There goes one potential landing spot for Soriano...

Orioles sign Wilson Betemit to a one-year contract, expected to DH.

4 months ago EcoGeek 26 comments 0 recs |

Comments

He's just a placeholder until Soriano anchors their line-up in '13.

Kidding aside, Soriano does have a NTC and said he’d go to a “contender”. So Baltimore probably wasn’t really an option anyway.

"Stuff like this is why they should shut off the internet."

by Orval Overall on Dec 17, 2010 1:19 PM CST

by fsuapollo on Jan 24, 2012 10:42 AM CST reply actions

I still keep thinking "Yankees".

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by Al Yellon on Jan 24, 2012 11:13 AM CST up reply actions

Won't happen.

Soriano will be our left fielder in 2012, at least, to start the year. TheoJed will hope he has a good enough first half to deal him to a contender in July-August. If that doesn’t happen, look for Soriano to get a lot of bench time in August-September and his release after the season. If the Cubs are willing to eat $45 million to make him go away now, I bet they’ll be willing to eat $36 million after the season.

But in April, put him in the No. 5 spot in the lineup, hope he hits 25 home runs and interrupts the pitchers’ rhythm between the lefty bats (LaHair, Stewart) who will probably hit fourth and sixth.

The problem with the Yankees is that there are much better DH candidates out there who don’t come with 3-year commitments (even if the Cubs pay a lot of the freight). So, unless they can move Burnett in the deal — and I’d rather just keep Soriano, personally — Soriano won’t be a Yankee.

Where have you gone, Kiko Calero. A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.

by elgato on Jan 24, 2012 11:22 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs

I wouldn't be shocked to see Soriano return to NY...

… though sadly that would most likely be after the Cubs release him and he signs with the NYY for the league minimum.

Eamus Ursuli!

by WGNstatic on Jan 24, 2012 11:32 AM CST up reply actions

I think the Cubs will try to get one more year out of him before that happens.

Even if they signed Cespedes AND Soler, both guys might need to start the year in the minors. Same thing with BJax. And, if the Cubs trade Byrd …

Where have you gone, Kiko Calero. A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.

by elgato on Jan 24, 2012 11:34 AM CST up reply actions

What'd McCleod say...100ABs ideally? thats not that many.

Sori is probs gone if they sign Soler. imo theyd have to bite the bullet and take Burnett and send cash.

by MDavis on Jan 24, 2012 11:38 AM CST up reply actions

Soler will be in the minors for a couple years so he doesn't really affect Soriano

Possibly 3 years, he’s only 19. There’s no reason to rush him. If they sign Cespedes that will make things interesting in the middle of the summer when you’d hope both he and BJax are ready.

by thehat34 on Jan 24, 2012 12:22 PM CST up reply actions

truly reminds me of the Hundley-Karros/Grudz deal

Hundley was done, for whatever reason he fell off the cliff. Cubs took one year of two and Dodgers 2 years of a broken catcher.

Soriano and Burnett are the same, and we might be not seeing the whole picture, it could involve another player swap to give the Yankees more relief this year including Rafael Soriano who is at $11M this year and $14M next.

Adding the two pitchers Burnett ($32M) and Soriano ($25M) is $57M over the next two years. Cubs are able to dump Alfonso’s $54M for two pitchers, Cubs could also include Marmol ($7M in 2012 and $9.8M in 2013) $16.8M or $70.8M to the Yanks over three years where NYY can get some salary relief in 2012 ($2M) and 2013 ($2.2M), but have Alfonso in 2014. There in lies the $13M overage to the Yanks. That might be an additional sticking point where both clubs split the liability.

A friend once told me: "I don't buy the idea that a team learns anything from a loss, the only thing they learn is how to lose games."---Knight

by Ivy Walls on Jan 24, 2012 12:25 PM CST up reply actions

That's incredibly complex.

Karros/Grudz for Hundley/Hermanson was much more straightforward.

Where have you gone, Kiko Calero. A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.

by elgato on Jan 24, 2012 12:32 PM CST up reply actions

not so complex 2 players = $70M vs 2 players =$57M or 1 at $54M and 2 at $57M

A friend once told me: "I don't buy the idea that a team learns anything from a loss, the only thing they learn is how to lose games."---Knight

by Ivy Walls on Jan 24, 2012 1:01 PM CST up reply actions

somebody's not seeing the whole picture, alright...

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Jan 24, 2012 3:55 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs

Not going to happen.

"[The Cubs] have a very famous tradition in baseball, and it will be nice to be part of turning it around." ~ Jamie Quirk, Bench Coach

by daver on Jan 25, 2012 10:53 AM CST up reply actions

Soler needs 1-2 years in the minors, he doesn't affect Soriano.

by Dcr18 on Jan 24, 2012 3:59 PM CST up reply actions

I agree...one more year with Soriano

and I’m fine with that. If they move Soriano, and LaHair DOES turn out to be a AAAA player, Castro just may lead this team in the triple crown categories…and that’ll be pretty pathetic. Gonna be hard enough to watch this team as it is. At least Soriano will go on a hot streak 2 or 3 times a year and make watching them bearable. You take him outta that line-up and opposing pitchers will be fighting each other to get to the mound.

by Easy Ed on Jan 24, 2012 1:11 PM CST up reply actions

I'm not sure about those hot streaks.

But TheoJed don’t have much choice to hope they can still happen.

Where have you gone, Kiko Calero. A nation turns its lonely eyes to you.

by elgato on Jan 24, 2012 1:46 PM CST up reply actions

Completely agreed.

Let’s pray a hot streak happens.

In Theo and Jed I Trust

by KJ24 on Jan 24, 2012 2:07 PM CST up reply actions

I don't see that as a fit, really

In addition to the reasons elgato lists, the Yankees already have a RH power hitting DH/bad-LF option for cheap (Andruw Jones – who was actually pretty solid in a part-time role the last two years). It seems like they’d be looking for a LH DH option (either to be the regular or the platoon guy with Jones).

by SouthernCub on Jan 24, 2012 11:36 AM CST up reply actions

Give it up.

Not happening.

by Dcr18 on Jan 24, 2012 3:58 PM CST up reply actions

You too? Why?

Because the Cubs don’t want Soriano?

The Yankees have Andruw Jones who was good vs. LH last year. The Yankees are not going to add payroll or split the difference for Soriano.

John Grabow - Who will pay you $4.8 million in 2012?

by rlpete on Jan 24, 2012 6:23 PM CST via mobile up reply actions

Unless contenders have bad luck with injuries.

It’s not looking good for a Soriano trade.

"You win because of the quarterback. We have to get that position stabilized. We're fixated on that." -- Jerry Angelo (12.30.2008)

Jerry Angelo trades for Jay Cutler! (4.2.2009)

by SackMan on Jan 24, 2012 12:56 PM CST reply actions

by daver on Jan 25, 2012 10:55 AM CST up reply actions

...

“These are the new teams. These are the Mystery Teams. And to you they’re gold, and you don’t get them. Why? Because to give them to you would be throwing them away. They’re for closers. "