Soriano Upset over Latest Benching

[E.J.]

Slumping left fielder Alfonso Soriano sat for the third time in eight games Wednesday and isn't happy about it.

 

When manager Lou Piniella spoke to Soriano last week in Pittsburgh and told him he would be giving him a few more days off, Soriano said he understood. But Soriano was miffed when he learned his name wasn't in the starting lineup Wednesday after he had a pair of hits Tuesday night.

 

"That's why I'm mad," Soriano said. "If he had told me yesterday, then I wouldn't come today ready to play."

 

Piniella typically gives Soriano a heads-up when he will get a day off but declined to do so this time.

 

"That's a surprise to me today," Soriano said. "I think he could have said to me last night, 'OK, take a day off,' especially because [Thursday] is an off day. I'd be like, 'OK, I'll take the two [days].' But I like to know before I come here."

 

Soriano, hitting .182 over his last 40 games, said his knee pain isn't enough to prevent him from playing.

 

"I can play," he said. "If I can play, it's not bothering me. It bothers me if I'm not playing though."

 

Asked if he would talk to Piniella about his complaint, Soriano simply replied: "No."

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-09-cubs-bits-chicago-jul09,0,4562524.story

[SouthSideRyan]

I hope Paul Sullivan gets crushed by an anvil.

[A-Cal]

lol this team is full of little babies

[Roast]

I hope Paul Sullivan gets crushed by an anvil.

+1

[GhostRunner]

"If he had told me yesterday, then I wouldn't come today ready to play."

$17 million should buy a guy who's ready to come to the park, everyday, prepared to juggle chainsaws, if that's what it takes for the team to win.

 

All we need now is 2009's version of Kent Mercker (Bradley?) to call up to the booth and complain about Bob Brenly's on-air comments, and the 2004/2009 circle of pain is complete.

[Butterscup1679666578]

lol

[Sammy Sofa]

I don't care how he feels about the knee pain: if it's there, he's gotta go on the DL to try and deal with it. It's not rocket science to think that the knee pain is likely a huge part, if not THE reason, for his prolonged offensive struggles.

[TruffleShuffle]

too damn bad, play better and then you won't get benched.

[bhogg]

Amazing. He's basically pissed because he came to the park ready to play and wasn't in the line up. That's rich for a .230 hitter.

[beersoakedivy]

$#@! Soriano and his bloated contract

[Guest]

I think I've finally figured out why I have been really down on this year's team to the point I just can't even watch them play.

 

If there isn't a bunch of drama happening, a bunch of drama queens are sure to drum up some more really soon. And I really hate drama. Ladies and Gentlemen, your 2009 Chicago Cubs! All we need now is a good theme song.

[JoshiQ]

I think I've finally figured out why I have been really down on this year's team to the point I just can't even watch them play.

 

If there isn't a bunch of drama happening, a bunch of drama queens are sure to drum up some more really soon. And I really hate drama. Ladies and Gentlemen, your 2009 Chicago Cubs! All we need now is a good theme song.

 

 

If you loved the 2004 Cubs you have to love these guys.

[17 Seconds]

at least the 2004 team was good. they were frustrating as hell and unlikable, but they won 89 games in a pretty badass division. this year's team is just ridiculously boring.this is the least interested i've been in a cubs team since the early 2000's.

[17 Seconds]

seriously, just put this dude on the dl. it's obviously his knee is effecting him, he's been trash for like 2 months, and fox is raking. there's absolutely no reason NOT to DL him. unless of course you don't want his knee to heal and you want to see a .700 ops in thel ineup over like a .900+ ops.

[Shilzzz]

you have strong opinions that need to be heard, dammit

[17 Seconds]

or im just posting on a message board

[rocket]

He's upset that he's not playing. Why does that make him a drama queen?

[A-Cal]

He's upset that he's not playing. Why does that make him a drama queen?

 

because apparently soriano is one of those cats that needs "special" treatment. he is used to being told hours before the fact that he isn't going to play. to show up and be notified at game time is beneath him. i wouldn't want to play with a guy like that.

[Keener98]

He's upset that he's not playing. Why does that make him a drama queen?

 

because apparently soriano is one of those cats that needs "special" treatment. he is used to being told hours before the fact that he isn't going to play. to show up and be notified at game time is beneath him. i wouldn't want to play with a guy like that.

 

How do you know Lou hasnt told him that if he was going to give him the next day off hed tell him before hand? Lou has always done it in the past with Soriano, and now he decides not to. Why? Not saying Soriano has a right to be pissed, but we dont know the whole story of what Lou has told Soriano would be protocol with something like this.

[erik316wttn]

too damn bad, play better and then you won't get benched.

 

This.

 

Same goes for when players complain about getting booed. Stop sucking and the boos will go away.

[Guest]

I don't care how he feels about the knee pain: if it's there, he's gotta go on the DL to try and deal with it. It's not rocket science to think that the knee pain is likely a huge part, if not THE reason, for his prolonged offensive struggles.

 

I've thought for a while that he just needs some time off. He's gone through slumps before but never anything like this. I guess it's possible that he's falling off a cliff with his hitting, but I don't think that's likely. If he had dropped 50 points off his OPS, I'd be more likely to believe that he's just getting older, but 170 points just seems too extreme.

 

With how he's hitting, it's not like he's helping the team all that much so I don't see the big deal with sending him to the 15-day DL, giving him two weeks off and bringing him back to see what he can do then. As far as I'm concerned, a DL stint can't result in anything bad. If he continues to suck, well, it's the same production that he's giving now. But if it helps him, then he might actually start to help the team offensively.

[Wheelimus]

Well Sori, the best way to make a statement on this is to go 3 for 4 today...and take a freaking walk.

 

Produce, and you won't be benched. However, I have to agree that if he's in pain you just need to DL him for a few weeks and make him rest. Maybe a little time away will help him clear his head too.

[Soul]

He's upset that he's not playing. Why does that make him a drama queen?

 

because apparently soriano is one of those cats that needs "special" treatment. he is used to being told hours before the fact that he isn't going to play. to show up and be notified at game time is beneath him. i wouldn't want to play with a guy like that.

 

How do you know Lou hasnt told him that if he was going to give him the next day off hed tell him before hand? Lou has always done it in the past with Soriano, and now he decides not to. Why? Not saying Soriano has a right to be pissed, but we dont know the whole story of what Lou has told Soriano would be protocol with something like this.

 

Who cares why he didn't do it this time? It's Soriano crying like a baby to the press when he's playing like crap. That's going to rub people the wrong way.

[jersey cubs fan]

I don't care how he feels about the knee pain: if it's there, he's gotta go on the DL to try and deal with it. It's not rocket science to think that the knee pain is likely a huge part, if not THE reason, for his prolonged offensive struggles.

 

I've thought for a while that he just needs some time off. He's gone through slumps before but never anything like this. I guess it's possible that he's falling off a cliff with his hitting, but I don't think that's likely. If he had dropped 50 points off his OPS, I'd be more likely to believe that he's just getting older, but 170 points just seems too extreme.

 

With how he's hitting, it's not like he's helping the team all that much so I don't see the big deal with sending him to the 15-day DL, giving him two weeks off and bringing him back to see what he can do then. As far as I'm concerned, a DL stint can't result in anything bad. If he continues to suck, well, it's the same production that he's giving now. But if it helps him, then he might actually start to help the team offensively.

 

Why isn't it possible for a guy like Soriano to fall off a cliff? I mean, I would think somebody like him, with a horrible approach at the plate, no discipline at all, reliant on god given ability almost exclusively, would be a prime candidate for cliff diving once his body starts to give out on him. He's approaching his mid 30's and getting injured frequently, and somewhat flukishly. That's what happens to dudes after 30. I think the injuries are much more of a symptom than a cause for struggles. They are the injuries of a tightly muscled dude who is no longer 28 years old.

[treebird]

come on guys, this is paul sullivan. we all know that he went and pestered soriano with 50 questions trying to bait him into saying something the least bit negative so he'd have a story.

 

don't buy into this stuff. non-issue.