9/9 Prime time Soriano
Alfonso Soriano picked the right NFL jersey to wear on Sunday. The Cubs players celebrated the start of pro football season by wearing their favorite jerseys, and Soriano picked Deion Sanders, Mr. Prime Time. Soriano was the Cubs’ prime time player on Sunday, hitting a tie-breaking two-run home run. He’s now closing in on 100 RBIs for the first time since 2005. Soriano, who didn’t hit his first homer of the season until May 15, now has 94 RBIs, the most in a single-season since he drove in 95 in 2006 with the Nationals.
“It’s like he’s on a mission right now,” Dale Sveum said. “Since May 15, him and [the Brewers' Ryan] Braun are neck and neck in RBIs and homers. Sori’s had one heck of a 4 1/2 months to this point. It’s been pretty spectacular.”
He’s definitely not feeling his age.
“I’m 36 years old, working, and I don’t feel like 36,” Soriano said. “I have my hands and my power and that’s more important. I want to prove to my teammates and people outside that I’m 36 but I don’t feel like I’m 36 and I can do a lot of things in this game.”
– Carrie Muskat
mlblogsmuskat1
O.k. SORRY So you are approaching Carlos Pena numbers on the worst Cub team in history. Put that in your scrapbook. Yeah, we get it–you said you are 36 4 times in one paragraph. Your agent schooled you well last week. Enjoy the playoffs and world series on the couch. Whoops, pardon me, you care less about those events.
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how is he approaching Pena numbers?? They are no where near the same…
Last year Pena paid 10 mill. by cubs and had 28 homers and 80 rbi. This year being Sorry+s best year 28 homers and 94 rbi. and we pay him 20 million. Except for the ten million dollar difference very similar numbers.
o i forgot the only stats are homers and RBIs…
I would like to see Soriano finish his contract with the Cubs. You failed to mention he has zero errors (I think) this year and he is going hard after everything.
I never fail to mention that sorry has been the worst left fielder in the league for many years. Trotting around catchable fly balls–never going near the wall-throwing or just slinging the ball to the wrong base-standing at homeplate and never hustling. That is until this season when he was literally threatened by Sveum and McKay that no longer would that be tolerated. He is passive-aggressive and will smile while inside he says kiss my ass. Talk to any of the pitchers down through the years who had to watch him screw up easy outs or coaches who tried to get him to change. He is not fan friendly-likes to stare at girls in the stands but no autographs for kids etc. I know him–have been around him for years and one year of hustling does not make up for the years of taking advantage of our team. Idolizing this jerk is a mistake.
You sure have not been watching the same Soriano I have been watching. He has been diving and running into the brick wall making plays. He is certainly in the top half of starting LF in the national league when it comes to effort and fielding. I think he has a total of Zero errors. He has the winning RBI in the last four games, hit 27 home runs and 94 RBI. Since May he has been right there with Ryan Braun in these stats. We should be lucky enough to have two more Soriano’s in the outfield. He has been our best offensive player by far this year. I am pulling for him to reach 100 RBI and 30 HR. If he continues like he has he will reach these coveted numbers. If you want to complain about our offense then look some place else as he is one of the better offensive players in the NL this year. I much hope he spends the last year of his contract with the Cubs as we have no one ever remotely close to him in offense. He also holds his own in defense with no errors and a big effort on all his plays.
He has hustled and improved this year. I guess you did not have access to wgn or go to wrigley field the previous years when he let his teammates down. Again, I told you that Sveum laid the law down this spring–that was not a secret in spring training for many of us there. Ask any of the sports writers–it was no secret.
I do recall his seemingly lack of effort last year. I also remember he had some real issues with his legs but played anyway and never made an issue or excuse about his legs. He said his legs were 100% at the start of this season. His lacke of effort last year may have been more leg problems than real effort. Anyway this year he is playing really great I think. His numbers for fielding and hitting, HR, RBI, game winning hits, etc reflect just how good he has been. I recall him actually limping when going after a ball or even running the bases.
He has one error this year but still very much improved. He’s had an issue with defense going back to the yankees so it’s good to see McKay having him turn it around. I had never seen him rob someone of a homerun before until the other day. With the more dispersed interleague play next year he might actually be of some value. It’s just too bad he can’t steal bases anymore.
haha you act like you know the guy personally… you don’t… plain and simple you only see the bad… it has been said time and time again how much impact Soriano has in the club house. He is a mentor and a stand up guy. I think part of the reason he has struggled the past few years is because he just wasn’t healthy… his body is breaking down. He just kept playing through it and never complained. This year he has been healthy and you can now see his range getting worse because its later in the season and again his body just needs the rest. I am not saying he is worth the 19mill that he gets paid. What I am saying is you know nothing about him personally…neither do i but I know what I have read and its always been positive.
Petrey–I do know the con artist personally and you might guess we are not close friends-so whaat I am saying is that you know nothing about me and only read about Sorii.
haha ok but you said “I know him… have been around him for many years.” What you meant is I don’t know him and like to run my mouth… got it… I agree with what you meant to say
I admit Soriano has GREATLY IMPROVED his defense. Greatly improving HIS defense….was it really that hard to do? This does not make him a very good outfielder. None-the-less, he DID improve by his own effort, he has very good offensive numbers and we can’t blame Mother Natue for robbing him of his speed. All that said he is still not a very disciplined hitter and his average suffers for it, he is not very intuitive in the outfield despite having only one error. What it comes down to is a shame that he pretty much wasted a good part of his career by turning the lights on a little too late. His plaque on the wall at Wrigley would have to include “Too Little, Too Late”. The next two years with him in LF will be tolerable at best and despite his “great” season I would like to see him traded to an AL contending team that can milk some offense out of him and allow him to go out in style. I can only think he would want to remain a Cub to avoid failing in the spotlight of a contending team and that is sad.
Right on Joey. This guy led all MLB at 2nd from 2001 to 2005 for errors. A disaster for any pitcher on the mound. Now to left field –in 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011. led all mlb leftfielders in errors and in all those years had mlb lowest fielding percentage. Now is that not special. Remember if a fielder does not touch a line drive or touch a flyball it is ruled a hit and he circled more popups and flyballs than any other player. So Sveum lays the law down in Spring training and he improves. By the way he quit in Japan as a youngster because(he did not like the rigorous training schedule) and that is the real sorrannie. Been around this lazy jerk way too many years–he was always a con. Even now with the Ricketts willing to pay 90 percent of his salary,nobody really wants him.
Did not the Giants want him? But HE nixed the deal? I still think he avoids being exposed on better teams and finds it veeeeeeery comfortable disguising his weaknesses…on a weak team….he wouldn’t look so good playing amid hi-caliber, demanding ball players and managers.
yes the giants did want him… baltimore wanted him last year… he just doesn’t want to go anywhere because he is comfortable here. Now that does tick me off… more than anything…. if the FO works out a deal to trade you then its a sign of get the heck out of here. Dempster did the same thing… thats why NTC SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When all is said and done, whether one likes him or not…it’s a shame he is not finishing his career on a contender. In a way I feel bad for him, after all he does have some good stats that could have been put to better use elsewhere. Oh well, bring on 2013!!!
Another heads up play by sorrry. the bases loaded and he forgets-so does not run on a ground ball. Who would want him in a playoff game.
Keep going Sorry…keep going mate. More HRs, more RBIs….no errors…I want to be entertained.
Soriano is one of the few reasons to watch the Cubs play. At least we can watch him seek 30 HR and 100 RBI. In doing so he won 4 games in a row with the winning hit. I Sure do not go to watch Vitters or Jackson or some of our pitchers from I do not know where. How all the critics can get all over him when he is by far our best player out there day in and day out. Sort of like a dog biting its own tail.
John–last year we got to see Carlos Pena seek 30 homeruns and 100 rbi just like loser sori and was that not special–with us 20 games back.
John, I am genuinely happy you enjoy watching Soriano’s quest for personal acheivement and truly wish I felt the same. I for one acknowledge Soriano is having one of his best years as a Cub but for some reason his good year rings hollow to me and I cannot enjoy watching him play knowing he turned it on too late and is still a poorly disciplined hitter and only a good outfielder when he is withing catching distance of a routine flyball. I do watch the Cubs because of players like Barney, Castro, Rizzo and also for the “thrill” of finding out which of the other kids are busts (possibly Vitters) or keepers (possibly Jackson), not to mention the young pitchers and what they have to offer. But to watch because Soriano is special or exciting is just not for me, he is not the KIND of player that I think quality, contending teams build around. i think we respectfully understand each other?
Teams like the Giants that DID want Sorry for their playoff run DO realize he is NOT a very good all around ball player and is NOT the hitter you would want with the game ON THE LINE, however it is a calculated risk that despite all of Sorry’s minuses, his one or two pluses (homeruns/RBI’s) would help score runs allowing the playoff contending team to have a better chance of either winning a game or being in a “GAME ON THE LINE” situation, allowing a BETTER, MORE COMPETANT hitter to drive in the tying or winning run. It’s a reasonable risk by the Giants to have pursued Sorry for this season’s playoff run. Now they, and the world knows Sorry’s true motivation…..rule in hell rather than serve in heaven. I hope Hoystein continues a concerted effort in trying to convince Sorry he would be better off finishing his career on another team and is indeed traded this coming winter.
Disagree. Soriano’s home-runs and RBI’s are home-runs and rbi’s . He is hustling now and now is what counts. The passed cannot be changed. How many of those contenders like the Giants have a LF who has his numbers? I would like to see him back in LF for the Cubs next year. We do not need antother Josh Vitters in LF no matter how young he is or how good in playied in the minors. Last year Soriano was plagued by some bad leg issues all year.
Disagree. When did Josh Vitters ever play LF? (or do you mean somebody as bad as Vitters in general?) We do not need Soriano the next two years despite his homeruns and rbi. The team is moving in the right direction to compete well past Sorry’s contract expiration date and trading him for prospects would be better suited to accomplish something rather than be entertained by his homeruns, rbi’s, diminishing agility, lack of instinct, horrendous plate discipline…he is a catch 22….not bad to have around….but only if you are stuck with him…
Led the major leagues in errors in 2001 and 2002 and 2003 and 2004 and 2005 and 2006 and 2007 and 2008 and 2009 and 2010 and 2011 plus poorest fielding percentage in all those years. Now after loafing all those years he is hustling only because Sveum and McKay got in his face bigtime–I along with all the managers and pitchers and knowledgeable fans do not forget his lack of desire–except to swing a too heavy bat. Fool me once–buyer beware.
Agree!!
Sorryiannie did not have a homerun the first 30 games this year but once we are completely out of hope Dale (orders) him to use a lighter bat which he had always refused. This is his comfort zone–to hit when it no longer means a darn thing–we are 40 games out and he is smiling all over the ballpark. Mentor my ass–not a competitive bone in his body. He belongs in a softball league where hitting a long flyball is entertainment. I always liked ballplayers who liked to win and compete for championships.
everything you just said was all a lie… Soriano has NEVER led the major leagues in Errors… he has had the most errors by a second baseman multiple times but never with the cubs. As a LF he has NEVER had the most of all LFers. Honestly if you are going to come on here and run your mouth please have something to back it up. You are just looking like another ignorant fan. Also what errors Soriano used to make he made up with having the MOST Putouts and assists so you could say him being in LF actually benefitted the club he was with some (some not a lot). Who has the highest fielding % of all LFers this year, the year that matters? Soriano……….. In the words of Will Ferrell, ” Shut ur mouth…. you’re sounding stupid right now”
i stand corrected he did lead all LFers with the Cubs 3 times… but not the most at all positions….
Petrey==re-read Wikeup and lool at 2009 and 2010 and 2011 and at the very bottom it relates how he led the major league leftfielders in errors and worst fielding percentage.Also 2006. I found an ignorant fan and it is you. Mouth kiss Soriano all you want but real baseball people know the truth.
Joey… Vitters played LF in the minors a few times…. thats when
you said Soriano led all the majors in errors 01 through 11 which is a false statement…. if you would have said he led all ML LFers in errors in 09, 10, and 11 you were right which I stated right after my post because I misread the baseball reference site. But never once has Soriano had more errors than anyone else in baseball.
Read my facts of Sept 10 at 8:39 which I talk about left field errors. Otherwise I will not bore anybody with the worst left fielder ever–especially that Carrie might ban me from all this fun.
how bout your comment 9/11 at 2:15pm…. you changed ur tune there….. whatever I am just saying watch what you say