Oakland Park Baseball

Soriano still doesn't want to change positions
December 20, 2005

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) -- A week after the Washington Nationals acquired him from the Texas Rangers, Alfonso Soriano still doesn't want to move to the outfield from second base.

Jose Vidro, a three-time All-Star, starts at second for Washington, and Nationals general manager Jim Bowden hopes to shift Soriano from second, where he's a four-time All-Star.

"I don't want to change," Soriano said Monday night at a dinner held for major league players by Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez. "If I haven't done it before, I won't do it now."

Soriano said he had a greater comfort level in the AL, and he plans to become a free agent after next season and sign with an AL team.

"I knew the pitchers and batters of opposing teams and, therefore, where to place myself defensively. In the National that's going to take me a while," he said.

Soriano, who is eligible for salary arbitration, is likely to earn about $10 million next year. He was obtained from Texas for outfielders Brad Wilkerson and Terrmel Sledge, and pitcher Armando Galarraga.

is this an opportunity for us to talk shit about how bad a move this was for the Nationals?

Sure. Isn't a basic part of filling a need is when you have and OPEN position?

It's like St. Louis saying "Gee, I think we need a new 1B!"

Then again, their MVP 1B has switched around, and has been an excellent defender at 1B, 3B, and LF.

What is getting lost in all of this is that Soriano is not a good 2B! He boots the ball a lot. I'd still take him, but for him to be "I am mister second base" is retarded. Maybe D.C. didn't see that he was such an egocentric cunt?

retep wrote:Maybe D.C. didn't see that he was such an egocentric cunt?

I don't know what made them think he would be willing to switch when he's veto'd the proposition in the past.

retep wrote:Soriano, who is eligible for salary arbitration, is likely to earn about $10 million next year. He was obtained from Texas for outfielders Brad Wilkerson and Terrmel Sledge, and pitcher Armando Galarraga.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!

Unfortunately, now I'm a lot more afraid of Texas contending. Wait... I'm talking about the Torqueless Strangers! (see previous paragraph)

How could the Nats trade away one of the better leadoff hitters in the NL and a five-tool player in the form of Brad Wilkerson, along with another solid outfielder and a serviceable pitcher for an arrogant, stone-gloved, overrated prick like Soriano?!?!?!

Did I miss something? Did G-Dub get his greasy palms back into the world of baseball to make the greatest trade-away since Sammy Sosa? Doesn't he have his hands full avoiding impeachment? This is the kind of thing that Billy Beane would pull. My kudos to the GM of the Rangers, especially if John Hart still holds the position. Remember, this all came about by dumping A-Rod's contract onto the Yankees.

retep wrote: Then again, their [StL] MVP 1B has switched around, and has been an excellent defender at 1B, 3B, and LF.

Actually, with Pujols plantar fascia injury, I severely doubt he could play LF anymore.

Southpaw Slim wrote: .....along with another solid outfielder and a serviceable pitcher for an arrogant, stone-gloved, overrated prick like Soriano?!?!?!

I don't think Soriano is overrated, at least not by the measures conventional wisdom uses. Who else besides him, A-Rod, and maybe Abreu has 40/40 potential?

If you're talking about him being overrated from a Sabermetric point of view, I can agree with that somewhat. His OBP is shitty, he K's way too much. But his defense is not a problem when seen from the Sabermetric perspective. His offense WAY more than offsets his defensive bungles.

Well, I also feel like the Nats had one issue: no power. They were last in HRs, and last in runs. Soriano does give them that keystone offensive production. Position issue asside, good pick by the Nats. I can't belive that Soriano dude is such a prick.

However, Wilkerson was not that good of a leadoff hitter. He had major K issues for that spot in the lineup. A solid 3-spot hitter is more significant that a leadoff hitter with Ks.

As for Pujols, my point wasn't that he could still play LF, but mroe that he was willing to do so.