Cubs sign Soriano

[Guest]

Holy schnikies!

 

Love the signing...

 

might hate the contract.

 

I'll comment more as additional details are firmed up.

[minnesotacubsfan]

WOW

 

 

well, at least we kept Ramirez too...

[RockTheIvy]

Well, we have a good offensive CFer now.

[AramisRamirez]

bring back sammy!!! ok that was a bad bad joke.

[Cubzfan64]

just getting Soriano doesn't do enough imho offensively - we need another bat and the obvious choice would be SS, RF or LF. I seriously hope that Soriano will be playing OF for us and NOT 2B - he is a below average 2B and at least decent in the OF.

 

This was a ton of money, but I guess if it doesn't preclude us making other moves I can't complain that at least we went out and got a bat.

[E.J.]

I have to say that my optimism for the rest of the offseason and next year are probably at an all-time high. It really looks like the Cubs are going for it all next year. My excitement level is through the roof.

[Butterscup1679666578]

I think a good barometer to how good of a signing this is, is to see all the "now if we just trade for manny", or "now if we just signe drew" posts in this thread....it might just be a reflection of crazy optimistic posters, or it might be a reflection of how unsure we are that Sori ias actually going to be a significant upgrade. Color me the later.

 

Or, you know, people want the best team possible.

[Andy]

I have to say that my optimism for the rest of the offseason and next year are probably at an all-time high. It really looks like the Cubs are going for it all next year. My excitement level is through the roof.

Exactly. If the Cubs by some grace of God get Lugo and Westbrook, we have the best team in the NL not named the Mets.

 

And that would be amazing.

[XZero771679666304]

Holy schnikies!

 

Love the signing...

 

might hate the contract.

 

I'll comment more as additional details are firmed up.

 

I agree. I love that the Cubs have actually signed a top guy, and it will make us markedly better. But I cant help but feel that Sori is going to be a huge albatross in a few years.

 

I was skeptical anyone would give him 6 or 7, much less 8 years. I can only hope there are some options in there.

[Shavo]

Does anyone know where this puts the payroll?

[iowacub]

Love the deal...i have read how fans are upset over 8 years....in 8 years I could be dead....lets win now and spend like the yankees for all I care...Soriano is only 1 of 4 to post 40 hrs, 40 sbs in the same year(Canseco, AROD, and Bonds)...he is the only player ever to post 40 hrs, 40 sbs, and 20 outfield assissts....he earned his money, the cubs have it...now get us some starting pitching and 1 more bat please...

[bhogg]

Holy schnikies!

 

 

I'll comment more as additional details are firmed up.

 

 

oh, come on. it's much more fun to jump to conclusions.

[Guest]

I'll leave the contract impacts until we hear what the actual deal is.

 

From a player impact, in the worst case, what we have done with this move is to take Juan Pierre, give him an arm and about 30-40 extra home runs a year. That's a pretty significant improvement.

 

In the best case, Soriano turned a corner last season in his plate discipline / pitch recognition. I am optimistic that this is the case. If he can continue down that path he could absolutely explode with production.

 

Let's hope the investment we made in our new hitting coach that emphasizes a disciplined, zone approach to hitting pays off!

[da bears]

Love the deal...i have read how fans are upset over 8 years....in 8 years I could be dead....lets win now and spend like the yankees for all I care...Soriano is only 1 of 4 to post 40 hrs, 40 sbs in the same year(Canseco, AROD, and Bonds)...he is the only player ever to post 40 hrs, 40 sbs, and 20 outfield assissts....he earned his money, the cubs have it...now get us some starting pitching and 1 more bat please...

 

Ya know what, the deal could end up haunting us, but its about freakin' time they got someone big like this. I like the signing.

[Neuby]

If Prior and Miller are healthy and Hill is for real................

:D :D :D :D :D

[USSoccer]

Wow.

 

I guess we're going to be really upping the payroll this season.

 

I like the move if he's going to be playing CF. Not so much if it's LF.

 

As far as the contract goes...I'm not too worried about it. 5/$80m is better than 8/$136m (that's insanity), but we've upgraded our team SLG% without using any tradable assets.

 

There's still work to be done, particularly on the rotation, but this move is some kind of signal.

[Andy]

Wow.

 

I guess we're going to be really upping the payroll this season.

 

I like the move if he's going to be playing CF. Not so much if it's LF.

 

As far as the contract goes...I'm not too worried about it. 5/$80m is better than 8/$136m (that's insanity), but we've upgraded our team SLG% without using any tradable assets.

 

There's still work to be done, particularly on the rotation, but this move is some kind of signal.

Sullivan says he's likely to play CF. Even a mediocre Soriano puts up incredible CF numbers.

[USSoccer]

From a player impact, in the worst case, what we have done with this move is to take Juan Pierre, give him an arm and about 30-40 extra home runs a year. That's a pretty significant improvement.

 

Great point. This move also guarantees Pierre won't be resigned, which is worth an extra few million right there.

[Neuby]

I am gonna be honest I think JD Drew probably won't happen now but I could see the Cubs trading Jones and adding Carlos Lee who will get less money than Drew and might take a discount to play here with bats like Lee and Ramirez and Fonzie.

[RockTheIvy]

I'll leave the contract impacts until we hear what the actual deal is.

 

From a player impact, in the worst case, what we have done with this move is to take Juan Pierre, give him an arm and about 30-40 extra home runs a year. That's a pretty significant improvement.

 

In the best case, Soriano turned a corner last season in his plate discipline / pitch recognition. I am optimistic that this is the case. If he can continue down that path he could absolutely explode with production.

 

Let's hope the investment we made in our new hitting coach that emphasizes a disciplined, zone approach to hitting pays off!

 

I think he did turn a corner. In addition to adding about 25 walks, he also struck out more, because he was seeing more pitches per at bat.

 

If he posts a 340+ OBP, we have ourselves the offensive equivalent of Andruw Jones in CF. Sure, he's probably overpriced and not as good as Jones, but we got some firepower now.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

In the best case, Soriano turned a corner last season in his plate discipline / pitch recognition. I am optimistic that this is the case. If he can continue down that path he could absolutely explode with production.

 

Let's hope the investment we made in our new hitting coach that emphasizes a disciplined, zone approach to hitting pays off!

 

A fantastic point about the new hitting coach.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Wow.

 

I guess we're going to be really upping the payroll this season.

 

I like the move if he's going to be playing CF. Not so much if it's LF.

 

As far as the contract goes...I'm not too worried about it. 5/$80m is better than 8/$136m (that's insanity), but we've upgraded our team SLG% without using any tradable assets.

 

There's still work to be done, particularly on the rotation, but this move is some kind of signal.

Sullivan says he's likely to play CF. Even a mediocre Soriano puts up incredible CF numbers.

 

If by incredible you mean middle of the pack, then I agree.

[UMFan83]

I just don't get it why people think this is the best player available....

 

I will say though, I can never again say that the Cubs have never signed the most coveted FA on the market.

[b_wiggy_66]

I look for a trade to get a pitcher now. Guys who could be traded for: Westbrook, Lieber, Hudson, Garcia, and Jennings. Then a signing like Batista or Wolf

[RockTheIvy]

I just don't get it why people think this is the best player available....

 

If he has a season like last year again, then I dont think there's a better FA option out there.