Soriano infuriates me

I would like to see more of matt murton this year. From the few games i watched when he played last year, he won the game for us both times. he is pretty clutch, a good hitter(my personal opinion), and he has some power to him. This current lineup will just not do. the 6 runs we have scored have came off home runs. i just think that wont do. I know it is only the second game of the season. but i am freaking out. i just dont like the start of this season. WE NEED BRIAN ROBERTS ASAP!!

or how much better off we would be with Carlos Lee

soriano is undisciplined, erratic, and impatient at the plate. but he hit .300 last year with 33 bombs in limited time! he is a GREAT player, maybe not 136 mil, but that is the market.

he is in the wrong spot in the order. I promise, if he's put between Dlee and Aram he will flourish! FLOURISH!!! this has to happen:

fukudome
theriot (hit a bit today)
Dlee
Sori
Aram
Dero
Soto (nice shot today)
Pie (two hits so far)

this lineup would change the scoreboard, i give it my guarantee (probably wont influence anything tho lol).

I am glad Soriano drives other people nuts, too. I like to call him 'Sammy' Soriano. He has a ton of talent - but he loafs, too much.

I hate this site now because of people like this. Sample size with nothing more than anecdotes.

See "A Word of Encouragement" by cubswgnrocks

I can't go through another season of Alfonso Soriano, aka the $136 million man. His at bats drive me insane.

Here's a suggestion: There are 29 other teams in MLB. Pick one that you think you can deal with for 162 games and bother them with your constant pessimism. Some of us here are still able to relax knowing that it's been TWO FREAKIN' GAMES. If Sori was healthy last year he could have dropped 40 bombs while batting .300. As others have pointed out in response to your baseless claims of him being 'streaky' and 'hot and cold', he batted at least .280 every month. Give us a break.

Soriano makes me mad. BBUUUUUTTT I can say I'm not impressed with his constant playing with the crowd. Even when the Cubs are losing he's hamming it up to the left field fans. Dont entertain me with acknowledgement when I'm in the stands. Entertain me with your skills at the plate and with your glove. Spend a little less time being my friend and a little more time being my employee...if ya know what I mean. I dont pay $42 to see Soriano turn and smile at the fans in left after every pitch. I pay $42 to see him hit long balls and throw out baserunners.

Soriano is the definition of a steaky hitter. He had two amazing hot spells last year (June and September) and was a huge part of us turning the season around and making the playoffs. I can understand the frustration, but I don't for the life of me understand the argument that they'd rather have Murton. I don't think that Murton could carry us through september

It's obvious Soriano's a valuable player. However, I am disgusted by his approach at the plate and would have him hitting towards the end of the lineup.

Soriano is so unclutch that he only hit .278 with a .391 OBP and a .481 Slugging with two outs and runners in scoring position last season.

He only hit .318 in "late and close" situations with a .356 OBP and a .518 slugging percentage.

Let me translate "unclutch." He didn't get a hit at a critical time the last time I saw him.

...tomorrow.

How long have you been a fan? Good grief, this website is insane. It's been 2 games.

The cubs havent won a game this year!

wait it doesnt matter...

Soriano was one of the intangibles last year and the same will hold true this season. His poor performance these first two games should by no means be a cause for immediate concern.

You can't expect the Cubs to go 162-0 and you cant expect A-Ram and Soriano to bat .995.

This is the same game where you are considered successful if you get 3 hits in 10 ABs.

Stop being so quick to criticize and have some faith. Otherwise you are in for a long season.

The Cubs are better than this and if the rest of the NL Central underestimates them then they are in for a rude awakening.

He NEVER comes up big when the Cubs need him most. NEVER.

Yeah, like last September, during a pennant chase, Soriano didn't show up AT ALL. I don't think he got a single hit all month. Certainly no homers. He definitely didn't help us make the playoffs.

is a stud. His number at the end of the season will be top 10 for outfielders. He'll throw out enough runners to make up for "not being clutch" or whatever. The guy is a threat every time he steps up to the plate. How 'clutch' can you possible expect him to be? He can't hit a 6 run homer. Even if he hit 2 hr's today it wouldn't have mattered.

You want to single someone out for not producing the 1st two games then point your angry finger at Henry Blanco. Blanco hasn't done squat in the 1st to games to help the team.

(yea i know Blanco hasnt played yet. it was a joke)

He is what he is. He likes hitting leadoff, and he does better hitting leadoff. I'd much rather have his .950 OPS getting a lot of PAs (even with the bases empty) than a weak hitter like Riot. At the end of the year, his numbers will be there.

I'm much more upset at Lou for writing the lineup card he used for the first two games. If Sori's legs aren't healthy enough for cold weather, how can he play LF? If he is healthy, put him in the leadoff spot in which he's more productive.

Question for Lou: If, perchance, Riot were to actually get on base leading off a game, how can he steal second when Sori never takes a pitch?

that Lee only had one home run today. I think we should sit him in favor of Ward..

but seeing this offense makes the TTSNBN a necessity..
we NEED roberts for a leadoff hitter because we do not have one
soriano needs to bat fifth and theriot should be no where near the top of the order, let alone leading off

i know everyone hates reading peoples proposed lineups but

roberts
fukudome
lee
ramirez
soriano
soto
derosa/theriot
pie
pitcher

My "reaction" to Alfonso Soriano is based on his performance (and antics) in 2007 and 2 games in 2008. The man is Sam-ME Steroid Lite. There is no debate that he can be an offensive force during one of his patented hot streaks. But what about the other times?!?!? A $136 million for a guy who is an absolute rally killer. He is being paid $136 million to be a FRANCHISE player, not a Juan Encarnacion impersonator for 2/3 rd's of a season.

And I shall say it again. Where was Soriano in the Arizona series last fall?? Name me one Cub who had more of a detrimental impact on the offense than the hacking and flailing Soriano.

The comparison isn't Juan Encarnacion. The comparison isn't Matt Murton. The comparison should be the elite run producers in the league. And if some of you don't understand that then you don't know jack scratch about the game of baseball.

i heard the other day soriano held a record for most swings at pitches out of the strike zone... ill take that for a .300 35 homer guy and watching him hit balls pretty much off the ground into the leftfield bleachers is pretty entertaining to me

Which sounds about right to me. I'm sure there are times you look around and go, "What did I ever do to deserve this?" And I bet there's not one time when you're honest with yourself in how you answer. Because I am absolutely convinced you are deserving of all of the anguish you must feel.

I've softened my stance on batting Soriano leadoff recently, but the hell with it - Soriano definately needs to lead off, just so he can get more at-bats to spite you with. I hope every single one of them brings you immense displeasure.

Because... do you know what your alternative is? The door. Soriano isn't going anywhere. Either you can accept it or you can't. And it's really not my problem if you can't.

In Soriano's last AB he took a strike on the outside part of the plate count went to 1-1(I think) next pitch off the plate outside called a strike now 1-2. He takes a ball then the pitcher throws a good pitch moving away, Soriano has to swing after the wide strike. I have actually noticed a more patient(still not very patient) Soriano. The AB that was bad was Cedeno swinging at a 3-1 pitch waaay inside for a pop out, and of course Soto hits a homer.

There are sacred cows among some of the membership here. That much is clear. I'll let the sabermetricians and housewives have at it. Lord knows knowledge of the game and objective analysis by the diehard fan who actually knows something about the game isn't welcome.

I'll say two hail marys in the name of Bill James as pennance for my sins.