Soriano playing winter ball

by Chitown Mojo on Nov 23, 2006 7:08 AM CST Comment 26 comments

Good morning all, hope everyone had a pleasant night, I for myself haven't slept one minute. Very happy thanksgiving to all! I'd like to say that the little image on the top left of my screen is brilliant. Ok moving on, apparently Soriano wants to play for his dominican winter ball team and is waiting to get here next week so he can ask our dear Hendry permission. Permission that IMHO will be granted, he's not our big soft mushy Jimbo for nothing. Ahh what a heart. Well anyways, YEY, with our luck he'll break his leg trying to jump out of the dugout to celebrate a teammate's homerun...it's happenned before. Am I the only to think that after signing such a contract YOU STAY PUT?!?

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Good

Soriano needs to work on his outfield defense. Let him do it in winter ball, and by Spring, maybe he'll be ready for RF or CF.

The call of the Cub fan, c. 1893: "one long, ravaged, derisive yell...a cyclonic whoop!"

by zambranofan on Nov 23, 2006 10:15 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Winter Ball

I think it says alot about his passion to play ball. And if it's going to help his game this summer, let him play.

I was thinking that a bird believed to be extinct was going to catch some headwind and fly down from Alaska and find Soriano somehow in Mesa at Spring Training. But your scenario is possible too. Al told me it's gonna be ok though, so I believe him.

Federer

It's like deja`vu all over again ....

by tigerperson on Nov 23, 2006 11:01 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I am up in the air about this....

On one hand, yes, he can work on his defensive play in the outfield......but there is the risk of injury....which is very scary.....

Check out my daily baseball blog at MLB-threeSIXTYfive and GET J.D. DREW!!!

by TheBeerBaron on Nov 23, 2006 11:51 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

sorry to hear

about your non-sleeping issues....grab yourself some Myletonin and you'll be all good.

TRAMMELL!

by Faith plus 1 on Nov 23, 2006 12:47 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Melatonin doesn't do it for me...

Still up and starting to shake... Tylenol PM knocks me out but leaves me feeling like I just ran a marathon the morning after. Dilemma, dilemma...

GREAT SUCCESS!!!

by Chitown Mojo on Nov 23, 2006 1:21 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Try

Simply Sleep by Tylenol.

"Incidentally, Colossus was right and I was wrong about Maddux being dealt." -Al Yellon

by colossus on Nov 23, 2006 1:22 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

AMBIEN!

PINIELLA!

by theprognosticator on Nov 23, 2006 1:48 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That's not over-the-counter though.

I knew a girl that was given that stuff, it didn't look very pleasant.

She wasn't the brightest crayon in the box to begin with though.

"Incidentally, Colossus was right and I was wrong about Maddux being dealt." -Al Yellon

by colossus on Nov 23, 2006 1:50 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Injury it what scares me too...

Even more so knowing the passion with which he plays

GREAT SUCCESS!!!

by Chitown Mojo on Nov 23, 2006 1:21 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Don't say that...

We can't wrap him in bubble rap until April, but yeah I would worry about him.

by Snake Plissken on Nov 23, 2006 1:54 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Wait

The "Don't say that" part was about him getting injured.

by Snake Plissken on Nov 23, 2006 1:55 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Isn't Pie

playing winter ball?

"Incidentally, Colossus was right and I was wrong about Maddux being dealt." -Al Yellon

by colossus on Nov 23, 2006 2:05 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

heres my opinion on the matter.........

no matter what the opinion is either way theres always a little thing called fate. u can play the what if stuff all day long. he wants to play winter ball and stay fresh and practice i say go for it. hopefully he gets through it injury free but he dont he dont u cant fret over that stuff. lets all stay positive we can all honestly say with a couple more pitchers we have a legitimate chance of going all the way next year. we have a proven coach,bullpen, infield, outfield, and some replacements that can step in and hold the fort down if need be. if we have any further problem i 100% believe hendry will address it at or before the trade deadline. think positive folks this is our year.

Here comes the nasty leftie to shut it down in the 9th......Clay Rapada!!!!

by cubsluver22 on Nov 23, 2006 2:20 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Theres another little thing....

Iz called pushing your fate... Wouldn't want him to push it too far. Pie is playing winter ball and not doing too well, I believe he's been benched.
Soriano is guaranteed a ton of cash next year, I'd hate to see him miss part of it because of a stupid injury down in DR.
If it were up to me he'd be wrapped in bubble wrap until April.

GREAT SUCCESS!!!

by Chitown Mojo on Nov 23, 2006 2:45 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Got a link

to Pie's stats?

"Incidentally, Colossus was right and I was wrong about Maddux being dealt." -Al Yellon

by colossus on Nov 23, 2006 4:58 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Reply

Link.

He is hitting .239/.272/.284/ with 3 walks and 16 Ks. Horrible K/BB ratio. On the plus side, it seems he is making great strides in improving his baserunning. He got better as the season went on in Iowa and is currently 5/5 in stolen base attempts.

by VS on Nov 23, 2006 5:30 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That sucks

Maybe he's just tired. I'm not expecting him to start in 2007, but if he doesn't in 2008 he's probably a flop.

"Incidentally, Colossus was right and I was wrong about Maddux being dealt." -Al Yellon

by colossus on Nov 23, 2006 5:34 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I've always seen...

Pie as Corey Patterson's long lost twin. People keep saying otherwise but I'm not convinced. And I am certainly convinced that he is not what the Cubs need for the future: yet ANOTHER "toolsy" guy who strikes out a ton and doesn't walk. No thanks. Nevertheless, I am resigned to the fact that the Cubs are going to win all toolsy or Hendry will eventually go. I thought he was going to try to balance the offense between some toolsy and some other type of hitters (mainly high OBP disciplined hitters) but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Luis

by Luis on Nov 24, 2006 8:07 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Because of

his winter league performance? If that's what your basing it on, that means nothing. He didn't hit in winter league ball last year, and then went on a rampage in AAA early in the season. He then finished the year hot as well. He made adjustments which is very encouraging. The comparison between him and Patterson means nothing. They are two different players. Pie put up better numbers last year at AAA than Patterson at AA at the same age. I'm not saying he's a lock to be a stud, but Patterson has nothing to do with him. Oh, and Cedeno has a huge winter league last offseason and what happened to him? Winter ball tells you nothing. I'll wait and see before I give up on him. And unlike Patterson he's consistently hit for a good average in the minors, Corey did not. I was very impressed with how Pie bounched back at the end of the year, after struggling. That's a good sign. Remember the kid is ONLY 21 years old. I didn't realize 21 year olds, were supposed to be Major League all-stars already.

by Macy on Nov 24, 2006 4:58 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I have to agree

with whoever said that this shows his passion for playing the game.

I know people don't like Pete Rose these days, but he has a spot in my top 5 baseball quotes of all time:

"I would walk through hell in a gasoline suit to play baseball". I suspect Soriano feels the same way, and HAS to play the game at this point in his life.

Nearly all of the truly great ones would, I think. Maybe Soriano has a chance to be one of the truly great players of all time. If so, I hope he does it in a Cubs uniform. Good chance of it considering his contract. <grin>

"I lof to hit de home ron."

by Tekboy on Nov 23, 2006 2:55 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Because

his home field will now be Wrigley, he could hit a ton of homers the next couple of years. Also, him being in the NL Central, with the launching pad ballparks in Houston and Cinncinnati, he'll hit a bunch of homers. I'm not saying I agree or disagree with this, but numerous scouts believe he'll hit 50+ homers next year. Some are going so far as to say he'll EASILY hit 50+ homers. I don't think its easy for any player to hit 50+ homers in a season no matter where he plays, but you know that its certainly possible with Wrigley field being his new ball park.

by Macy on Nov 24, 2006 11:22 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm all for passion...

I'm the first to get pissed off when European Clubs show reluctance in lending their international players to the french football squad. I guess that here the club in question is the one my heart is attached to...

GREAT SUCCESS!!!

by Chitown Mojo on Nov 23, 2006 3:57 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Usually

when the big stars play in the Dominican League, they only play one or two games. They just play to say thank you to their fans back in the Dominican and so that they can see them play live once, Then, they are usually done for the winter.

That's my guess what Soriano's plan would be.

A little song, a little dance. A little seltzer down your pants

by Josh77 on Nov 23, 2006 6:13 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

another opinion...

over there they play baseball for the love of the game. the fans adore these players and they respect their fans. we have gotten away from that here in america and it will never get back b/c of the greedy ness and money. we need to realize that soriano owes it to his fellow people to play the game in front of them. respect the man for that and hope nothing happens to him. think positive.

Here comes the nasty leftie to shut it down in the 9th......Clay Rapada!!!!

by cubsluver22 on Nov 23, 2006 6:53 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I don't mind him playing...

How many games is he going to play in winter ball?

How many do we expect him to play for the Cubs?

Quite simply, since he is not an "injury prone" player, the Winter Ball games would be a small percentage-probably about as much as not playing in the playoffs. I understand it's extra games, but the fact is, he could tear his ACL in the first week of 2007 and never be the same.

In my opinion, as long as he does the same pre-game/post-game routine (stretching, warming up, working out), I really have no problem with it. And in fact, I think that if he did play a lot, his playing more games in the outfield, seems to make it more probable that his defense will be improved than his risk for injury. I'll take it.

Soriano + Schmidt + 2nd Tier Pitcher + JD Drew - Zero Prospects = Wow!!!

by tyger1147 on Nov 23, 2006 7:23 PM CST reply actions 0 recs