My baseball "instincts" take over

by Hammer on May 6, 2008 10:16 AM CDT Comment 11 comments

I am currently 27 years old and will turn 28 this coming June. After obsessing over baseball for just about as long as I could remember, watching it, playing it, umpiring it for more half my life--and on top of it I like to consider myself a ridiculously obsessed Cub fan that is as close to the team as possible. I live near the park I never miss a game, taped or live or radio,....anyways I could go on and on about how much of a "educated fan" I think I am and how I believe I know more about Cubs baseball than 97% of the fandom. (3% room for error and pyscho Cub fans)

.....well the point.

I like to think my knowledge of baseball is strong but I also feel I have good instincts. My GUT instinct last night watching Soriano run hard from around the bases was to clench my butt and hope he doesnt strain anything. I can attack Soriano as well as the next guy and Im not a ledge jumper either (although I have been on occasion in previous seasons) Fact remains----all the opinions I can generate regarding Alfonso Soriano meant nothing to me when my first instinct/gut reaction/involuntary thought was that I did not want to get him hurt, therefore IMO, wherever the man is in the lineup he adds a lot of value to this team.

I am sorry to open this can of worms again.............

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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i agree..

Hammer, I have to say i’m pretty much the same demographic and obsessed Cub fan you are, although i had to move away from the city for work. Now my exposure to Cubs games is through my computer… :(

i totally agree with you, that if Fonzi were to come up lame, I would definitely be upset, (although some of us on this board would probably be happy if he were hurt for a few months) but the fact is, he still is a valuable piece of our puzzle.

my only wish is that we maximize his value by getting him out of the leadoff spot! c’mon Lou!!

by cubfan1982 on May 6, 2008 10:30 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

LSA

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on May 6, 2008 10:33 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good post

Soriano is a valuable hitter with limitations. What hitter doesn’t have limitations? Once we accept Sori’s limitations, we can also accept him as the first hitter in our lineup, because one of his big limitations so far has been hitting with runners on base. So moving him to 5 could become a colossal disaster and a lightning rod for more Soriano criticism. Maybe he’ll change his career patterns and hit better with runners on. But if he doesn’t – where are we then?

by DGU on May 6, 2008 10:40 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Limitations to include

strikes out too much, doesn’t get on base, doesn’t drive in runners, plays horrible defense unless the ball is within 30 feet, becoming injury prone, unlikely to be a significant base stealing threat, has an untradeable contract, . . . .

by BringBackRyno on May 6, 2008 11:51 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Listen, I can't defend what Soriano's done this season in the lineup.

But you were pretty spot on in capturing my emotions about Soriano.

Were he to come up lame running the bags, I’d cringe. I’d think it a bad thing for our season. I would feel less secure about making the playoffs.

Why? Because I think eventually, over the course of the season, Soriano will figure out whatever he needs to figure out and start ripping the ball. This is a guy who starts slow anyway. Some say he dogs it in ST. So, given the injury, right now is his ST.

Is that right? No. Is that approach worthy of praise? No.

But the ultimate question: in November, when I look back on this baseball season as a whole, will I think Soriano was an asset to this team? Better than any alternative we could put out there? One of our most productive hitters?

I think the answer to these last three questions are, in order: yes, yes, yes.

"This is the kind of thing … that makes you want to see the Chicago Cubs team lose." Marty Brennaman

by Bildo1805 on May 6, 2008 11:00 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Either way you slice it...

...you will have a scenerio were Soriano is very streaky, becasue that is what he is. At the end of the year, his numbers will look good, they will just come in bunches.

Here is where you have to make a philosophical decision; do you want a streaky player hitting leadoff, or lower in the order? IMO, (and one I have stated a million times), it increase your clubs chances of having a streaky offense, if you have LOW OBP at the top of the lineup as opposed to a streaky power hitter in the 5 or 6 hole. Let’s assume something for just a second, and that is the Cubs eventually have the following hitters in the 2,3 and 4 slots:

Fukudome
Lee
Ramirez

I would argue, that those three guys are the best three hitters on the club, with your 3 and 4 guys also having good power. I may be crazy, but I want a leadoff hitter who is going to give me the best chance of being on base when those guys stroll up to the plate, not someone who is going to be hot and cold, and reduce RBI opportuntiies for the heart of my order.

To me, Soriano can be streaky in the 5 and 6 hole, because a lot of guys with power are very streaky, but you don’t want him taking away from RBI opportunities for your best hitters. Also, look at Soriano’s career numbers in the 5 hole – .512 slugging, with over 100 RBI’s for about 550 AB’s (about one season). 99% of teams would love to have a 5 hitter with those numbers.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on May 6, 2008 11:08 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

That goofy Rosenberg actually had a good idea

or at least close to one…when he suggested flipping Soriano and Fuke around, with Dome leading off and Soriano cleanup (while ARam is out). I’d prefer Soto cleanup and Soriano needs to hit…

Soriano should hit 5th. Period.

by Canadian Cubs Fan on May 6, 2008 12:37 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs