Soriano Rejects 5 years 70 Million from Nats

[Frobby]

And is that his new approach or was that to get a bigger contract?

We can't go by what he did for one year and ignore the rest of his career.

SG, first of all, I have always said that we have to assume that Soriano's performance over 5 years is likely be similar to his career averages, not his performance this season. We can hope for more, and certainly the upside is there, but you can't do a deal assuming you are getting a .900 OPS guy when his career average is .835.

At the same time, I think it's ridiculous to think that Soriano took a more disciplined approach in order to earn a big contract, and will now abandon that approach once he is signed. Why would he do that? Either he learned something, or it was a fluke caused by his surrounding lineup and other factors, but I doubt he would change his approach, have great success, and then change back because it wasn't a contract year. That makes no sense at all.

By the way, we are always hearing what a great hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo is. He certainly didn't get the best out of Soriano.

[JTrea81]

By the way, we are always hearing what a great hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo is. He certainly didn't get the best out of Soriano.

On that note, considering Crowley likes free swingers, Soriano might have even better #'s here. Just look and see what he did with Patterson. I don't think it's any coincidence that Tejada is having his best years here. I think one could say Crowley is a perfect hitting coach for a free-swinging player.

[TonySoprano]

I hear the O's are sending him a fax and an e-mail now.

Not yet they haven't. The market hasn't set itself.

[Sports Guy]

He hit 26 home runs in 04, 36 in 05 and 46 in 06.

Whats your point?

Do you want to sign Soriano? If so, for how much?

[Why Not?]

Jose Rijo now denies the comments.

BC-BBN--Nationals-Soriano,0316

Nationals official denies saying Soriano rejected contract SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Nationals special assistant to the general manager Jose Rijo denied a published report Thursday that he told a radio station that Alfonso Soriano had rejected a $70 million, five-year contract.

“We have a meeting with Soriano this week, because we still want him to be on the team,” Rijo told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Thursday.

Rijo denied telling radio station 91.9 FM, based in San Cristobal, that the Nationals would not be able to sign Soriano for economic reasons. Thursday editions of the Dominican newspaper Listin Diario quoted Rijo as telling 91.9 FM: “It’s almost impossible this great player will stay on our payroll.”

Ramon Gonzalez, a 91.9 FM reporter who said he did the Rijo interview, insisted Rijo did make the comments.

“Rijo said that the Nationals were not going to sign Soriano for economic reasons, and that is the truth,” Gonzalez said.

But Rijo denied speaking with the radio station Wednesday.

“I haven’t made those statements,” Rijo said. “We’re doing everything we can to sign him. That’s why we didn’t trade (Soriano) before the deadline, because we think we have the chance to sign him.”

Soriano can test the free agency market; he played last season for Washington under a one-year, $10 million deal. The Dominican slugger is coming off the best season of his career, becoming the first 40-40-40 player (home runs-steals-doubles) in major league history.

Nationals president Stan Kasten declined to comment on the status of Soriano’s contract but said Rijo also had told the Nationals he did not make the comments attributed to him.

Soriano’s agent, Diego Bentz, wouldn’t comment when reached by telephone Thursday.

AP-ES-10-12-06 2133EDT

[Avsfan]

yup. One can't dismiss his increased walk rate as an anomoly without also dismissing his increased HR totals. Walks are positively correlated with HRs. If you think he hits a similar amount or more HRs in B'more, its hard to believe he also won't maintain a similar walk rate.

He could hit 70 homers, and I wouldn't want him here...

[eddie83]

Here is another story on the subject of Soriano.http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20061012&content_id=1710290&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

I for one have alot of desire to acquire Soriano. He has his flaws for sure but this organization needs a player of his status. I would be willing to go to 6 yrs at 96 million if needed as crazy as that sounds. If we are sincere about trying to win and due to our owner not wanting to spend money on pitching, I think we should be willing to spend this kind of money on a position player.

After the 2009 season alot of money will be coming off the books anyway. If we are trying to build around the core we have now, first base and left field are the spots to spend the money obviously. A player of his ability does come around often and this organization is in no position to be afraid. Like alot of people I know we need more pitching but due to Angelos not wanting to pay for top notch starters we are going to have to sink or swim with the young guys we have now for better or worse.

[Baltimoron]

Whats your point?

Do you want to sign Soriano? If so, for how much?

No sign Soriano. My point is you should consider his home run rates in assessing his liklihood to walk in the future, because they are corelated, and also consider his home runs because an increase in power has more predicitive power than say, an increase in batting average. In other words, Soriano is more likely to repeat his 2006 than a Gary Matthews type would be to repeat Matthew's 2006.

[Baltimoron]

He could hit 70 homers, and I wouldn't want him here...

I'm not advocating the Orioles sign him. I'm not sure Soriano was worth even 14 million *this* season.

But that doesn't mean I think he will revert to his 2004-05 self.

[Avsfan]

But that doesn't mean I think he will revert to his 2004-05 self.

And what makes you think that?

[Sports Guy]

No sign Soriano. My point is you should consider his home run rates in assessing his liklihood to walk in the future, because they are corelated, and also consider his home runs because an increase in power has more predicitive power than say, an increase in batting average. In other words, Soriano is more likely to repeat his 2006 than a Gary Matthews type would be to repeat Matthew's 2006.

Do you think, as he gets into his low-mid 30's, that we will still see 35-40 homers?

[eddie83]

I'm sorry but everyone worries too much about 3 or 4 years from now. I know we are not the Yankees but we have to be willing to take a risk at some point. There are no flawless players in baseball period. Assumming Angelos doesn't sell the team anytime soon and his beliefs on not paying alot for starting pichers what are we exactly waiting for here? We are not going to have high dollar starting pitchers and our closer in Ray barring injuries will be here for at least 5 more years at reasonable money considering he will not be free agent eligible. My point is pitching wise we will not be spending alot of money on those 11-12 guys relatively speaking. Our lineup is desperate for production at 2 key positions. We have had almost a decade of poor play and more than likely will have to overpay. If we don't go after top notch offensive talent than what exactly are we going to spend our money on?

[nadecir]

The time to overpay for a player like Soriano is when you are very close to making a run for a championship, not when your team finishes 22 games under .500. In a few years, when Soriano won't be performing at near the level he is being paid, the Orioles young pitching may be in its prime. Then Soriano's contract most likely will be an albatross contract that prevents you from getting that one or two players you need to put you over the top. In a few years, when our young pitching jells, it may be the exact time to overspend for that player who will put you over the top. That time is not now however.

Soriano is the wrong player at the wrong time for the Orioles in 2007.

[eddie83]

The time to overpay for a player like Soriano is when you are very close to making a run for a championship, not when your team finishes 22 games under .500. In a few years, when Soriano won't be performing at near the level he is being paid, the Orioles young pitching may be in its prime. Then Soriano's contract most likely will be an albatross contract that prevents you from getting that one or two players you need to put you over the top. In a few years, when our young pitching jells, it may be the exact time to overspend for that player who will put you over the top. That time is not now however.

Soriano is the wrong player at the wrong time for the Orioles in 2007.

I hear what you are saying but in 3 years Tejada, Mora, Hernandez and Gibbons contracts will all be up. In 3 years Bedard will be free agent eligible.

Ordonez and Rodriguez are helping Detroit on some level win now. Pudge was signed in 2004 and Ordonez in 2005. Did anyone see Detroit becoming so good right now? I know that Rodriguez and Ordonez are not superstars anymore and the Tigers are winning with their pitching but you could certainly argue that without both of them Detroit would not be in postseason play this year. With MASN I'm sorry I don't want to hear about Soriano's contract crippling the team. Ordonez got $75 million coming off an injury which is a joke but my point is if the Tigers can afford that than why can't we take a chance also? Soriano would also help with ticket sales as well as improve the moral of the team. The core team now is a waste of we don't add anything to them. I also don't think Soriano will drop off that much. He is a hard worker and in great shape.

[Mackus]

I also don't think Soriano will drop off that much. He is a hard worker and in great shape.

Was he not a hard worked or not in great shape from 2001-2005?

When a player who is 30 has a year that vastly outshines every other year of their career, its usually a sign of a fluke. If you sign Soriano expecting him to repeat his 2006 numbers, you're going to be very, very unhappy. There is no chance of him doing so over the course of the contract. He may have 1 or 2 big years, but his numbers over the course of the contract will be a lot closer to the low .800 OPS guy he's been the past few years than the .900+ OPS guy he was this season.

I'll go out on a very short limb and say that if the Orioles do sign Soriano, that they will not make the playoffs during any year of his contract. He alone (and he'd be the only major piece we could afford to add and still address the other things neccesary to compete like BP and bench) is not enough to push us into the playoffs in the next 2 seasons, and by the time that the rest of the team is deep enough to compete, his albatross contract for diminishing performance at age 33-35 will prevent the team from adding the one piece that they do need to get over the edge.