Soriano position specualtion

IronMan4 · February 18, 2004

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1737869

I don't care where he plays on defense, I just want him to have the green light to steal. This could be a 40-40 guy (he has come very close before).

Zeke · February 18, 2004

In my opionion Buck is a little reluctant to steal at times (or whoever is calling those shots). I do hope with speed (i.e. Nivar and Soriano) he gets men in scoring position a little more often. Nivar blew me away with his base running speed last season.

IronMan4 · February 18, 2004

Tony Womack got a huge number of steals a few seasons ago under Showalter, so that is a good sign.

A writer for the NT Tues.-Fri. called Soriano "mediocre" today. It was the first time I had picked it up all semester and will now be the last. The ignorance is amazing. If being one HR shy of 40-40 is "mediocre", I would like see what he considers good.

Zeke · February 18, 2004

Wow, that is a new level of ignorance. Soriano mediocre...........that is crazyness.

IronMan4 · February 18, 2004

It was close to being as bad as a writer who suggested a couple of years ago that Cowboys fans model themselves after Saints fans or the Cowboys would get moved to Fort Worth. So many insane things about that, I couldn't even organize them well enough to write the editor.

UNTLifer · February 19, 2004

I am not discounting Soriano's talent, but I am not blown away by him either. We just traded away what many consider to be the best player in baseball and didn't even get the best second baseman in return.

Soriano committed 19 errors at second last year. He also hit about .270 against the pitching outside of the AL East. With the unbalanced schedule he as able to hit about .330 against the East that included very weak staffs in Baltimore, Toronto and Tampa Bay.

Is Soriano good? Sure. Great? I don't know, but I do now the Rangers didn't get equal value in return plus no pitching that will help right away. In fact, I would say the Yankees are pleased to get rid of Soriano in light of his disappearing act in the World Series last year. I would also say that of all the help the Rangers need, 2nd base isn't one of their needs. Michael Young is a Gold Glover that only committed 10 errors and had the highest fielding percentage in the AL among second basemen.

This was a BAD trade.

February 19, 2004

I don't think anyone here is saying that Soriano is a good fielder because it is widely known that he is not. That is why he will likely get tried out at CF to see if that position is better for him.

IronMan4 · February 19, 2004

Lifer, no matter how many errors he had at a position not natural to him, a perennial legit 40-40 threat is not anywhere NEAR "mediocre".

Nobody was equal in a trade for A-Rod, not even Soriano, but that doesn't make him "mediocre".

UNTLifer · February 19, 2004

Lifer, no matter how many errors he had at a position not natural to him, a perennial legit 40-40 threat is not anywhere NEAR "mediocre".
Nobody was equal in a trade for A-Rod, not even Soriano, but that doesn't make him "mediocre".

I never said he was "mediocre." My point was:

The Rangers did not receive equal value in return.

The Rangers received a player that plays a position that we do not need help at.

The received no pitching help, which is what they really need.

The Rangers may attempt to move Soriano to CF, but he has stated that 2b is his position and he really doesn't want to move. The move could totally backfire, he becomes disgruntled, his stats go down and the Rangers end up with nothing to show for A-Rod other than monthly payments on his home in Highland Park, his luxury suites and his salary in NY.

Canseco was also a 40-40 player and ended up an idiot and a flop in the outfield.

I hope that some day the soreness will wear off and Hicks is able to pull his pants back up from around his ankles. He has turned this club into the laughingstock of MLB, lost all credibility with his fans and allowed himself to be bent over the couch by George Steinbrenner. BAD TRADE.