Padres inked former Tiger shortstop Deivi Cruz to a 1-year deal worth $600K. Good low-risk signing. The right-handed hitter will back up left-handed hitters Ramon Vazquez and Sean Burroughs on the left side of the infield. Cruz is only 26 years old but he’s already got five big-league seasons under his belt. He’s nothing special, but with a grand total of 36 big-league at-bats under the collective belts of Vazquez and Burroughs, a guy like Cruz makes a lot of sense.

This might clear the way for a Damian Jackson trade (to Boston, perhaps, who failed to sign the similar Pokey Reese?). On the other hand, Jackson is also a good defensive outfielder, which could come in handy late in games against lefties, when Ron Gant is in left field. Regardless, if Cruz gets more than 250 or so plate appearances, something has gone horribly wrong.

So, if you’re a small market team, this is what it comes down to. There will be no Jason Giambi. There will be no Chan Ho Park. Instead, there will be guys like Alan Embree, Steve Reed, Cruz, and Gant. A bunch of low-risk guys who don’t cost much.

Embree as a replacement for the injured Kevin Walker isn’t a bad idea. He’s got a live arm and comes very cheap after a terrible 2001. Reed taking over for the injured Jeremy Fikac is nice, too. And if recent history is any indication, a decent middle reliever might net a decent young player (Jay Witasick for D’Angelo Jimenez?).

On the offensive side, Gant is no great shakes as a player anymore but he does have a lot of experience and still hammers southpaws. He’s inexpensive and he won’t be expected to fill a significant role, probably platooning with Ray Lankford in left field. Gant essentially replaces Mike Colangelo as the second right-handed outfielder on the club. I really liked what I saw of Colangelo in his brief stay in San Diego, although (a) he has proven to be quite fragile and (b) we’re still talking about a fourth or fifth outfielder here. As long as Gant doesn’t cost too much (which he doesn’t), I’m okay with this.

As for Cruz, I see nothing but positives. He’ll be reunited with former Tiger shortstop Alan Trammell. He should be hungry and eager to prove himself after slowly going down the tubes in Detroit. He’ll be in an organization that emphasizes plate discipline, which Lord knows Cruz could use. Basically, he’s a great insurance policy with very little risk. Put another way, is he really any worse than Alex Arias, whom he essentially replaces? I think not.