Alfonso Soriano retires

[Shawon0Meter]

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- Seven-time All-Star Alfonso Soriano says he is retiring from the major leagues after a season in which he was released by the New York Yankees in July.

"I've lost the love and passion to play the game," Soriano said in a radio interview Tuesday in his native Dominican Republic. "Right now, my family is the most important thing."
http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/1...says-retiring-baseball-lost-love-passion-play

I was trying to find a good picture but these ones made me laugh.

I am a Soriano fan though, he had some very nice seasons and was always talked about as being great in the clubhouse and a mentor to young guys. Hope he enjoys retirement.

 

[Boobaby1]

"I've lost the 19 million loves and passions to play the game." There, fixed it for you.

Hey, I'm kidding. It was 18 million wasn't it?

Happy Retirement Fonzy.

 

[Zvbxrpl]

Overall I really liked Soriano, especially towards the end when he took the leadership role seriously amid a shitty team.

I always hated that stupid 'jump' before catching a fly ball.........

7 30-30 years.

But like Paul Konerko on the Sox, a 'Hall of Very Good' player, not a hall of famer. Impressive, memorable career I'm gonna remember for a while.

 

[ijustposthere]

I also liked soriano. Thought he was overpaid, but did well nonetheless.

Sent from my bathroom using toilet talk.

 

[SilenceS]

Every player is overpaid when they get their big contract. Injuries derailed him some, but his first two seasons he did exactly what the Cubs brought him here to do. Get the Cubs to the playoffs. He was a very good player in his career but not hall worthy. He was a class act from day one.

 

[JimJohnson]

Overall I really liked Soriano, especially towards the end when he took the leadership role seriously amid a shitty team.

I always hated that stupid 'jump' before catching a fly ball.........

7 30-30 years.

But like Paul Konerko on the Sox, a 'Hall of Very Good' player, not a hall of famer. Impressive, memorable career I'm gonna remember for a while.

Not sure about that. I could see Soriano getting in. 7x All-Star, 2x World Series Champion, member of the 40-40 club, and 400+ HR with nobody suspecting him of ever using.

 

[JZsportsfan]

Loved Soriano as a player. Always got a bad wrap due to the stereotypical rash, irrational expectations from Chicago fans. Always thought he played the game right, and as others had noted took some players under his wing during the really rough years of the rebuild.

 

[Boobaby1]

Not sure about that. I could see Soriano getting in. 7x All-Star, 2x World Series Champion, member of the 40-40 club, and 400+ HR with nobody suspecting him of ever using.

If he gets in, I seriously have to question the Hall of Fame selection process. He will get some votes, but that's about it.

 

[TC in Mississippi]

If he gets in, I seriously have to question the Hall of Fame selection process. He will get some votes, but that's about it.

I believe in the old adage that if you have to ask if a guy is a HoF player then he's probably not. Soriano is not. Most Cubs fans I know hated the guy but hated him because of his contract which isn't quite fare. If he had been playing under a market value deal all those years he would been beloved. He played hard, was a good teammate and put up solid numbers most years. Still this goes back to the first question and he was paid like a player with HoF potential and he wasn't that guy.

 

[brett05]

Sori wasn;t the most gifted player, but to me, especially in New York he always gave what he had. When he was young I thought of him many ways in the same light as Alex Rodriguez. It was just too much of expectations.

 

[Boobaby1]

Found this in the Den and it made me chuckle a little. Okay, a lot.

Patrick Mooney @CSNMooney

One of James Russell's favorite Soriano stories involved Randy Wells asking for change for $100. Sori responds: "Hundreds are change, babe."

 

[chibears55]

He probably dont get in but my thinking in 2020 besides jeter, who else will he be going up against that most likely wont be linked to PED ?

412 HRs 2000 hits 289 SB in the steroid ERA where he stayed cleared from it just might get him some extra votes. ..

Soriano was once a feared lead off hitter in his prime, 7 time AS, 40/40 guy, 7 30 HR seasons, 4 silver slugger, .500 SLG%

I think he has a legit chance depending on who he up against. .
The holdovers from 2018,19 and the eligible in 2020

 

[dabears253313]

I appreciated Alfonso Soriano as a Cubs and was happy to have him on the team. It's unfortunate how the media and some of the fans treated him.

Wasn't he an all star in 2007 and 2008? Didn't the Cubs go to the playoffs those years? Just saying......

 

[brett05]

He probably dont get in but my thinking in 2020 besides jeter, who else will he be going up against that most likely wont be linked to PED ?

412 HRs 2000 hits 289 SB in the steroid ERA where he stayed cleared from it just might get him some extra votes. ..

Soriano was once a feared lead off hitter in his prime, 7 time AS, 40/40 guy, 7 30 HR seasons, 4 silver slugger, .500 SLG%

I think he has a legit chance depending on who he up against. .
The holdovers from 2018,19 and the eligible in 2020

He's not better than konerko and he is not going to make it. Dunn might be better and he ain't making it

Great player but not hall of fame worthy

 

[Zvbxrpl]

He's not better than konerko and he is not going to make it. Dunn might be better and he ain't making it

Great player but not hall of fame worthy

Pretty much agree with the second line, great player, not HOF worthy.

We won't know about stats, right now Pauly has better ones. But Pauly bat middle/anchor part of the order for most of his career. Soriano led off for a significant amount of time.

So there's speculation here if Pauly and Sori both bat #4 or 3 in a line up, who'd have better numbers?

Guarantee Sori would have better ones. But again, nothing short of speculation.

Pauly was the face of a franchise and a household name. Sori was not. 20 years from now, do we remember Pauly for being a dodger? No. He was the White Sox. Sori different question. Was he a yankee? Few great seasons there. Ranger? All star seasons there. Cub?

And Adam Dunn? Seriously? Stop drinking Hawk Harrleson's spunk.......

 

[brett05]

Pretty much agree with the second line, great player, not HOF worthy.

We won't know about stats, right now Pauly has better ones. But Pauly bat middle/anchor part of the order for most of his career. Soriano led off for a significant amount of time.

So there's speculation here if Pauly and Sori both bat #4 or 3 in a line up, who'd have better numbers?

Guarantee Sori would have better ones. But again, nothing short of speculation.

Pauly was the face of a franchise and a household name. Sori was not. 20 years from now, do we remember Pauly for being a dodger? No. He was the White Sox. Sori different question. Was he a yankee? Few great seasons there. Ranger? All star seasons there. Cub?

And Adam Dunn? Seriously? Stop drinking Hawk Harrleson's spunk.......

I'd politely ask you research the stats on Dunn vs Sori. Even with his bad years in Chicago he still was the better player.

If Sori batted middle of the order he'd lose his speed. He'd have more homers but more whiffs as well and less walks and more than likely a lower on base as well. Paulie would probably still edge him out.

Three great players period. Just not making the hall let alone first ballot worthy

 

[Parade_Rain]

Enjoy retirement, Sori. You had a solid career. Thanks for being a Cub.

 

[Parade_Rain]

So a Cub player with a solid MLB career retires and it turns into a White Sox comparison thread.

 

[JZsportsfan]

Konerko and Soriano could be in the discussion. No way Adam Dunn even gets enough votes to stay on the ballot after his first year

 

[brett05]

Konerko and Soriano could be in the discussion. No way Adam Dunn even gets enough votes to stay on the ballot after his first year

Check his numbers. He's been more valuable than you think