Soriano no longer hitting 5th

[YearofDaCubs]

Per Bruce Levine, Lou has said Soriano will not be hitting 5th any longer. That experiment is over.

[davearm]

Good.

 

If it aint broke don't fix it.

[David]

Good.

 

If it aint broke don't fix it.

 

Isn't it broke against LHP?

 

I have to add that I'm not really in love with the fact that Lou comes up with an idea, implements it for all of two games, and then feels he has seen enough to can it.

 

I don't think it matters all that much in this case, though.

Edited July 19, 2007 by David

[YearofDaCubs]

Good.

 

If it aint broke don't fix it.

His career numbers batting 5th have been bad. Bad idea from the get-go but I'm glad Lou did see it wasn't working out and made the move.

[E.J.]

Haha. That didn't take long. I didn't think changing Soriano to 5th would help anyways. Maybe the Cubs need to bring in a lefty batting-practice pitcher. :lol:

[jersey cubs fan]

Good.

 

If it aint broke don't fix it.

His career numbers batting 5th have been bad. Bad idea from the get-go but I'm glad Lou did see it wasn't working out and made the move.

 

He's barely even hit 5th, but the one year he did hit 5th for a decent amount he was much better in that spot than leadoff.

[David]

Good.

 

If it aint broke don't fix it.

His career numbers batting 5th have been bad. Bad idea from the get-go but I'm glad Lou did see it wasn't working out and made the move.

 

He's barely even hit 5th, but the one year he did hit 5th for a decent amount he was much better in that spot than leadoff.

 

Haha.. nice.

[Jon]

I love when managers try to shake things up and then give up on it after a day because it didn't work.

 

It's old school baseball managing at its finest.

[Banedon]

This isn't the first time that Lou has "experimented" and given it up quickly. Sori in center and Fontenot at SS both jump to mind.

[David]

This isn't the first time that Lou has "experimented" and given it up quickly. Sori in center and Fontenot at SS both jump to mind.

 

 

Ryan Dempster in the rotation...

[MustangMike]

Good.

 

If it aint broke don't fix it.

 

How bout second, can he try that, or does he strike out too much for that position? I'm ok with him hitting first though, and he seems to like it..

Edited July 19, 2007 by MustangMike

[Banedon]

This isn't the first time that Lou has "experimented" and given it up quickly. Sori in center and Fontenot at SS both jump to mind.

 

 

Ryan Dempster in the rotation...

 

Yeah he gave up on that before he even did it...lol

[YearofDaCubs]

Good.

 

If it aint broke don't fix it.

His career numbers batting 5th have been bad. Bad idea from the get-go but I'm glad Lou did see it wasn't working out and made the move.

 

He's barely even hit 5th, but the one year he did hit 5th for a decent amount he was much better in that spot than leadoff.

He's had 583 AB hitting 5th in his career. .268 avg .312 obp. When he did play 5th more than leadoff in 2005 his numbers were similar:

 

Leadoff: 98 AB 4HR 7RBI .276AVG .301OBP

5th: 497 AB 30HR 93RBI .270 .315OBP

[jersey cubs fan]

Good.

 

If it aint broke don't fix it.

His career numbers batting 5th have been bad. Bad idea from the get-go but I'm glad Lou did see it wasn't working out and made the move.

 

He's barely even hit 5th, but the one year he did hit 5th for a decent amount he was much better in that spot than leadoff.

He's had 583 AB hitting 5th in his career. .268 avg .312 obp. When he did play 5th more than leadoff in 2005 his numbers were similar:

 

Leadoff: 98 AB 4HR 7RBI .276AVG .301OBP

5th: 497 AB 30HR 93RBI .270 .315OBP

 

57 points OPS advantage out of the 5 spot that year, and that was the only year he had significant time in the 5 hole.

 

It's a freaking myth that he can't hit anywhere but leadoff. He had a couple down years, in one of those year he hit 5th mostly. People who really think the down year was because of hitting 5th need to get their heads examined. He was a free swinging hacker who became and easy out and pitchers finally stopped throwing him strikes. It started late in 2003, when he was hitting leadoff.

[jyoung55]

Good.

 

If it aint broke don't fix it.

 

Isn't it broke against LHP?

 

I have to add that I'm not really in love with the fact that Lou comes up with an idea, implements it for all of two games, and then feels he has seen enough to can it.

 

I don't think it matters all that much in this case, though.

 

You're right. I couldn't agree more. I'd much rather go back to the days of trotting out Jason Bere or Glendon Rusch or Neifi Perez or Remlinger as a LOOGY for the whole season in spite of bad outings... the only we can know is to let it run its course over a season... sample size, dude.

[cubfan1955]

He's had 583 AB hitting 5th in his career. .268 avg .312 obp. When he did play 5th more than leadoff in 2005 his numbers were similar:

 

Leadoff: 98 AB 4HR 7RBI .276AVG .301OBP

5th: 497 AB 30HR 93RBI .270 .315OBP

Similar because it makes no difference where a player hits. Hitters hit. It's illogical to think otherwise. Barry Bonds used to bat leadoff too. You make the change and stick with it. He would get his hits. To try it for a few games and give up is short-sighted.

[David]

Good.

 

If it aint broke don't fix it.

 

Isn't it broke against LHP?

 

I have to add that I'm not really in love with the fact that Lou comes up with an idea, implements it for all of two games, and then feels he has seen enough to can it.

 

I don't think it matters all that much in this case, though.

 

You're right. I couldn't agree more. I'd much rather go back to the days of trotting out Jason Bere or Glendon Rusch or Neifi Perez or Remlinger as a LOOGY for the whole season in spite of bad outings... the only we can know is to let it run its course over a season... sample size, dude.

 

One would hope that the manager would be smart enough not to try [expletive] experiments in the first place.

 

Thanks for playing.

[kente777]

This isn't the first time that Lou has "experimented" and given it up quickly. Sori in center and Fontenot at SS both jump to mind.

 

I'd much rather have that than a manager like Baker defying all the critics and sticking with a move simply because of pride.

 

As fiery as Piniella is, he's got much more humility than toothpick Sally.

 

Ken

[NCCubFan]

This isn't the first time that Lou has "experimented" and given it up quickly. Sori in center and Fontenot at SS both jump to mind.

 

 

Ryan Dempster in the rotation...

And accompaning that, Guzman as closer.

[Chocolate Milk]

Does this really matter that much? I don't mind him hitting leadoff as that will maximize his plate appearances. I doubt it really makes that much of a difference either way, though.

[Exile on Waveland]

Does this really matter that much? I don't mind him hitting leadoff as that will maximize his plate appearances. I doubt it really makes that much of a difference either way, though.

 

I don't see how. He's done fine at leadoff, I see no reason for a change. Not that he wouldn't also do fine batting fifth.

[98navigator]

Tribune

 

Manager Lou Piniella called another audible Thursday, deciding to abandon his plan to use Alfonso Soriano in the No. 5 hole against left-handers. Soriano will return to the leadoff spot on a full-time basis, after going 0-for-8 in his two games batting fifth.

 

"That's where the young man belongs, and that's where we're going to keep him," Piniella said. "We tried it, just to see. That's one of the reasons you see Fox here. If we play Fox [against lefties] we can hit him in the middle part of the lineup."

 

Soriano was OK with the decision.

 

"The hitting coach (Gerald Perry) told me yesterday," he said. "I don't know if I changed my approach or what. I don't care where I bat. If it makes the team better with me batting leadoff, that's not a problem for me, though I feel the same batting leadoff or fifth.

 

"But batting five was no good. I was 0-for-8 in my last two games [against left-handers]. I felt comfortable. I think I was just trying to do too much."

[Banghart]

I actually thought they would abandon this after the first game where he went 0-4. Soriano by all reports had some agreement that he would only bat leadoff here with Hendry. He showed that he was willing to move around in the order, but unless hed had success right away it was just going to feed into the whole he can't hit anywhere but leadoff thing. My guess is that Soriano was reluctant to move to begin with, and without continuing to hit like he has in the leadoff spot he was going to want to move back.

 

-Banghart