I was hoping he'd stay on the market for awhile. I didn't see the Astros signing him, but if he goes off the market early, it is just going to drive the price up for Carlos Lee http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6188248?FSO1&ATT=HMA Cubs close to landing Soriano Ken Rosenthal / FOXSports.com Posted: 9 minutes ago The Cubs are on the verge of signing free-agent outfielder Alfonso Soriano, FOXSports.com has learned. Soriano, 30, is believed to be seeking an eight-year deal for approximately $17 million per season, which could put the total value of his package in the range of $135 million. The Astros, Phillies and Angels also had been pursuing Soriano. The Cubs have talked about playing Soriano in center field, but it's still possible they will use him on one of the outfield corners, depending upon what else they accomplish. The team also has pursued free-agent center fielder Gary Matthews and pondered the notion of signing free-agent infielder Julio Lugo to play center. The addition of Soriano would be the latest in a flurry of off-season moves by general manager Jim Hendry. The Cubs opened the off-season by re-signing third baseman Aramis Ramirez to a five-year, $75 million contract and re-signing right-hander Kerry Wood to a one-year, $5.25 million deal. They also have signed free-agent infielder Mark DeRosa to a three-year, $13 million contract and re-signed free-agent catcher Henry Blanco to a two-year, $5.25 million deal.
MSNBC is reporting this to. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15803624/ Cubs reportedly sign Soriano for $136 million Outfielder will get eight-year deal as Chicago makes big free-agent splash SportsTicker Updated: 1 minute ago CHICAGO - The Chicago Cubs’ ownership is showing new manager Lou Piniella that they are serious about winning. Chicago radio station ESPN 1000 reported Sunday that the Cubs have signed outfielder Alfonso Soriano to an eight-year contract worth approximately $136 million. The move would clearly mark the highlight in an already busy offseason for the Cubs, who have signed free-agent infielder Mark DeRosa and have re-signed third baseman Aramis Ramirez and righthander Kerry Wood. But the biggest prize is Soriano, who is coming off an outstanding all-around season for the Washington Nationals in which he hit .277 with 46 home runs and 95 RBI. The 30-year-old ranked third in the National League in homers and also stole 41 bases — the sixth-highest total in the circuit. After complaining in spring training about having to move from second base to left field, Soriano blossomed in his new surroundings. He led the league with 22 outfield assists, six more than his closest competitor, and displayed respectable range for a converted infielder. Soriano became the first player in baseball history with 40 home runs, 40 stolen bases and 20 outfield assists in a single season. He also became the first member of the 40-40-40 club, which encapsulates homers, stolen bases and doubles. An All-Star in each of the last five years, Soriano owns a .280 average with 208 home runs and 560 RBI in eight seasons with the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers and the Nationals. Soriano won the AL Rookie of the Year award with the Yankees in 2001, when he hit .268 with 18 homers and 73 RBI. He finished third in MVP voting the following season, when he increased his average to .300 and collected 39 homers and 102 RBI.
I know the market is dictating the contracts... but Soriano is NOT worth $136 million. He won't help the Cubs as much as he's getting paid to. He'll also give Oswalt plenty of more opportunities to rack up some K's on him.
Thats a ridiculous price tag... As much as I wanted him, Im glad we avoided that train wreck of a contract.
According to this he will not only play center but will leadoff as well. That is one expensive leadoff hitter.
waste. he will help them. but batting him leadoff and having him play CF marginalizes that help. very cub-esque, though. cubs should be far more concerned about signing starting pitching.
I agree on the part about batting leadoff, but if he can play a competent CF, that's huge for them. As a CF, he'd be one of the top 3 or 4 in the game. As a LF, he's good, but he's not wow-numbers. They can find a good LF easier/cheaper than they can a good CF.
The problem is that Lee is going to now want a similar deal, and I worry that there will be some other team stupid enough to give it to him. I don't think either of them are worth that kind of money for that long.
well take it for what it's worth but on another board (in their soriano to cubs thread) one of the posters mentioned that buster olnley said the astros were close to a deal with lee.
I'm not being hyperbolic when I say this may be the worst free agent deal in history not involving. Rockies. That's pretty tough to do with a player the caliber of Soriano. Only the Cubs could be the off-season's biggest loser by signing the best player on the market.
The only way I can figure this out is that from the Cubs point of view they have Derek Lee and Ramirez at third to protect Soriano. An 8 year deal for *anybody* is insane, though. No team will want to eat that contract and they will be tied up for years by this. They sure have a lot of money tied up into three players. I thought De Rosa at three years, $13 million was nuts. Look how much money they blew on the bullpen last year. They're getting it all wrong. Starting pitching, starting pitching, starting pitching. The Cubs have never had a problem scoring runs...it's striking out, situational hitting and defense that has killed them over the years. Having Soriano bat lead-off and play center is not going to solve any of these issues, either. As strange as it is to say, I am actually glad the Cubs got Soriano if they had to sink 130 million into him.
