Alfonso Soriano returns to New York Yankees

[dabynsky]

I still think they have a plan to platoon Lake in RF next year unless he completely plays his way into a starting job. I also expect to see Vitters in left before this year is done.

Maybe that is all Lake should be used for, but right now he is going to get the chance to prove that he is worth more playing time than the short stick of a platoon. I still would like to see them move him around the diamond and use him in that Zobrist/DeRosa/Bill Hall type role.

 

[Bear Pride]

Well after losing Feldman and Garza (again 2/3rd's of their rotation) and the possibility of now Soriano, it should be no problem for the Cubs to once again net a top 3 pick in the draft next year.

I think Cubs fans are going to demand something of substance this off-season if Soriano is indeed dealt. Quite frankly, I don't blame them.

This is a good reason it's hard to come over here now ..... the fuckin Cubs are doing everything right! Theo is doing exactly what he said he would. If Cubs fans expect a winner this year, they are just fuckin idiots. He's already built one of the best farm systems in 2 years, and he just added 5 players while getting rid of Soriano's salary.

Theo is building a team that can win, and win for a while, and Cubs fans are too stoopid to realize this! In the next year or two, the Cubs are going to be really good.

 

[Bear Pride]

By the same token, Soriano's 0.7 WAR this year is irreplaceable. Don't know how the Cubs can replace that type of production for 2014.

The Cubs have traded Soriano, Garza, Scott Hairston, Scott Feldman, Steve Clevenger, Brent Lillibridge, Hisanori Takahashi, & Carlos Marmol and added 11 players (9 of them minor leaguers), & multiple international signing slots.

If you are a Cubs fan I don't see how you aren't happy with this. And more of these moves are coming. They plan to trade more of the bullpen & Schierholtz, too.

As a Cubs fan, I've wanted to trade Sory for 4 fuckin years.

 

[beckdawg]

By the same token, Soriano's 0.7 WAR this year is irreplaceable. Don't know how the Cubs can replace that type of production for 2014.

The Cubs have traded Soriano, Garza, Scott Hairston, Scott Feldman, Steve Clevenger, Brent Lillibridge, Hisanori Takahashi, & Carlos Marmol and added 11 players (9 of them minor leaguers), & multiple international signing slots.

If you are a Cubs fan I don't see how you aren't happy with this. And more of these moves are coming. They plan to trade more of the bullpen & Schierholtz, too.

Outside of Garza and Soriano most of those guys were either long ago replacable(Marmol) or were just recently added during an off season. So, let's not make the rest out to be a huge deal. As for replacing those two, ideally someone like lake plays himself into a starter role next season. I doubt he ends up having Soriano's power but he's substantially cheaper even with them sending money to the yanks which in theory gives you opportunity to add more people in the off season.

Garza obviously is more difficult to replace since the cubs have no real depth pitching wise in their farm system. In theory they could potentially bring him back(don't think it's likely). They could also hope guys like Baker come back and are decent. Also, trading him saves some money for the rest of the season as well assuming they didn't chip any in and that in turn makes some of the money they sent to soriano cheaper.

Either way, i think the trades have been well worth while because the cubs didn't win this year with them and it's highly unlikely they could have added enough talent to change that. They could have went all in on FA and tried to change that but that's not how you consistently win.

 

[chibears55]

Soriano has 1 more year left before he retires so to think having him in LF for 2014 would make that much of a difference of them winning more games or not is ridiculous.

dont know why some are moaning about the guy being dealt when uo until about 3 weeks ago he was pretty much useless and looked ready to retire then.

soriano was one of my favorite all time cub, but im ok with him being dealt away to finish out his career where he started and get a chance at making the post season.

In return, the cubs opened up an OF spot to more then likely get a look a look at some of their own OF prospects and have a younger replacement in 2014.
it not a whole lot as far as baseball goes, but they saved 7 mil off his contract.
they get a 22 YO pitcher in his 2nd yr of pro ball that has some good stuff.

 

[SilenceS]

Soriano has 1 more year left before he retires so to think having him in LF for 2014 would make that much of a difference of them winning more games or not is ridiculous.

dont know why some are moaning about the guy being dealt when uo until about 3 weeks ago he was pretty much useless and looked ready to retire then.

soriano was one of my favorite all time cub, but im ok with him being dealt away to finish out his career where he started and get a chance at making the post season.

In return, the cubs opened up an OF spot to more then likely get a look a look at some of their own OF prospects and have a younger replacement in 2014.
it not a whole lot as far as baseball goes, but they saved 7 mil off his contract.
they get a 22 YO pitcher in his 2nd yr of pro ball that has some good stuff.

He didn't look like he was about to retire. He did what he does every year and went streaking. The only problem I would have with this Soriano trade is if they don't play a young kid everyday because of this. Like a Lake or a Vitters or something like that. If they play Gillepsie or Bogusevic everyday. I will be mad.

 

[SilenceS]

By the same token, Soriano's 0.7 WAR this year is irreplaceable. Don't know how the Cubs can replace that type of production for 2014.

The Cubs have traded Soriano, Garza, Scott Hairston, Scott Feldman, Steve Clevenger, Brent Lillibridge, Hisanori Takahashi, & Carlos Marmol and added 11 players (9 of them minor leaguers), & multiple international signing slots.

If you are a Cubs fan I don't see how you aren't happy with this. And more of these moves are coming. They plan to trade more of the bullpen & Schierholtz, too.

This absolutely has nothing to do with what I said.

 

[chibears55]

He didn't look like he was about to retire. He did what he does every year and went streaking. The only problem I would have with this Soriano trade is if they don't play a young kid everyday because of this. Like a Lake or a Vitters or something like that. If they play Gillepsie or Bogusevic everyday. I will be mad.

for the month of June he looked like he was near done.. hitting just .230 with 3 HRs
and for as Hot as he looked in July hitting all those HRs ( 8 ) he is still just batting .240 for the month
he really cooled off a lot over the last 2 weeks hitting just .170 with 2 HR and 3 RBI

it took soriano almost half the season to get into that streak mode, thats not what we normally see from him ..
sorry, but soriano is in close to retirement mode ...

I agree about wanting to see more of Lake and Vitters, which i wrote in a thread i started..
I feel the rest of this year should be about seeing players from their system in the OF to see who will stick going forward.

 

[SilenceS]

for the month of June he looked like he was near done.. hitting just .230 with 3 HRs
and for as Hot as he looked in July hitting all those HRs ( 8 ) he is still just batting .240 for the month
he really cooled off a lot over the last 2 weeks hitting just .170 with 2 HR and 3 RBI

it took soriano almost half the season to get into that streak mode, thats not what we normally see from him ..
sorry, but soriano is in close to retirement mode ...

I agree about wanting to see more of Lake and Vitters, which i wrote in a thread i started..
I feel the rest of this year should be about seeing players from their system in the OF to see who will stick going forward.

He is 37. He could sneeze and throw out his back and never come back but his play wasn't my concern. Soriano could jack 20 homers a season for the next 4 years in my opinion barring injury. He hits with his hand. He is a bad ball hitter as well.

 

[daddies3angels]

Phil Rogers ‏@ChiTribRogers 2m
Theo Epstein on Sori trade: "I don't look at this as a watershed moment, transformative moment, at all.'' Says it just opens ABs for others.


Exactly why deal got done

 

[daddies3angels]

The Northwest Herald ‏@InsideTheCubs 2m
Theo explained it was right time for Soriano to move on. There would've been a high probability he would lose ABs next yr for younger guys.


Jesse Rogers ‏@ESPNChiCubs 1m
Theo says time was right to move Sori. His at-bats were going to be reduced, etc and thats a "tough transition."

 

[SilenceS]

Before the game last night, the team was able to say their goodbyes to him. Reports are it got a little bit emotional.

 

[daddies3angels]

Jesse Rogers ‏@ESPNChiCubs 1m
Theo compared Corey Black to a Jesse Crain type pitcher..

 

[TL1961]

Soriano is one of my least favorite Cubs in years.

He has physical tools, but does EVERYTHING wrong.

Swings at everything and constantly gets himself out.

Bails out opposing pitchers by never having a clue when to make them work and when to take pitches, etc.

He never - ever - tried to go to the right side when there was a man on second base and nobody out.

He never concentrated on making contact with a runner on 3rd and fewer than two outs - it was swing for the fences at all times.

He played poorly in the OF most of the time, in spite of good speed. He had a very strong arm, but rarely threw accurately or to/through the cut off man.

He simply never understood HOW to play the game of baseball in a winning manner. He would have lasted an hour in the St. Louis Cardinals' organization.

Having him leave is NOT going to negatively impact the Cubs ability to win games - he was NEVER a plus player.

I feel sorry for the person who brought up his name and the Hall of Fame in the same sentence. he is a textbook example of how to play the game incorrectly.

(Ok...now you know how I feel.)

 

[CSF77]

Corey Black, RHP: Black began his college career at San Diego State, where he was recruited as a two-way player. He eventually gave up hitting and transferred to Faulkner State, an NAIA school in Alabama, for his junior season. Black's power arsenal stood out there and the Yankees selected him in the fourth round of the 2012 Draft. Black throws his fastball in the mid-90s with some sink and has touched 100 mph. He also throws a changeup, slider and curveball. None of Black's offspeed pitches is as advanced as his fastball, but that hasn't stopped him from striking out 138 batters in 135 innings as a professional at the time of the trade. His command still needs improvement, and he has walked 45 batters in 82 2/3 innings this season. Listed at 5-foot-11, Black doesn't have ideal size for a right-hander, and he underwent Tommy John surgery as a high school junior. He has spent his first full professional season at Class A Advanced Tampa as a starter, but some scouts think he will fit better into a Major League bullpen.

 

[Bear Pride]

Soriano is one of my least favorite Cubs in years.

He has physical tools, but does EVERYTHING wrong.
Swings at everything and constantly gets himself out.
Bails out opposing pitchers by never having a clue when to make them work and when to take pitches, etc.
He never - ever - tried to go to the right side when there was a man on second base and nobody out.
He never concentrated on making contact with a runner on 3rd and fewer than two outs - it was swing for the fences at all times.

He played poorly in the OF most of the time, in spite of good speed. He had a very strong arm, but rarely threw accurately or to/through the cut off man.
He simply never understood HOW to play the game of baseball in a winning manner. He would have lasted an hour in the St. Louis Cardinals' organization.
Having him leave is NOT going to negatively impact the Cubs ability to win games - he was NEVER a plus player.
I feel sorry for the person who brought up his name and the Hall of Fame in the same sentence. he is a textbook example of how to play the game incorrectly.
(Ok...now you know how I feel.)

For me, Sori could have a great year ... and then go 0 for 20 in the playoffs. The few times I've seen him have a chance, he was no where to be found. This move, imo, could help the Cubs be better, faster.

 

[Flacco4Prez]

Whose AB's are he taking? Almora and Soler are still at least a year away. Also DeJesus will be out of the picture at the end of the season as well.

 

[dabynsky]

Whose AB's are he taking? Almora and Soler are still at least a year away. Also DeJesus will be out of the picture at the end of the season as well.

If they don't trade DeJesus before the deadline it is almost assured that the Cubs would pick up their very reasonable 6.5 million option on him.

 

[TL1961]

I agree Soler and Almora are the guys we are waiting for. But what good does it do to have him out tehre?

Whose AB's? Well, Lake for one. Lake is not a CF, he needs to be in LF (if in the OF at all.)

 

[SilenceS]

Soriano is one of my least favorite Cubs in years.

He has physical tools, but does EVERYTHING wrong.

Swings at everything and constantly gets himself out.

Bails out opposing pitchers by never having a clue when to make them work and when to take pitches, etc.

He never - ever - tried to go to the right side when there was a man on second base and nobody out.

He never concentrated on making contact with a runner on 3rd and fewer than two outs - it was swing for the fences at all times.

He played poorly in the OF most of the time, in spite of good speed. He had a very strong arm, but rarely threw accurately or to/through the cut off man.

He simply never understood HOW to play the game of baseball in a winning manner. He would have lasted an hour in the St. Louis Cardinals' organization.

Having him leave is NOT going to negatively impact the Cubs ability to win games - he was NEVER a plus player.

I feel sorry for the person who brought up his name and the Hall of Fame in the same sentence. he is a textbook example of how to play the game incorrectly.

(Ok...now you know how I feel.)

Good talk! lol