orioles 3. Giants 4. Cardinals 5. Dodgers 6. Nationals 7. Royals 8. Athletics 9. Mariners 10. Pirates