Alfonso Soriano OK with not being leading man

[cubswin2009]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-28-cubs-alfonso-sorianojan28,0,6115940.story

Just into the third year of an eight-year, $136 million contract, it is becoming clear Alfonso Soriano has no leg to stand on—so to speak—in insisting he bat leadoff.

 

It is even becoming clear to him, given his age, injuries and diminishing speed. Soriano says he will go to spring training in three weeks with a fresh attitude, maybe even a new commitment.

 

"I feel comfortable batting leadoff and any [place] in the lineup," he said recently at the Cubs Convention. "It's not about me, it's about the team and what [manager Lou Piniella] wants to do this year because, I'm 33 now and they think I can't run anymore."

 

He has stolen only 19 bases in each of the last two seasons compared to 30 or more in five of the previous six years.

[chuckywang]

Good let's give Theriot more ABs.

[Post Count Padder]

So then Theriot leading off? Great.

[anabiono]

holy lord almighty, i thought i would never see the day!!!!

[PrimeTime]

If he moves then goes to the middle of the lineup,thats a pretty lethal 4 guys in a row of Lee,A-Ram,Bradley,and Soriano..If Lee can bounce back and Soriano can hit with guys on base in front of him that looks like it would put a lot of runs on the board..Cant forget we have Soto right back there also..

[jmajew]

I know i will get told I'm nuts but a Fukudome/Johnson, Lee, Ramirez, Bradley, Soriano, Soto, Fontenot, Theriot would be a pretty good lineup.

[Mephistopheles]

I'd lead off Fukudome myself.

[Cubswin11]

I know i will get told I'm nuts but a Fukudome/Johnson, Lee, Ramirez, Bradley, Soriano, Soto, Fontenot, Theriot would be a pretty good lineup.

I like Fukudome/Johnson leadoff, Johnson has experience there and Fukudome can focus on making contact and working the count/BB instead of being a middle of the order bat. I don't know if I'd bat Lee second just because of his high amount of GIDP, I think I would prefer to see Fontenot/Theriot there and then whichever one of those two who don't bat second they can bat eighth. I am glad Soriano is at least making it known he will move out of the leadoff spot, even if he doesn't this year he is eventually going to have to move down in the lineup within the next few years as his speed continues to deteriorate. Moving down in the lineup should help him stay healthier as he won't be stealing/attemping as many bases.

[Yeti]

I'd lead off Fukudome myself.

insert bad joke

 

 

 

big assumption there...

[javy knows my name]

Soriano should never attempt to steal another base.

Neither should Theriot.

Who cares who hits first

[Mephistopheles]

Soriano should never attempt to steal another base.

Neither should Theriot.

 

This is an incredibly naive rudimentary sabermetric belief. Attempting to steal a base is a good idea in tons of situations - and with the notable exception of the first six weeks last season, Theriot's been incredibly efficient at stealing bases.

[SouthSideRyan]

holy lord almighty, i thought i would never see the day!!!!

 

Yeah, except for every other time he's said it.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

If he moves then goes to the middle of the lineup,thats a pretty lethal 4 guys in a row of Lee,A-Ram,Bradley,and Soriano..If Lee can bounce back and Soriano can hit with guys on base in front of him that looks like it would put a lot of runs on the board..Cant forget we have Soto right back there also..

 

Too bad roughly 36 ballgames would end with those four waiting to bat while the first two hitters make the final outs.

[anabiono]

holy lord almighty, i thought i would never see the day!!!!

 

Yeah, except for every other time he's said it.

 

nope, never mentioned anything about his sprint skillz before

[javy knows my name]

Soriano should never attempt to steal another base.

Neither should Theriot.

 

This is an incredibly naive rudimentary sabermetric belief. Attempting to steal a base is a good idea in tons of situations - and with the notable exception of the first six weeks last season, Theriot's been incredibly efficient at stealing bases.

 

I'm afraid Alphonso Soriano will lose a foot en route to second base.

Ryan Theriot hurt us on the bases last year.

[Cubswin11]

Soriano should never attempt to steal another base.

Neither should Theriot.

Who cares who hits first

Theriot was bad at the beginning of the season when Lou was sending him every time he reached base, once Lou decided to let Theriot pick and choose his spots to steal he did it at a good rate. Soriano is still a very good base stealer he had 19 last year with leg issues and missing almost 55 games.

[Yeti]

he obviouzly bowed to the greatness that is pete!!!

[Mephistopheles]

Soriano should never attempt to steal another base.

Neither should Theriot.

 

This is an incredibly naive rudimentary sabermetric belief. Attempting to steal a base is a good idea in tons of situations - and with the notable exception of the first six weeks last season, Theriot's been incredibly efficient at stealing bases.

 

I'm afraid Alphonso Soriano will lose a foot en route to second base.

Ryan Theriot hurt us on the bases last year.

 

Neither validate your initial premise nor confute mine.

[Yeti]

Soriano should never attempt to steal another base.

Neither should Theriot.

 

This is an incredibly naive rudimentary sabermetric belief. Attempting to steal a base is a good idea in tons of situations - and with the notable exception of the first six weeks last season, Theriot's been incredibly efficient at stealing bases.

 

I'm afraid Alphonso Soriano will lose a foot en route to second base.

Ryan Theriot hurt us on the bases last year.

 

Neither validate your initial premise nor confute mine.

many people refuse to believe that their generalizations arent true

 

 

 

pete is a god!!111!!111!!

[cubsfan26]

Yeah, except for every other time he's said it

 

I agree, Soriano has said he would be willing to hit elsewhere the last two years. He said he rather leadoff, but would do whatever the Cubs wanted to do. Lou is the one who wants Soriano to leadoff, since he has hit better there over his career, and he doesn't feel we really have a better option there.

 

 

Soriano is still a very good base stealer he had 19 last year with leg issues and missing almost 55 games.

 

Soriano missed about 10-13 games with leg issues, the other 40 games were due to that freak HBP injury. After issues with his leg in the cold weather in April, his legs were fine for the rest of the year. If Soriano legs are healthy, and he plays 140 plus games he could easily steal 30 plus bases still. As for Theriot I think he can be the base stealer he was in 06 and 07. If Lou just leaves him alone, and lets him pick his spots he can be a 22 of 26 or 24 of 29 SB guy IMO. Lou ran him like 15-17 times the first 5 weeks of the season or so, trying to make him a 40 SB type guy, which Theriot isn't.

[Bote McBoteface]

Soriano should never attempt to steal another base.

Neither should Theriot.

 

This is an incredibly naive rudimentary sabermetric belief. Attempting to steal a base is a good idea in tons of situations - and with the notable exception of the first six weeks last season, Theriot's been incredibly efficient at stealing bases.

 

Didn't you once say that steals are only good in the 9th inning or extra innings? Maybe that was your quote about bunts, but I'm certain you said that steals are pretty much worthless.

[Yeti]

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for the coin involved!1!!1

[cubbinalltheway]

<<

for the coin involved!1!!1

god what's wrong with you???

[fromthestretch]

<<

for the coin involved!1!!1

god what's wrong with you???

 

If you can't appreciate the drunk ramblings of Yeti, then perhaps you need a drink yourself.

[SouthSideRyan]

What the hell are you people talking about? Soriano was 19 for 22 last year in steals. Throughout his career he's been a more efficient base stealer than Meph's random ass(not very helpful) cut off point of 6 weeks into Theriot's season.