[Art Deco]

March 31: Signed OF/DH Nelson Cruz to a 1-year, $7M contract, placed P Josh Fleming on waivers.

Need that right-handed power in between Meadows, Choi and Kepler. Cruz has been linked to the Rays for years, and he hit 40 HR at age 40 last year. If he doesn't pan out, there's still Beer and Kirilloff at Durham, but of course they're both lefty hitters. Beer hit a few HR early in spring, then slumped badly while Kirilloff produced well and was the last cut in favor of Cruz. I know I said I was going to play the kids, but... Elsewhere, Fleming had to be on the 40 after coming off the 60-day DL in the offseason.

Here's the opening day roster. There are actually some kids on it, though.

C-K.Ruiz, R.Hernandez
1B-Choi
2B-Merrifield
SS-Wander Franco
3B-Toro
CI-Bohm
MI-Brujan
OF-Meadows, Kiermaier, Kepler, Yusniel Diaz
DH-N.Cruz

SP-Snell, McKay, Fried, Ryan, Chirinos
RP-Hand, Anderson, Alvarado, Adams, Nix, D.Jimenez, Gonsolin, Menez.

DL: Greinke, Glasnow.

Ronaldo got the nod over Christian Vazquez thanks to a hitting tear he went on late in ST, he probably goes down to play regularly later but I figured I'd reward him in the short term. Brujan makes the team as the backup middle infielder, but I will try to work him in some for Merrifield, who can also play the outfield. Gonsolin and Menez make the team due to the injuries to 2/5 of the rotation. Latest word on Greinke is that he will be out a little longer than expected. Wonderful.