Soriano: The Leader the Cubs need?
by Galvan316 on May 9, 2009 8:55 AM CDT
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Print"Guess hitting hack", "punk with an attitude problem", "show-off" These are just some of the words use to describe All-Star left fielder Alfonso Soriano in the 2+ seasons he's been with the Cubs.
How about a new term?
Leader
''Somebody's got to step up and play better. I know we're going to miss him, but we got to start playing better and win as many games as we can until he comes back. And survive.''
Soriano on the loss of Aramis Ramirez
''My first at-bats, I struck out, but I tried to have my rhythm and mechanics [later] and make a good swing,'' he said.
Of the slider he dug low to hit, he said, ''It was a very good pitch. ... It's very important to come back and win the game.''
Just a sample of what Soriano has said in the early part of the season. And honestly, from where a sit, I like what i hear.
Soriano is the leader this team needs, the player that has the ability, the talent and lord knows the contract that makes him the obvious choice for the leader of this club. Especially since D. Lee and Aramis basically keep to themselves, Zambrano is a bit too passionate, and Milton Bradley is.... Well Milton Bradley.
Say what you want about Sori's play in the OF or him needing to bat leadoff to succeed. But theres no denying that this year Soriano has shown on more then one occasion, to be this teams legitimate clubhouse leader.
For what its worth as well. Last Night I was at Miller Park (another post about that forthcoming) But when Aramis went down, Soriano high tailed it from Very deep LF (since Braun was up at the time) to check on Aramis, granted Theriot and Fonte where also there, but too me from where I sit, thats a leader thats a guy who cares about the team.
Couple this with the earlier comments Sori's made about the teams lack of drive early in the season is proof positive to me anyway that Soriano is the Cubs Leader/
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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If Soriano stays healthy, he could be on track for a MVP-type season.
However, we also need Lee, Bradley and Soto to step up.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Al
I love that idea of MVP- type season. It just seems to me in my view that Soriano is finally “getting it” when it comes to being vocal about the doings of the team.
I don't agree but for a different reason
He is still the same person but a lot people jumped to the wrong conclusion about him. Whether it is the hopping or “loafing”, people always took him the wrong way. He never complained about the CF move. He has never said he must bat leadoff. His English is not that good so he will never be a vocal leader or give good interviews. I don’t think he has changed that much but I don’t think he was that bad before.
I live near DC. By all indications, several people in the press here commented that he was a good teammate when he was here. The issue with the OF move was mishandled by the team more so than Soriano. He found out from the press that they were moving him. The team should have addressed this with him privately in the beginning. Once he setttled in there, he never complained again.
by rlpete on May 9, 2009 9:43 AM CDT up reply actions 4 recs
with how Hoff has done so far
Soto and Bradley have become bigger needs than Lee IMO
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
Mostly agree
Bradley’s starting to come around, and he’s got the track record.
Fonty is a bigger concern than Bradley, to me.
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on May 11, 2009 9:49 AM CDT up reply actions
There are different kinds of leaders
Some let their play talk for them and some inspire with words. Fonzie has an opportunity to step up in the verbal department. As I watched Aram squirm on the ground, it came to me that maybe this is Bradley’s time. I have never been in favor of the Bradley signing but his play has improved recently. So, for me, it is time for Milton to inspire a team hampered by injuries. Show me what you can do, MB.
A child of five would understand this. Send someone to fetch a child of five.
I think you're right.
This is where Bradley needs to assert himself and carry some of the weight of Rami’s loss.
Just moments before the horrific Ramirez injury, our most injury-prone player made a diving circus catch in right that showed some real hustle. Of the two plays (Rami’s diving stop, and Milton’s diving catch) the Bradley catch looked more dangerous, but amazingly he came away unscathed. You just never know.
"I'll never forget how I felt last October." ~Kosuke Fukudome
He can be a leader
And the Cubs aren’t in THAT bad of shape. 3 of their top players haven’t been hitting, they’ve had tons of injuries, and they’re still 3 games above.
"Check the magic of a winning season and there are always reasons beyond the talent." Ned Colleti
Right.
Get those three players hitting, and while Ramirez will be missed, this team can still score runs.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
which means
all is not lost.
"That’s the great thing about baseball, you never know what’s going to happen till you get the final out." — Lou Piniella
by drewishdrewid on May 9, 2009 11:04 AM CDT up reply actions
I never would have thought I'd vote yes a year ago, but I did
I am very impressed with comments that I’ve read from Soriano in the last two weeks.
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson
Sori
is the best left fielder in the league, can be the best hitter on the team, and can easily be MVP quality. The only stat I worry about is when he’s hitting with RISP; I wish he could figure out why that causes problems.
This is when we see what Sori, Bradley, Scales and Freel are made of.
"That’s the great thing about baseball, you never know what’s going to happen till you get the final out." — Lou Piniella
Soriano
I like Fonzie. Is he a leader? To a certain degree, I’d say yes. He’s been around long enough to be considered a vetern, and he can carry this team when he’s hot. Those are leadership qualities. Is he a the greatest of a leaders? Is he the leader the Cubs need? No… but he can bring a lot to the table, and I don’t mind it one bit. If he stays healthy, and keeps hitting the ball the way he has, he will be having an MVP type season. We do need that… especially now.
One of the things I've always like about Soriano is his charasima
He seems like a likable guy that knows how to have fun and is now showing he knows when to step up and rally his teammates. He certainly has an opportunity to become the leader, hopefully he takes it.
I am concerned about what happens when his bat hits a cold streak – will be continue to be a leader or will he withdraw?
"There are no curses here...Games are won and lost on the baseball field" - Lou Piniella
I love that Soriano has been more vocal this year.
He’s absolutely right though. We’re a month into the season and just lost our best player for who knows how long. It’s time for these other guys who are making big money (I’m looking at you Lee and Bradley) to start earning that paycheck. And Soto needs to figure it out too. Quickly.
Like ripete said: His English is not that good to be a vocal leader
Let’s see, who speaks Spanish in that clubhouse:
Soto, Aramis Ramirez, Zambrano, Guzman, Marmol, and Soriano himself. Not a huge percentage of the current active roster.
One day I hope to come up with something worthy of this space.
piniella, and for some reason i recall fukudome speaking spanish as well.
for what it’s worth.
"If you play more than two chords, you're showing off."--Woody Guthrie
and that is who we know
there might be many more who we are not aware are able to
baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out
I've never heard anything about Dome speaking spanish.
I've committed to tweeting about the Cubs for the rest of the season. (Does that sound as ridiculous as I think it does?) Anyway, if you're on Twitter, you can follow me here.
Look, I hope Sori has an MVP year,
we sure need it, But, a leader of the team can’t,
- turn a sure double into a single because he’s admiring his hit from the plate
- miss a easy fly, or worse injure himself, because he needs to bunny-hop on each catch.
- swing for the fences, when it’s 2 strikes and runners in scoring position
- be afraid to get into the vines to make a catch
Sori, can be a all-star, he can even be an MVP, but he’s no leader.
He can be a leader..
by learning how to lay off curveballs in the dirt with men on base.
Until then, God help us if he’s our leader.
Doesn't sound like he's volunteering to me.........
’’Somebody’s got to step up and play better. I know we’re going to miss him, but we got to start playing better and win as many games as we can until he comes back. And survive.’’
Soriano on the loss of Aramis Ramirez
If you had to choose just one characteristic that would get you through life, choose a sense of humor.
Could it be, perhaps, that he's not a native English speaker?
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! --Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on May 10, 2009 7:12 AM CDT up reply actions
no
of course he doesn’t sound like it to you.
"That’s the great thing about baseball, you never know what’s going to happen till you get the final out." — Lou Piniella
by drewishdrewid on May 10, 2009 9:02 PM CDT up reply actions
fonz
most of the team will always look towards the better players.leader or not im sure fonz is looked upon as one.if he ever went down you could wrap up the season then and there.we would look like a aaa team.unless the pitchers step up i dont think we can overcome these losses.
I'm impressed with Soriano's....
efforts to become a team leader. In the midst of all the injuries and slow starts, nobody else has stepped up and expressed their opinions vocally. This is his third season with the team, and it’s time that they have a voice in the clubhouse. Soriano has contributed to most of the wins offensively, and is improving on defense also. D-Lee and Ramirez are not vocal leaders. Soriano can call-out players without losing their respect.
One guy who gets mentioned a lot also.....
is Ryan Dempster, as being a great teammate, a great clubhouse guy who keeps everyone loose, but also knows there is a time to act crazy and have fun, and but a time to be serious and go out and kick some ass. When Ryan is on the field, he’s all business, and I can see him being a “go-to guy” in the clubhouse. However, I agree that they an everyday position player to step up and be a leader also since pitchers are only on the field every fifth day. Soriano can definitely be that guy. I think for a while the team leader was D-Lee, but there comes a point where you lose credibility as the team leader if your play does back up your words. Still, I think Lee is a guy who commands a lot of respect from his teammates, especially this year, as I think he’s played a good portion of the season hurt. I’m not making excuses for him, but he has been a rock for us for five years now, and is still a strong clubhouse presence in my book.
And although the media will never take him seriously in this role, I still think the team signed Bradley not only for his on-field performance, but to kind of give a little more intensity and edge to a clubhouse full of “nice guys”. Once he gets on track, which I think he will, I think he will feel a lot more comfortable stepping up and trying to fill that role. His body language already seems to suggest he’s getting close.
"Don't complain to me about the stormy weather, boys. Just bring the ship into port." --Steve Stone, September 2004
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