| Hot Spring Batters: |
Average
|
Extra Base Hits
|
RBI
|
|
A. Soriano
|
.450
|
7 (4 HR)
|
6
|
|
J. Mather
|
.444
|
3
|
6
|
|
D. Barney
|
.421
|
4
|
7
|
| Cold Spring Batters: |
Average
|
Extra Base Hits
|
RBI
|
|
G. Soto
|
.200
|
x
|
x
|
|
D. DeJesus
|
.167
|
2
|
x
|
|
J. Vitters
|
.154
|
2
|
2
|
| Hot Spring Pitchers: |
Record
|
Games
|
Innings
|
ERA
|
|
R. Lopez
|
(0-0)
|
3
|
7.0
|
2.57
|
|
J. Samardzija
|
(1-0)
|
2
|
6.0
|
3.00
|
|
L. Castillo
|
(0-0)
|
4
|
5.0
|
1.80
|
| Cold Spring Pitchers: |
Record
|
Games
|
Innings
|
ERA
|
|
M. Garza
|
(1-1)
|
2
|
3.1
|
16.20
|
|
C. Marmol
|
(1-1)
|
4
|
3.2
|
17.80
|
|
T. Wood
|
(1-1)
|
2
|
2.2
|
20.25
|
Dale Sveum pictures Alfonso Soriano hitting in the cleanup spot. Really?
Seems hard to believe given the 36-year-old isn’t nearly the hitter he was five years ago when he joined the Cubs.
Even Mike Quade never hit Soriano above the fifth spot last season, instead using him primarily as a sixth & seventh hole hitter, which seems more in line for a guy who batted .244 with an on-base percentage of less than .300.
Of course, Quade had Aramis and Pena. Sveum has, well, Soriano, whose 26 home runs in 2011 tied Aramis for second most on the team and trailed only Carlos Pena’s 28 HR. Soriano’s 88 RBI was also second best, trailing A-Ram’s 93 RBI.
But with Ramirez and Pena having departed the North Side, Alfonso remains the Cubs most experienced power bat, which appears why Sveum will pencil him into the four hole.
Alfonso Soriano an Atlanta Brave?
It’s not that far fetched if the Cubs can somehow package Soriano in a deal with Marlon Byrd, who the Braves have been interested in acquiring over the last 10 months.
Soriano’s insistence on being dealt to a contender makes Atlanta an ideal destination considering the Braves were a postseason shoe-in before its historic September collapse enabled St. Louis to win the Wild Card.
And with Atlanta having avoided the signing of a single free agent this winter, Soriano’s bat and Byrd’s outfield versatility could be the complementary pieces to push the Braves back into October.
Trade rumors for the Cubs have been relatively quite since early last week.
Not even the Cubs Convention stirred the pot, with the excessive fanfare coming and going with barely a peep about possible trades including Matt Garza, Alfonso Soriano or others. But that doesn’t mean I’m without suspicions.
Alfonso Soriano turns 36-years-old on January 7.
That’s far too old for the rebuilding Cubs, not to mention, his lengthy history of injuries, poor fielding and ungodly $18M per year contract.
It’s no wonder the offseason outlook to trade him remains bleak, despite the fact the Cubs are reportedly willing to eat an unsightly $40M remaining on his $54M contract.
That said, Soriano does appear to hold some value as a DH in the American League, at least according to Bill James’ Career Assessment calculator.
Here’s what I uncovered after plugging Soriano’s numbers into James’ formula to project final career totals for players.
The rumored interest of the Cubs in former Red Sox Coco Crisp and Jason Varitek could be telling of potential trades on the horizon.
A deal for Crisp would reaffirm the speculation Alfonso Soriano is headed out of town via trade, and a Varitek signing could mean Geovany Soto has played his last game as a Cub.
The speculatory trade talks regarding Carlos Zambrano has over shadowed another possible deal that could largely restructure the Cubs payroll and roster.
That being Alfonso Soriano, 35, who’s owed $58.35M through 2014.
If the Cubs are still willing to eat a “major, major chunk” of Sori’s deal, as they noted in late August, then there’s reason to believe some team will be interested in landing the seven-time All Star.
A few Cubs notes heading into the season’s final series this week in San Diego.
-Chicago has three players with 25 or more HR this year including Carlos Pena (28), Aramis Ramirez (25) & Alfonso Soriano (25).
Milwaukee is the only other club in the NL to match the same feat with Prince Fielder (35), Ryan Braun (33) & Corey Hart (25).
The last time the Cubs reached this same mark was 2004 when four players hit 25 or more HR: Moises Alou (39), Aramis (36), Sammy Sosa (35) & Derrek Lee (32).
