Could Anyone Actually Use Alfonso Soriano?

Written by Marc Normandin at Baseball Nation.

5 months ago Al Yellon 32 comments 0 recs |

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Of course someone could use him.

I didn’t even need to read the article to answer that question

by Nunyabidness on Jan 6, 2012 11:18 AM CST reply actions

Agreed.

People act like Soriano is Milton Bradley. Obviously he is significantly overpaid but he is better than some team’s left fielders last season (Seatlle for example). Likewise he is better than some team’s DH’s last season.

Whether the Cubs can trade him is another question but Soriano does have value.

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

by rlpete on Jan 6, 2012 11:29 AM CST up reply actions

Well, read the article

… to find out more.

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by Al Yellon on Jan 6, 2012 11:30 AM CST up reply actions

Does the article provide actual information?

Or is it more likely just speculation on the author’s part? In that case, you aren’t “finding out” anything.

by Nunyabidness on Jan 6, 2012 11:36 AM CST up reply actions

It's speculation, yes.

… but if you read it, you’ll find out it’s at least somewhat fact-based, not just Phil Rogers type speculation.

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by Al Yellon on Jan 6, 2012 11:44 AM CST up reply actions

I would read it, but I don't think anything could top the "What should we call two grown men who already have names?" article from a few days ago

by Nunyabidness on Jan 6, 2012 11:49 AM CST up reply actions

Sure someone could...

…but it will come down to whether Ricketts has the appetite to eat considerable dollars as he had to with Zambrano.

Best scenerio I can see is someone willing to take on 5mil a year of Soriano’s deal. This means Ricketts would be eating 30mil for players that aren’t even on the roster. I would think Theo would do this if Ricketts gives him the go ahead.

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

by MPH73 on Jan 7, 2012 2:15 PM CST up reply actions

Peter Gammons has an idea

that involves the Rays. We eat most of the contract but get some pitching from TB. It would improve their DH as this article alluded to.

Did anyone catch the details on what he was thinking on ESPN this morning? Who are the pitchers?

Its not the Sveum ol' song.

by Tat14 on Jan 6, 2012 11:50 AM CST reply actions

Peter Gammons has a terrible track record these days. I'd say if he's pitching it, it ain't happening

by Nunyabidness on Jan 6, 2012 11:50 AM CST up reply actions

I agree with that.

Soriano is exactly the type of player the Rays have stayed away from in the past.

They’d be better off bringing Johnny Damon back.

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by Al Yellon on Jan 6, 2012 12:02 PM CST up reply actions

Well they did try to add Manny...

"Pounding sand since 1982...."

by cubswynn on Jan 6, 2012 12:24 PM CST up reply actions

I don't disagree on the Gammons part.

But I wouldn’t automatically rule out the Rays.

I imagine they’d look at just about anyone if the other club is paying the vast majority of the freight.

I’d think they’d at least consider the likes of a C+ prospect for Soriano if the Cubs are covering all but, say, $3M of the salary. (And I’m not saying the Cubs should do that deal… just that the Rays might get interested at that point.)

"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 6, 2012 1:16 PM CST up reply actions

Soriano's...

…physical skills are clearly eroding, so I would agree if someone takes him on, the Cubs would need to eat the majority of his deal. Also, assuming the club willing to take him on is smart, the ballpark would have to be one that would be a good match with Soriano and he could maybe hit 25 homers if he still has something in the tank.

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

by MPH73 on Jan 7, 2012 2:20 PM CST up reply actions

And is it just me

or does Gammons look a little crazy nowadays? Like Nick Nolte crazy.

Its not the Sveum ol' song.

by Tat14 on Jan 6, 2012 12:28 PM CST up reply actions

Gammons had a brain tumor (IIRC)

… and almost died. Perhaps we should lay off him a little.

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by Al Yellon on Jan 6, 2012 3:58 PM CST up reply actions

Wow.

I did not know that. Feel free to chop my comment out.

Its not the Sveum ol' song.

by Tat14 on Jan 6, 2012 4:51 PM CST up reply actions

Brain aneurysm 5 years ago

Scary stuff…

by NOLACubs on Jan 6, 2012 5:41 PM CST up reply actions

Dumping Soriano's contract and gaining something be it pitching or platoon position player

Actually puts RJackson on the field with Byrd and DeJesus and improves both the OF defense and offense considerably. It also send the message to the team that there are no starters who are contract sacred cows anymore. That is what I think Epstein/Hoyer are saying to the entire organization.

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 6, 2012 12:02 PM CST reply actions

I don't get what 'It also send the message to the team that there are no starters who are contract sacred cows anymore' means

Wouldn’t that be the dream of any new GM? Or any old GM? It may not be a sacred cow but it still is an albatross

by doofus cubs guy on Jan 6, 2012 12:11 PM CST up reply actions

So basically, the answer is "not really other than the Orioles"

And the Orioles might just be better off shuffling to go cheaper and hoping for upside rather than spending even a heavy discounted price (and/or swapping bad contracts) on Soriano.

Kind of goes along with what has been said by some here. Soriano is best-suited for DH. But he’s not exactly a big value to anyone at DH, unless he’s nearly free.

by SouthernCub on Jan 6, 2012 12:03 PM CST reply actions

It really would be worth paying most of the contract

… just to get a better outfielder in the lineup.

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by Al Yellon on Jan 6, 2012 12:15 PM CST up reply actions

Have the Orioles moved on Luke Scott yet?

I doubt they need both he and soriano. If they resign Scott i would assume that means they don’t want Soriano. Depending on how much the Cubs will eat, Soriano could be several million a year cheaper than Scott.

You can get more with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone. - Al Capone

by RTGrules on Jan 6, 2012 2:17 PM CST up reply actions

They would have to pay more than $30 m of the $54 owed

I think the article is low. I think they would have to eat more than $30m. Closer to $40 is probably right. so for a team like the orioles to get Soriano for $4m a year that would be good value.

You can get more with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone. - Al Capone

by RTGrules on Jan 6, 2012 12:52 PM CST reply actions

If someone were willing

to give the Cubs $24M of relief, as the author suggests…… I would think Theo would pull a hammy sprinting to the phone to complete the deal.

"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 6, 2012 1:18 PM CST reply actions

Exactly. No one is going to go that high

But ever if they can get $15 million of relief Soriano would be a bargain for someone at $5m a year.

You can get more with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone. - Al Capone

by RTGrules on Jan 6, 2012 2:14 PM CST up reply actions

A "fine defensive outfielder?"

“The former infielder, who was actually a fine defensive outfielder prior to knee problems that resulted in surgery…”

The writer must have been watching the Cubs games from a parallel universe.

Yeah, I know there should be an apostrophe in "Vails," but punctuation wasn't an option when I signed up.

by Mike Vails Evil Twin on Jan 6, 2012 3:04 PM CST reply actions

Probably just glanced over UZR numbers.

They like Soriano, most likely for his arm.

by bdlugz on Jan 6, 2012 4:07 PM CST up reply actions

Soriano

… if I’m not mistaken, led the NL in OF assists in 2007 with 19. Before the leg injuries, he could at least run after balls and had a good arm.

After that, not so much. The statement was mostly true, although “fine” is probably a little too generous a description.

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by Al Yellon on Jan 6, 2012 4:18 PM CST up reply actions

I would imagine

Soriano’s next 3 years would be worth roughly 17 mil. He had 1.3 WAR per fangraphs this past seaosn, and Bill James projects him for 1.5 WAR in 2012.

If we have him lose about 25% of his value each season, he’d have a total WAR of (very) roughly 3.5 over the next 3 seasons. That’s worth 17 mil and change, if using a figure of 1 WAR = $5 mil. I’m not sure how becoming a DH would affect his WAR, but I doubt his defense is earning him a lot of value at this point.

So the Cubs would have to pay someone 37 mil just to be rid of his future salary. If they pay 40 mil, they could perhaps get a decent prospect. That would save about 5 mil per year over the next 3 years. Considering how low our payroll is going to be this year, I think they could write off all these buy-outs this year, and return to a 130 mil + payroll starting next season.

by tomas21 on Jan 6, 2012 6:01 PM CST reply actions