There’s a time and a place for sweeping introductions and beautifully crafted prose, but when there are important things to discuss there’s nothing quite as frustrating as a meandering opening. So let me be clear: the Mariners should extend Nelson Cruz. I feel this strongly enough to state it as fact, not opinion, and shall treat the rationale as such.
Reason 1: There’s no better option.
Any free agents the team might sign this offseason pale in comparison to Cruz, and the prospect of trading for a DH is wildly unpalatable.