This is why the cubs will never win it all
- Thread starter Arliss
- Start date
Rare baseball bet for me. Took a few things today...including the Cubs. Amazing...
Just some bad luck, he lost it in the sun. Still, amazing to lose a bet that way.
Just some bad luck, he lost it in the sun. Still, amazing to lose a bet that way.
- Jun 11, 2007
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And pretty much the same reason SORIANO WILL NEVER BE MENTIONED AS A GREAT!!!!! Lost it in the sun?? With a pair of $250 shades on.....HE IS INJURY AND MISTAKE PRONE!!!! BAD THING IS HE MAKES HIS MISTAKES WHEN I BET THE ON THE FU(KERS, HE IS ONE OF THOSE PLAYERS THAT BURN ME NO MATTER WHICH WAY I PLAY HIM!
Yeah, it was hard to tell so I was giving the guy the benefit of the doubt. I know he's not a great fielder and I know he had the shades on.
Just simply amazing to watch a win go to a loss that way.
Just simply amazing to watch a win go to a loss that way.
Cubs win, but question hounds Soriano
CUBS 3, DODGERS 1 | Solid pitching, key hitting stop L.A. -- but what's the story on Soriano?
May 27, 2008
BY GORDON WITTENMYER gwittenmyer@suntimes.com
Not even the man who turned Alfonso Soriano into a leadoff hitter thought it was such a good fit.
''No, not really,'' said Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre, who had the Cubs' left fielder when Soriano came up with the New York Yankees. ''But of all our options, he was our best bet up at the top of the batting order.''
Soriano's power and good-enough speed made him viable there when Chuck Knoblauch cycled out of New York after the 2001 season, Torre said Monday.
Torre, a fan of Soriano's ability and passion, also recalled trying the imperfect fielder at several positions, including third base and the outfield -- even center field in intrasquad spring games -- before settling on a so-so second base. So he wasn't surprised when Soriano moved to left field two years ago.
''I just felt he was an athlete and could probably try anything you wanted him to,'' Torre said.
All of which serves to underscore the fact that not much has changed about the charismatic, enigmatic Soriano since he first broke into the big leagues six All-Star appearances and 136 million dollars ago.
Except for this: He looks like he can't run anymore, and that throws a wrench into the middle of every awkward, shoehorned fit he and the Cubs are clinging to.
And that's complicated by this: By all accounts, he actually can still run and has been thoroughly, physically tested and cleared to do so.
''The only thing that I see missing a little bit is the good, quick spurt,'' manager Lou Piniella said. ''Outside of that, I don't see much difference.''
After the Cubs' 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday at Wrigley Field, Soriano -- who missed two weeks in April with a calf strain -- declared repeatedly, ''Today was the best day I've felt in my legs.''
That was partly in response to questions about why he didn't advance from first to third on Ryan Theriot's single to right in the sixth or score from second on Aramis Ramirez's one-out single to right later in the inning.
It appeared to cost the Cubs a run in a 2-1 game when Kosuke Fukudome followed Ramirez by bouncing into a 1-2-3 double play.
Soriano and Piniella both called it a tough read on Ramirez's in-between drive, with right fielder Andre Ethier throwing in a deke job.
''With one out, I wanted to make sure I didn't do something stupid there,'' Soriano said of playing it safe and loping into third.
This, of course, came one day after Soriano's dropped fly ball in the sun at Pittsburgh with two out in the bottom of the ninth that led to an extra-inning loss.
And although that had nothing to do with an inability to run well, it has fueled the Soriano critics clamoring for one of the highest-paid players in the sport to be lifted late in games for a defensive replacement.
Soriano responded by saying he doesn't agree: ''No, there's nothing wrong. Like I say, this is the best day I've felt. My legs feel fine.''
Questioned at length about Soriano before Monday's game, Piniella suggested again he has no intention of removing Soriano late in games. He also sidestepped the contention by TV analyst and former manager Bob Brenly on Sunday that Soriano simply is not a good outfielder.:mj07:
Eventually, it all came back to the health of Soriano's legs and his perplexing admission to Piniella in recent days that he didn't have ''confidence'' in running aggressively for fear of re-injury.
''Let's hope he's not hiding a deficiency or his legs are bothering him,'' Piniella said. ''Outside of that, the guy gets his work. He plays to win. He's doing the best he can. That's all I can expect as a manager.
''Yes, you're in this thing to win games, and I understand all that. And he's giving me what he's got.''
CUBS 3, DODGERS 1 | Solid pitching, key hitting stop L.A. -- but what's the story on Soriano?
May 27, 2008
BY GORDON WITTENMYER gwittenmyer@suntimes.com
Not even the man who turned Alfonso Soriano into a leadoff hitter thought it was such a good fit.
''No, not really,'' said Los Angeles Dodgers manager Joe Torre, who had the Cubs' left fielder when Soriano came up with the New York Yankees. ''But of all our options, he was our best bet up at the top of the batting order.''
Soriano's power and good-enough speed made him viable there when Chuck Knoblauch cycled out of New York after the 2001 season, Torre said Monday.
Torre, a fan of Soriano's ability and passion, also recalled trying the imperfect fielder at several positions, including third base and the outfield -- even center field in intrasquad spring games -- before settling on a so-so second base. So he wasn't surprised when Soriano moved to left field two years ago.
''I just felt he was an athlete and could probably try anything you wanted him to,'' Torre said.
All of which serves to underscore the fact that not much has changed about the charismatic, enigmatic Soriano since he first broke into the big leagues six All-Star appearances and 136 million dollars ago.
Except for this: He looks like he can't run anymore, and that throws a wrench into the middle of every awkward, shoehorned fit he and the Cubs are clinging to.
And that's complicated by this: By all accounts, he actually can still run and has been thoroughly, physically tested and cleared to do so.
''The only thing that I see missing a little bit is the good, quick spurt,'' manager Lou Piniella said. ''Outside of that, I don't see much difference.''
After the Cubs' 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday at Wrigley Field, Soriano -- who missed two weeks in April with a calf strain -- declared repeatedly, ''Today was the best day I've felt in my legs.''
That was partly in response to questions about why he didn't advance from first to third on Ryan Theriot's single to right in the sixth or score from second on Aramis Ramirez's one-out single to right later in the inning.
It appeared to cost the Cubs a run in a 2-1 game when Kosuke Fukudome followed Ramirez by bouncing into a 1-2-3 double play.
Soriano and Piniella both called it a tough read on Ramirez's in-between drive, with right fielder Andre Ethier throwing in a deke job.
''With one out, I wanted to make sure I didn't do something stupid there,'' Soriano said of playing it safe and loping into third.
This, of course, came one day after Soriano's dropped fly ball in the sun at Pittsburgh with two out in the bottom of the ninth that led to an extra-inning loss.
And although that had nothing to do with an inability to run well, it has fueled the Soriano critics clamoring for one of the highest-paid players in the sport to be lifted late in games for a defensive replacement.
Soriano responded by saying he doesn't agree: ''No, there's nothing wrong. Like I say, this is the best day I've felt. My legs feel fine.''
Questioned at length about Soriano before Monday's game, Piniella suggested again he has no intention of removing Soriano late in games. He also sidestepped the contention by TV analyst and former manager Bob Brenly on Sunday that Soriano simply is not a good outfielder.:mj07:
Eventually, it all came back to the health of Soriano's legs and his perplexing admission to Piniella in recent days that he didn't have ''confidence'' in running aggressively for fear of re-injury.
''Let's hope he's not hiding a deficiency or his legs are bothering him,'' Piniella said. ''Outside of that, the guy gets his work. He plays to win. He's doing the best he can. That's all I can expect as a manager.
''Yes, you're in this thing to win games, and I understand all that. And he's giving me what he's got.''
