Left Field: Get Alfonso Soriano!

[Tony-OH]

Really? Because Chris Davis is currently out OPS'ing him by a good deal...

Recommending Alfonso Soriano for our defensive woes in LF is a bit like recommending someone smoke Camels instead of Lucky Strikes to fix their cough.

I don't care who you are, that's funny right there!

[Flacco Machado]

I don't care who you are, that's funny right there!

I just think Soriano's offensive output would outweigh any defensive issues. He is not as bad as some make him out to be.

[Babypowder]

I just think Soriano's offensive output would outweigh any defensive issues. He is not as bad as some make him out to be.

The same guy who put up a .289 OBP last year? The same guy who is owed 18 million dollars the next two years?

[Mayor McCheese]

The same guy who put up a .289 OBP last year? The same guy who is owed 18 million dollars the next two years?

If you can get him for $2/3MM a year, it's not a bad deal at all. If it doesn't work out... worse case scenario.. he stinks and we just eat the $$ and move on.

I am guessing it would be more of an expirement like the A's did with Justice (the ability to get on base)

[Babypowder]

If you can get him for $2/3MM a year, it's not a bad deal at all. If it doesn't work out... worse case scenario.. he stinks and we just eat the $$ and move on.

I am guessing it would be more of an expirement like the A's did with Justice (the ability to get on base)

If we can get that cheaply without giving up anything I guess it wouldn't be horrible. I'd rather just let Avery play and sink or swim. We aren't winning anything with this team.

I'm not sure what kind of experiment you're talking about. Justice could still get on base and that is why the A's took a shot on him. Alfonso Soriano has never been able to get on base well, and he has been especially bad at it recently, including an embarrassing .289 last year.

[El Gordo]

Really? Because Chris Davis is currently out OPS'ing him by a good deal...

Recommending Alfonso Soriano for our defensive woes in LF is a bit like recommending someone smoke Camels instead of Lucky Strikes to fix their cough.

Are Camels that much worse tha Lucky Strikes?

[DrungoHazewood]

Really? Because Chris Davis is currently out OPS'ing him by a good deal...

Recommending Alfonso Soriano for our defensive woes in LF is a bit like recommending someone smoke Camels instead of Lucky Strikes to fix their cough.

At least with Soriano, his bat would overcome any defensive issues. I just want somebody that can catch the damn ball. This is getting beyond ridiculous! :cussing:

If he hits like last year, or the year before, or the year before his bat ain't overcoming anything. To summarize: He's a 36-year-old left fielder with a below-average bat, awful on-base skills, and a poor glove, making $18M a year. I'm fully on board with acquiring him just so long as the Cubs pay us $40M and don't expect any real players to be coming back their way.

Soriano is such an unbelievably bad idea, I can't grasp how so many people are behind it. The guy is bad defender and despite a decent start this season so far, he has also been a pretty awful hitter the last few seasons. He's also owed a ton of money. We aren't going to win this year, this team isn't good. I hope DD knows that like most of us do and doesn't waste anything on Alfonso Soriano.

Again, if the O's are trading away a Grade D arm from Delmarva, and the Cubs throw in $40M, why not? Of course if the deal is something like Schoop for Soriano and minimal salary help that's about as useful as smacking yourself in the face with a tack hammer.

I just think Soriano's offensive output would outweigh any defensive issues. He is not as bad as some make him out to be.

Yes, that's true. Some folks think he's some kind of anti-messiah who would lead the entire Baltimore metro area into eternal hellfire and damnation. I think he's a bit more useful than that.

[Bohs&O's]

I'm all for soriano. He could even play second in emergency situations.

[Mayor McCheese]

I'm all for soriano. He could even play second in emergency situations.

shirley you can't be serious

[Bohs&O's]

Emergency. I'd say if roberts, andino, and flaherty all went down in the same game.hah. I guess that's like saying jones could play ss in an emergency though...

[VeveJones007]

This:

Soriano is such an unbelievably bad idea, I can't grasp how so many people are behind it. The guy is bad defender and despite a decent start this season so far, he has also been a pretty awful hitter the last few seasons. He's also owed a ton of money. We aren't going to win this year, this team isn't good. I hope DD knows that like most of us do and doesn't waste anything on Alfonso Soriano.

and this:

I'd rather we bring up Avery and cut one of our 500 DH's. It's not like we're hitting well anyway, why not at least play good D and help our pitchers out at the same time.

[Austin]

Soriano's OBP over the last four years (including this season) is .308. He's not exactly an offensive juggernaut and his defense is pretty terrible. If we have to take him on in a deal for Garza, I wouldn't mind.. but I don't particularly think we should be targeting him.

[RichmondOsFan]

Why wouldn't the O's look at acquiring LF Josh Willingham of the Twins, who is apparently also available, instead of Soriano? Little bit younger, better defensively, .843 career OPS (.915 this year). Would the trade cost be too high?

[jamalshw]

shirley you can't be serious

He is serious and don't call him Shirley.

Overall, I'd much rather go after DeJesus if we're targeting a Cubs OFer. At least there is OBP there. That's what we are lacking offensively. (Too bad he's day-to-day right now though).

Think about it, DeJesus could push Hardy lower in the order and add OBP to our horrible top of the order.

[DrungoHazewood]

Why wouldn't the O's look at acquiring LF Josh Willingham of the Twins, who is apparently also available, instead of Soriano? Little bit younger, better defensively, .843 career OPS (.915 this year). Would the trade cost be too high?

I think the idea is that Soriano is so obscenely overpaid that the O's could expect and demand what would otherwise be a very lopsided deal in their favor. For example, I wouldn't pull the trigger on a Soriano deal unless the O's received some combination of $10s of millions in salary relief and/or Matt Garza, and only had to give up middling or minor prospects.

Willingham might come at a higher cost in talent.