"That's why I'm mad," Soriano said. "If he had told me yesterday, then I wouldn't come today ready...

"That's why I'm mad," Soriano said. "If he had told me yesterday, then I wouldn't come today ready to play."

A pretty bold statement from a guy making over $100,000 a game while hitting in the .230's. Why should he be owed the right to know a day ahead of time if he's in the line up? Would he have come "not-ready" to play if Lou had told him the night before? See the full story here

over 2 years ago digitalbenjamin 53 comments 0 recs |

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I was just ready to post this myself.

I’m kind of pleased that Lou is starting not to coddle this guy. Treat him like every other player. Make him come to the ballpark and see if he’s playing. Maybe that will get him motivated to make the adjustments he needs to make.

Say this much for big league baseball - it is beyond question the greatest conversation piece ever invented in America. ~Bruce Catton

by KaliCub on Jul 8, 2009 10:09 PM CDT reply actions

Very well said.

I was going to comment on this, but you hit the nail right on the head!

"Yes, dear. You're right. I'm sorry." -Bob Brenly

by ambrosiadreams on Jul 8, 2009 10:14 PM CDT up reply actions

Can't wait to hear what Drew thinks of this.

Soriano does have one point though, while Lou should not have to tell him ahead each day that he is playing he should basically be more blunt that when he is playing this bad he is in danger of being benched for any game. I think Lou figures just telling him he is not playing will light a fire but I think communications help and are not Lou’s strong point.

"I daydream just like everybody else, I just do it with my body facing the field, so everybody thinks I'm paying attention."- Greg Maddux

by Doggie Stalker on Jul 8, 2009 10:49 PM CDT reply actions

I'm glad he's pissed.

How about you channel that energy into hitting the tar off the ball?

"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks

by dtpollitt on Jul 8, 2009 11:01 PM CDT reply actions

But if his foot is so sore that this is even a discussion

Why is he not on the DL? (I realize this point has been analyzed at length) Why are they letting him decide?

by Madison Cub Fan on Jul 8, 2009 11:23 PM CDT reply actions

foot?

Knee, right?

I'm a Cubs FANATIC. They are my team, through thick and thin. [ibid] This is the kind of fan I am.

by drewishdrewid on Jul 9, 2009 9:17 AM CDT up reply actions

♪The foot bone's connected to the . . . ♫

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Jul 9, 2009 9:58 AM CDT up reply actions

Carlos-Soldiers over seas are dying as a result of George Bush’s war on terror. You play baseball, you are not in a war.

go go analogies

wells4roty

by jesus christos on Jul 9, 2009 12:26 AM CDT reply actions

Here's the quote thay really got my goat

“That’s why I’m mad,” Soriano said. “If he had told me yesterday, then I wouldn’t come today ready to play.”

Say what? You should come ready to play EVERY DAY! Sometimes, guys that get the day off come in and pinch hit or come in on a double switch, depending on how the game is going. Are you kidding me? I try to give this guy very benefit of the doubt, but this one sticks on my craw.

"WGN, Channel 9 Cubs Baseball, Excitingly, Importantly, Dramatically Yours." - Jack Brickhouse

by BigJohnAZ on Jul 9, 2009 1:35 AM CDT reply actions

Sorry I re-quoted the quote you quoted. That's how pissed I am lol

"WGN, Channel 9 Cubs Baseball, Excitingly, Importantly, Dramatically Yours." - Jack Brickhouse

by BigJohnAZ on Jul 9, 2009 1:37 AM CDT up reply actions

he would have went out drinking if he would have known he wasn't playing...

duuuh… as much as I dislike the cubs, I wouldn’t wish Soriano on anyone!

i don't really consider a raspberry from sliding into home an injury
by U-God on May 31, 2009 4:22 PM CDT to parent up reply reply actions actions 0 recs

by Where Triples Go to Die on Jul 11, 2009 3:42 PM CDT up reply actions

or Bradley for that matter

i don't really consider a raspberry from sliding into home an injury
by U-God on May 31, 2009 4:22 PM CDT to parent up reply reply actions actions 0 recs

by Where Triples Go to Die on Jul 11, 2009 3:43 PM CDT up reply actions

Here's another....

Soriano, hitting .182 over his last 40 games, said his knee pain isn’t enough to prevent him from playing.

“I can play,” he said. “If I can play, it’s not bothering me. It bothers me if I’m not playing though.”

So……what’s he saying….you HAVE to play me or I’m then unavailable? Quit the bullshit AND PUT HIM ON THE DL!!!!!

Nobody cares about your fantasy baseball team

by carmen_fanzone on Jul 9, 2009 6:41 AM CDT reply actions

He's just being full of himself there

Whether he realizes it or not, that’s how he’s coming across. If he starts pulling a Sosa, he’ll find out how quickly fans will turn on him. The boos aren’t even the beginning.

And the eighth and final rule: if this is your first time at Fight Club, you have to fight.

by Ace Venom on Jul 9, 2009 8:23 AM CDT reply actions

I will channel Sori next time we have a meeting at work that I have to prepare for

…and then it is cancelled. Maybe I’ll start to make $18 million too.

"I'm not much of a chemistry guy, you know. Chemistry to me is a pinch-hit double with the bases loaded"--Jim Frey, Chicago Tribune, 1985.

by zevkalman on Jul 9, 2009 9:05 AM CDT reply actions

I'm... confused.

Do managers typically tell their players if they’re in the lineup for the next day, or not? It sounds like Lou typically tells regularly starting players if they’re going to be out the next day.

I'm a Cubs FANATIC. They are my team, through thick and thin. [ibid] This is the kind of fan I am.

by drewishdrewid on Jul 9, 2009 9:16 AM CDT reply actions

It reads to me like Soriano assumed he would be playing because Lou didn't say anything.

But who knows. I agree with others who’ve said that the quote is ridiculous – every player should show up prepared to play, whether it’s starting the game or coming off the bench. No excuses.

Seems like the cracks are starting show with Alfonso. I’m not going to pore over his career gamelogs, but I’m guessing he’s never experienced a slump of this magnitude. He doesn’t know which way to turn. A DL stint seems logical, but he may feel that, if he goes on the DL, he’ll come back cold and never start hitting again. He might just want to stubbornly play through it until something breaks. And that strategy might actually be feasible – if other guys were hitting and the team was scoring runs. But they’re not and it’s not.

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.

by daver on Jul 9, 2009 10:04 AM CDT up reply actions

+1

"I'm not much of a chemistry guy, you know. Chemistry to me is a pinch-hit double with the bases loaded"--Jim Frey, Chicago Tribune, 1985.

by zevkalman on Jul 9, 2009 10:09 AM CDT up reply actions

I agree with this.

I'm a Cubs FANATIC. They are my team, through thick and thin. [ibid] This is the kind of fan I am.

by drewishdrewid on Jul 9, 2009 10:25 AM CDT up reply actions

Well, if he's worried about inactivity

I’d be willing to make the hour drive 3X/week to throw 55’ breaking balls for him to swing at.

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Jul 9, 2009 10:25 AM CDT up reply actions

Bounce a couple off his head.......

at that speed you won’t hurt him, but hopefully knock some sense into him.

"We got some pretty good chemistry here. We got some toughness, and it's starting to show." - Lou Pinella

by Clutche on Jul 9, 2009 10:38 AM CDT up reply actions

Are you saying I can't throw a fastball?

Because, well, I can’t.

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Jul 9, 2009 10:45 AM CDT up reply actions

yay for violence

towards players.

I'm a Cubs FANATIC. They are my team, through thick and thin. [ibid] This is the kind of fan I am.

by drewishdrewid on Jul 9, 2009 10:50 AM CDT up reply actions

What a dumb comment.

by sue369 on Jul 9, 2009 5:40 PM CDT up reply actions

fairly certain a 55 MPH baseball bouncing off a players head

would hurt

by WanderingWanderer on Jul 10, 2009 9:17 AM CDT up reply actions

I threw a 52 MPH two-seam fastball at a carnival last weekend.

Was pretty damn proud of myself, lemme tell ya.

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.

by daver on Jul 9, 2009 10:38 AM CDT up reply actions

Oh, that was 55' - as in feet.

I doubt I could throw 55 MPH . . . unless it was from a car.

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Jul 9, 2009 10:46 AM CDT up reply actions

♪ ♫ I! Can't! Throw! .......... 55!!! ♪ ♫

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.

by daver on Jul 9, 2009 10:50 AM CDT up reply actions

It is really a drag to get old

and realize you can’t come within 20mph of what you once could throw…

"Manny Trillo is coming in to pinch run. You know, for a lot of teams, you would pinch run for Manny Trillo." - Harry Caray

by Archie on Jul 10, 2009 11:12 AM CDT up reply actions

I hope you iced down your arm afterwards...

Nobody cares about your fantasy baseball team

by carmen_fanzone on Jul 9, 2009 11:18 AM CDT up reply actions

Yep.

Fortunately, they were selling sno-cones at the snack bar.

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.

by daver on Jul 9, 2009 11:27 AM CDT up reply actions

sno-cone ice

is really nice to wrap you shoulder in.

totally survived a swim meet by doing that. :-)

Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it. -George Halas

by Allie on Jul 9, 2009 5:15 PM CDT up reply actions

One thing

I have never understood from fans is why when a guy is struggling they always want to talk about how much money they make.

Look, Soriano didnt put a gun to TribCo’s head back in 06. The Cubs WANTED HIM. They decided how much he was worth and they wrote the check. That doesn’t change who Soriano is as a player. He was a free swinging hacker who puts up a plus OPS every year before the deal and thats exactly what he has been as a Cub. So please, stop with the whining over his deal because that is not his fault. The guy is trying (and failing) right now. He has been vocal about this to the media, is working to get better and honestly thats all you can expect.

by CalCalender on Jul 9, 2009 11:10 AM CDT reply actions 1 recs

+1 rec'd.

Cubs fans got exactly the player they wanted in Soriano.

I'm a Cubs FANATIC. They are my team, through thick and thin. [ibid] This is the kind of fan I am.

by drewishdrewid on Jul 9, 2009 11:28 AM CDT up reply actions

I sure didn't want Soriano on the Cubs...

And I’m not faulting him for hitting like poop, or fielding as he does.

He just doesn’t seem to know how to improve. I mean, he doesn’t have to swing at every curve that is low and outside, and he doesn’t have to hop around in LF. Can’t he practice NOT doing those things? Wouldn’t you expect him to?

"I'm not much of a chemistry guy, you know. Chemistry to me is a pinch-hit double with the bases loaded"--Jim Frey, Chicago Tribune, 1985.

by zevkalman on Jul 9, 2009 11:40 AM CDT up reply actions

You

seem to think players just can switch to any “style” of baseball at will. If that were the case then Soriano would choose to have the batting eye of Bonds, the swing of Pujols and keep his natural power.

Soriano is who he is. He hops to keep his feet moving, he swings at curves low and outside because he doesn’t have a great batting eye. We KNEW all of these things before he came and we paid him to come here anyway.

So no, I do not expect him to be a player he is not, and I dont think any reasonable person should either. You get what you pay for people and if you don’t like it (I do) then blast Jim Hendry and Crane Kenney and everyone in the FO who chose him.

by CalCalender on Jul 9, 2009 11:45 AM CDT up reply actions

I really wish

I could understand why people don’t like the hop. Soriano has said that he does it for timing. Really. Why do you care? That’s not a “this isn’t a topic worth discussing, you dog”, it’s a valid, “really, why is this an issue?”

I'm a Cubs FANATIC. They are my team, through thick and thin. [ibid] This is the kind of fan I am.

by drewishdrewid on Jul 9, 2009 12:05 PM CDT up reply actions

Theories on why people don't like it

Not saying these are my reasons, just theories.

One — it could cause him to miss the ball.

Two — it looks very unprofessional, like he’s trying for attention (even though I don’t think that’s true) and it draws attention to his other shortcomings.

I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT

Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson

by Shanghai Badger on Jul 9, 2009 3:39 PM CDT up reply actions

well, ok. If he’s using it for timing, then it should help him CATCH the ball.

I guess I don’t see the second one. But I suppose it’s the rose-colored glasses.

I'm a Cubs FANATIC. They are my team, through thick and thin. [ibid] This is the kind of fan I am.

by drewishdrewid on Jul 9, 2009 4:54 PM CDT up reply actions

Bob Brenly thinks that it is dangerous and stupid to hop ... who knows how you

will come down — if you land on the wrong part of the foot — you can get injured….he seemed to think that that was the reason Sori got injured that time….

"I'm not much of a chemistry guy, you know. Chemistry to me is a pinch-hit double with the bases loaded"--Jim Frey, Chicago Tribune, 1985.

by zevkalman on Jul 9, 2009 8:22 PM CDT up reply actions

FWIW

Sori says that’s not why. I’m not going to get into a BB/Sori argument, but Sori is the one in his own feet.

I'm a Cubs FANATIC. They are my team, through thick and thin. [ibid] This is the kind of fan I am.

by drewishdrewid on Jul 9, 2009 8:56 PM CDT up reply actions

I agree. We can't really know what caused Sori's injury.

But I wonder if Sori were a free agent today, what would that guess-hack hitter command on the open market NOW :-)

"I'm not much of a chemistry guy, you know. Chemistry to me is a pinch-hit double with the bases loaded"--Jim Frey, Chicago Tribune, 1985.

by zevkalman on Jul 9, 2009 9:31 PM CDT up reply actions

the whole market is depressed.

I’m sure that if this was the last year of Sori’s contract, he’d be garnering lower offers. He’s played badly this year.

I'm a Cubs FANATIC. They are my team, through thick and thin. [ibid] This is the kind of fan I am.

by drewishdrewid on Jul 9, 2009 10:23 PM CDT up reply actions

and

he got us back to back chances at a WS. Now everyone hates him.

Sigh

by CalCalender on Jul 9, 2009 11:41 AM CDT up reply actions

I'd say he helped, but he certainly wasn't the main reason

"We got some pretty good chemistry here. We got some toughness, and it's starting to show." - Lou Pinella

by Clutche on Jul 9, 2009 4:00 PM CDT up reply actions

Sure was in 2007

Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it. -George Halas

by Allie on Jul 9, 2009 5:11 PM CDT up reply actions

a feux rec!

I haz comedy show in August. You come seez it please?: Hot Beans Delivers

by digitalbenjamin on Jul 9, 2009 12:57 PM CDT up reply actions

Ah, a rare bird indeed.

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.

by daver on Jul 9, 2009 1:07 PM CDT up reply actions

bah

I got it. :D

I'm a Cubs FANATIC. They are my team, through thick and thin. [ibid] This is the kind of fan I am.

by drewishdrewid on Jul 9, 2009 4:54 PM CDT up reply actions

Not this Cub fan..........

"We got some pretty good chemistry here. We got some toughness, and it's starting to show." - Lou Pinella

by Clutche on Jul 9, 2009 3:55 PM CDT up reply actions

I wanted Carlos Lee

not Soriano, oh well.

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

by Cubbie-Tim on Jul 9, 2009 5:12 PM CDT up reply actions

that would have been a much better choice.

i don't really consider a raspberry from sliding into home an injury
by U-God on May 31, 2009 4:22 PM CDT to parent up reply reply actions actions 0 recs

by Where Triples Go to Die on Jul 11, 2009 3:46 PM CDT up reply actions

The fact that.........

we’re even talking about this shows you the struggles this team is having. Not only can they not put it together on the field, that has spilled over into petty, prima donna crap like this.

by jballgame on Jul 9, 2009 11:12 AM CDT reply actions