That is just all kinds of nonsense. Soriano was never a superstar. His is producing right now at 33, at just about the same rate he produced at 28 for Texas. He is well outside his peak age range, and nothing he has done can be considered surprising. Everybody with a brain knew the contract was bad. Everybody knew his best years would be in the beginning, and that it could get ugly. I don't believe he scratched the surface of how ugly he can get down the road. Furthermore what he's done this year is one good month and one bad. And he's had plenty of bad months in his career. Nothing that has happened can be considered shocking. Soto didn't have spring training, got fat, and now he stinks. That happens. The closest "surprise" is Bradley struggling, but that can't be considered entirely flukey, given his age and injury history, plus the lack of a longterm track record of significant success. High payroll teams have to be built to withstand setbacks, the Cubs didn't really suffer any last year, but now they are going through what teams go through all the time, and looking really weak in the process.