Cubs sign Soriano

[Guest]

Wow...I like the fact that this team signed Soriano. They got the big bat they needed. Problem is, 8/$135m is crazy.

 

Let's hope that there are option years on that deal, otherwise this contract will be dicey in a few years once his production begins dropping off.

 

At least in 6 years market inflation will make this deal look less insane. :D

Has market inflation made ARod's deal look good?

[Sammy Sofa]

SORINAO HAS TO HIT LEADOFF.

 

I'm sorry for the shouting, but this is something that really nobody can be unsure about. I definitely wanted him deeper in the lineup and was baffled as to why Washington was keeping at #1...until I looked at his career numbers.

 

I guess it's a mental thing, but the guy produces when he's hitting leadoff. When he's not, he's not, period. He HAS to hit leadoff for the Cubs if you want him to be anything offensively worth his salary.

[JonnyRed]

I think we can all agree that the numbers are too high, but we can finally put the story to bed about the Cubs not adequetely investing in the team. Hendry's signing of arguably the two top FAs on the market signals a distinct change for the Cubs.

 

Maybe they are freewheeling at the cash register because the team WILL be sold soon? (We can only hope!)

[XZero771679666304]

In total contrast to previous offseasons, I think Hendry just wants to get things done ASAP. He gave Soriano a ridiculous contract he couldn't refuse to get him signed and out of the way. The contract is yucky at best, but I like the intensity of this offseason.

 

I wish this mentality and money were around when guys like Beltran were on the market.

[WrigleyField 22]

We'll have hime lead off and just constuct the lineup around him!

 

Soriano

Lee

Ramirez

Jones

Barrett

Pitcher

Izturis

DeRosa

Murton

 

:D or [DeRosa,Murton,Soriano,Lee,Ramirez,Jones,Barrett,Pitcher,Izturis]

[USSoccer]

Wow...I like the fact that this team signed Soriano. They got the big bat they needed. Problem is, 8/$135m is crazy.

 

Let's hope that there are option years on that deal, otherwise this contract will be dicey in a few years once his production begins dropping off.

 

At least in 6 years market inflation will make this deal look less insane. :D

Has market inflation made ARod's deal look good?

 

No. But that was only 5 years ago. :P

[RynoRules]

Assuming this does not cripple our ability to make further additions to a weak starting staff and to add one more bat, color me impressed with JH's decisevness and agressive approach thus far. The way he has approached this lends credence to the theory that MacPhail handcuffed him during past offseasons.

 

I am not wild about 8 yrs, but Soriano's next 4-5 years ought to be very good. With any luck, the last two are mutual options. Is it completely out of the question that we can ink Lugo and deal Izturis and Murt in a pckg for Manny?

 

How does this look?:

 

Lugo

Soriano

Lee

Manny

ARam

Barrett

Jones

DeRosa

 

=P~

 

:pig:

Edited November 19, 2006 by RynoRules

[nilodnayr]

Half those walks were intentional and the other half could very well have been intentional unintentional walks. I'm not sold he turned a corner in plate discipline as much as everyone thinks.

 

I would be willing to guess that more than half of walks drawn by power hitters are "intentional unintentional". The key is to be willing to accept them.

 

Half of the INCREASE. So you are saying that Sori wasn't a power hitter before last year...well then thats a risky move to give him 136M.

[XZero771679666304]

Wow...I like the fact that this team signed Soriano. They got the big bat they needed. Problem is, 8/$135m is crazy.

 

Let's hope that there are option years on that deal, otherwise this contract will be dicey in a few years once his production begins dropping off.

 

At least in 6 years market inflation will make this deal look less insane. :D

Has market inflation made ARod's deal look good?

 

No, but it looks better now than it did a couple of years ago.

[frostwyrm]

Wow...I like the fact that this team signed Soriano. They got the big bat they needed. Problem is, 8/$135m is crazy.

 

Let's hope that there are option years on that deal, otherwise this contract will be dicey in a few years once his production begins dropping off.

 

At least in 6 years market inflation will make this deal look less insane. :D

Has market inflation made ARod's deal look good?

 

To me, yes. I wanted to trade Z for ARod and build for 2008, assuming ARod can still play SS.

[E.J.]

Don't know if it's been brought up yet, but if the Cubs plan on having Soriano play CF, does this make Pie expendable? Does he go in a trade to get a pitcher or another big-time bat?

[rocket]

NOT ANOTHER WORD ABOUT HOW HENDRY/CUBS MGMT ISN'T TRYING TO WIN!

 

That's never been the problem. The problem is that he went about the wrong way improving the team, ie last year's ridiculous bullpen overhaul.

[Mephistopheles]

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f189/kctigers23/Soriano8.jpg

 

Remind people of anything?

[jjgman21]

SORINAO HAS TO HIT LEADOFF.

 

I'm sorry for the shouting, but this is something that really nobody can be unsure about. I definitely wanted him deeper in the lineup and was baffled as to why Washington was keeping at #1...until I looked at his career numbers.

 

I guess it's a mental thing, but the guy produces when he's hitting leadoff. When he's not, he's not, period. He HAS to hit leadoff for the Cubs if you want him to be anything offensively worth his salary.

 

as I pointedout the other day, take away his monster year at leadoff last year, and his stats are no different in the 5, 6 and 7 hole.

 

I would like him 6th, where he's only had a handful of career ABs

[USSoccer]

Don't know if it's been brought up yet, but if the Cubs plan on having Soriano play CF, does this make Pie expendable? Does he go in a trade to get a pitcher or another big-time bat?

 

Why not develop Pie as a corner guy?

[Abe Frohman]

We got someone that will dramatically improve our chances to win this year. The Cubs havent won since 1908 and you people are worried that we may have less financial flexibility in 5 years? This may be a horrible contract, but it gives us a much better chance to win a world series. I dont care if it hurts us in a few years, I'm very pleased. Hendry improved the team by a lot for next year, well done.

 

Does it really give us a better chance to win a world series? I guess that depends on how much money the Cubs REALLY are given to spend. If there is a limit, then yeah - it will hurt us in a few years.

 

I am sure in 5 years I will still be a Cub fan, and hopefully - this contract is not going to be a cinderblock tied to our ankles.

 

Love having Soriano, though. Just this is the money you throw at Beltran a few years ago. I know, I know - Andy Macphail.

[nilodnayr]

Soriano was not in the top 10 or even the top 25 for best offensive players in the league last year... he was the 33rd best offensive player (VORP). He WAS, however, about 30 runs better than Pierre. Unfortunately, I am pretty sure that a 30 run upgrade still makes our offense at or below average. (With 30 more runs last year we're like Soriano's old team and tied for 10th in runs in the NL.) Perhaps with a health Lee and the removal of the negative runs from Cedeno, this could be improved more. But even with an optmistic 40 more runs from those spots this would still be a second tier NL offense. I fear that adding a $17M player likely ends the offensive upgrade.

 

Wow, so only 500K for every additional run. If the yankees worked under that assumption their team would cost 500M. Just food for thought.

[RichHillIsABeast]

I have no problem with the money spent. We've needed an offensive beast in CF for a long time.

 

The years? Nope. All you have to do is eat some cash down the line and trade him.

 

It's a win now move. I'm tired of losing.

[CuseCubFan69]

Don't know if it's been brought up yet, but if the Cubs plan on having Soriano play CF, does this make Pie expendable? Does he go in a trade to get a pitcher or another big-time bat?

 

Trade him and others to Florida for Cabrera.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Don't know if it's been brought up yet, but if the Cubs plan on having Soriano play CF, does this make Pie expendable? Does he go in a trade to get a pitcher or another big-time bat?

 

Why not develop Pie as a corner guy?

 

Why not shift Soriano when Pie is ready?

[rocket]

Don't know if it's been brought up yet, but if the Cubs plan on having Soriano play CF, does this make Pie expendable? Does he go in a trade to get a pitcher or another big-time bat?

 

you just blew my mind

 

Izturis + Pie for Manny?

[b_wiggy_66]

Leading off a game with a home run is a huge start. Teams that score first in the first inning have a much better chance of winning. I don't know the exact numbers, but they are greatly towards the team scoring first. A leadoff homerun gets the team jacked up from the start.

[jjgman21]

Don't know if it's been brought up yet, but if the Cubs plan on having Soriano play CF, does this make Pie expendable? Does he go in a trade to get a pitcher or another big-time bat?

 

he can be used as a chip, but I'd like to see either Pie or Soriano moved to right after Jock leaves.

[Southpaw191679666239]

Remind people of anything?

 

You're evil...

[RichHillIsABeast]

Don't know if it's been brought up yet, but if the Cubs plan on having Soriano play CF, does this make Pie expendable? Does he go in a trade to get a pitcher or another big-time bat?

 

Trade him and others to Florida for Cabrera.

 

Pie isn't going to net Cabrera. It's going to take an elite prospect to land him and then some. Pie is by no means "elite."