Nats trying to trade Soriano?

by nick3308 on Jan 1, 2006 2:55 AM CST

I was looking around on ESPN.com of course on the MLB section, and there was an insider story that said Nats want pitching for Soriano. Are they trying to get rid of him now?..they just got him. I'm not subscribed to the insider so I dont get to read any info on it..but maybe someone out there does and can help us all out. This could be just another rumor for us to get our hopes up...but i doubt it

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Run away!

I don't want Soriano, who is a strikeout machine and who had an OBA of only .309 last year, despite playing in a good hitters' park.

The HR numbers are gaudy, but I wouldn't want him. And if you're thinking about getting him to play LF, that's why the Nats are trying to deal him -- because he doesn't want to move off 2B.

Last I looked, the Cubs already had a 2B -- haven't traded Todd Walker yet.

by Al Yellon on Jan 1, 2006 10:23 AM CST reply actions

Soriano...

is a jerk. He is going to stay in RFK and fall apart and have everyone hate him for being a whiner.

Cubbie Blue always sPaRkLes in my eyes. Time to sPaRkLe Jimmy!

by sparkles721 on Jan 1, 2006 11:08 AM CST reply actions

Don't want him

Soriano has shot himself in the foot by refusing to change positions. I would not want him as he has proven that he is not a team player. Every ball player at the major league level should be capable of playing more that one position. The only exception should be pitchers.

Madog93. There is only one good season of the year -- BASEBALL SEASON!

by madog93 on Jan 1, 2006 12:43 PM CST reply actions

?? Just curious...

... why is it that a lot of people seemed to like Milton Bradley then?

I think MB could definitely be thought of as a bad teammate. Yet it seemed that half the board really wanted him to come, and give up Todd Walker at that. (losing TW isn't as big a deal as having to play Neifi).

Soriano is certainly not as bad a teammate as Bradley.

by nickler on Jan 1, 2006 5:01 PM CST reply actions

Yes, yes he i...

... because despite Bradley's runins, and off-field troubles, no one has ever accused him of not giving 100% on the field.

He has never refused to play a position for the good of the team, as Soriano has done. You'd think that a player would try to ingratiate himself when traded to a new team, but Soriano has done just the opposite.

If I had to choose between the two for a teammate, I'd pick Bradley every time.

by Al Yellon on Jan 1, 2006 5:10 PM CST up reply actions

Don't want either of them

I would not want either of them. The last thing the Cubs need is a negative clubhouse guy. Dusty would back the player and create a wedge between the team and the media or fan base. It will be more us vs. them. MB throwing around the race card at a teammate was the final straw for me.

by greggie44 on Jan 1, 2006 8:16 PM CST up reply actions

I know I'm next to alone, but I...

would take Soriano if the price was right (CHEAP!).

Anyone can have a bad century...

by Kinky Reggae on Jan 1, 2006 6:52 PM CST reply actions

Soriano vs. Bradley

I think another thing you could look at regarding the two is that Soriano's played for a couple of the more successful, well-respected managers in the game (Torre more so than Showalter). Meanwhile, Bradley's played for a couple of guys who were relatively inexperienced as managers. If you put Bradley with a guy who had a lot of experience in dealing with tough cases and didn't take much crap off of people, it might make a difference.

"If it takes forever."

by JDay on Jan 1, 2006 8:10 PM CST reply actions

Bradley

Yeah, I wasn't big on the Bradley idea, either...for the same reason.

"If it takes forever."

by JDay on Jan 2, 2006 12:06 AM CST reply actions

The difference

between Milton Bradley and Alphonso Soriano is that Bradley is actually a good player. Soriano is not.

There are a ton of other ways in which they are different, but there is no sense is rehashing the whole Bradley-wars on this board since he won't be a Cub anytime soon.

Baseball can be summed up in one word--you never know--Joaquin Andujar

by Josh Timmers on Jan 2, 2006 3:20 AM CST reply actions

how

could u say soriano is not a good player.. he might not be a team player and he might only worry about him self..but he is still an outstanding player

he just made the 30/30 club..a lifetime .280 avg has hit 141 home runs the past 4 seasons

if your going to say he is a bad player u have to say derrek lee is also, besides one good year lee has been an average player at most. One thing that sets them apart is the defense..Soriano isnt too good in that category but u cant let a bad glove take you away from being a great player.

"Slump ? I ain't in no slump. I just ain't hittin." --Yogi Berra

by nick3308 on Jan 2, 2006 3:36 AM CST up reply actions

But

Soriano got to hit #2 between Jeter and one of the Yankees' power hitters.

So his BA was sort of helped along, someone like Luis Castillo who I always thought was overrated.

And I'm certainly no expert but supposedly he makes a lot of fielding errors, which suprises me given the fact that he is very athletic.

by nickler on Jan 2, 2006 7:19 AM CST up reply actions

You are looking at...

... "media-friendly" stats. Yes, Soriano hit a ton of HR last year. In a HR-friendly park. He also strikes out a ton, rarely walks, and recently balked at changing positions for a new team, not the impression most players would like to give when meeting new teammates.

He'll be 30 this month and is going to play at a park that is death on HR. If he stays with the Nats I'll bet you he won't hit more than 20 HR.

I don't want him. Period.

by Al Yellon on Jan 2, 2006 9:53 AM CST up reply actions

Again

Soriano's stats away from Ameriquest Field (aka "Coors Lite")

2005 .224 11 HR 31 RBI .265 OBP .374 SLUG
2004 .244 16 HR 44 RBI .291 OBP .444 SLUG

Add that he's a terrible defensive player.

Now I ask you: How can you say he's a good player?

Baseball can be summed up in one word--you never know--Joaquin Andujar

by Josh Timmers on Jan 2, 2006 10:50 AM CST up reply actions

Man...

... that's even worse than I thought.

And, considering he's going to a home park that's the extreme the other way, it's no wonder the Nats are trying to deal him.

by Al Yellon on Jan 2, 2006 1:15 PM CST up reply actions

what tells me

that if he doesn't get those numbers up he's going to be utility in 2 years.

2006 -- AC036097 -- Eamus Catuli!

by priorpwnz on Jan 2, 2006 3:21 PM CST up reply actions

It's amazing.

When he was with the Yankees I always thought he was an awesome player.

Unbelievable how being "protected" in the lineup can jack up your numbers.

I am really hoping Jacque Jones will have a good year, and that his poor showing last year was a result of having to do too much because of a weak lineup.

by nickler on Jan 2, 2006 3:49 PM CST up reply actions

aye

I am really hoping Jacque Jones will have a good year

me too, my friend, me too.

2006 -- AC036097 -- Eamus Catuli!

by priorpwnz on Jan 2, 2006 4:25 PM CST up reply actions

Why...

did they even trade for him? I thought Brad Wilkerson was a fan favorite, and he's better than Soriano.

Cubbie Blue always sPaRkLes in my eyes. Time to sPaRkLe Jimmy!

by sparkles721 on Jan 2, 2006 4:03 PM CST up reply actions

I think

it's because of his inflated numbers on that Yankees squad.

I mean, I could have hit well if I were THAT protected by an all star lineup (then again, maybe not).

It's sort of like how all of those old Bulls players became expensive free agents after Michael Jordan left and they all broke up.

Everyone thought that all those players were really special when in fact they weren't. They were only special because they were playing alongside Jordan. And that includes Scottie Pippen.

Remember how disappointed the Phoenix Suns were when they got Luc Longley, or the Rockets when they picked up Pippen? Well I think that's how the Nationals are going to feel now that they've got Soriano.

Suckers! Glad we didn't wind up with him. I am starting to like Jacque Jones more and more.

by nickler on Jan 2, 2006 5:10 PM CST up reply actions

Actually...

... Soriano's numbers aren't all that different from his days with the Yankees. He hit a lot of HR there, which in NY will get you attention.

And it wasn't so much "lineup protection" as MEDIA protection -- not having to be the big star -- that got him the "underrated" tag.

He was, in truth, overrated from the beginning. It'll be way worse in DC.

by Al Yellon on Jan 2, 2006 5:43 PM CST up reply actions

do you mean

the media in DC is harsh => harsher?

2006 -- AC036097 -- Eamus Catuli!

by priorpwnz on Jan 2, 2006 6:49 PM CST up reply actions

Pippen

When Jordan was off playing baseball, Pippen was probably the best all around player in the NBA. At the end of his career, health reasons slowed him down. In his prime, he was only eclipsed by number 23. The rest of the club was a well coached band of role players. Horace Grant was a good rebounder/defender who was under the illusion that he could be a scorer on another team.

by greggie44 on Jan 2, 2006 7:21 PM CST up reply actions

Uh oh.

Sorry. Didn't mean to get started on basketball, as I have even less knowledge of basketball than I do of baseball!

I was only trying to make an analogy which I guess didn't pan out.

All I remember is Pippen sulking and sitting out when Phil Jackson tried to set up a play for the better jump-shooting Toni Kukoc. I had always thought that was a totally lame thing to do to your team.

by nickler on Jan 3, 2006 12:04 AM CST up reply actions