Soriano needs protection from the bleacher bums...

[BaltimoreTerp]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/cs-27-cubs-brite-chicagomay27,0,3955378.story

Cubs left fielder Alfonso Soriano had a relatively uneventful Monday afternoon at Wrigley Field, though he knows his poll numbers in Chicago seem to fluctuate on an hourly basis.

In fact, a Cubs official offered protection for Soriano, instructing left-field bleacherites before Monday's game that any profane or inappropriate comments made toward Soriano would result in their immediate ejection.

...

Soriano always seems to be in the eye of the storm, whether he's hitting seven home runs in one week, as he did from May 12-17, or losing a ninth-inning fly ball in the sun to help lose a game in Pittsburgh, as he did Sunday.

That gaffe led to some harsh criticism from Cubs broadcaster Bob Brenly, who said Soriano can't be called a "superstar" because of his shaky defense and joked that if you threw a dart into the Cubs' dugout, anyone you hit could play left field better than Soriano.

Brenly declined to elaborate on his comments Monday but did not back off his criticism.

...

Aramis Ramirez said he didn't understand why "a great player" like Soriano is so routinely criticized, but added: "Maybe that's why. He's a great player, so everyone expects him to be Superman. Everybody makes mistakes, and actually, that [dropped fly] wasn't a mistake. He lost it in the sun. Anyone who has played the game knows it's tough to catch a ball in the sun.

I bolded the insane part.

Seriously, do the Cubs need to do that? It makes both Soriano and the team look bad, and just increases the size of the target and the accuracy of the ammunition used by the fans.

Of course, if he played in Philly they would give him a police escort around left field...

[blueberryale77]

Where's DaveArm with his talk of how all free agents absolutely adore the atmosphere in Chicago so much that they'd take pay cuts to go there? :scratchchinhmm:

[soweborefugee]

Where's DaveArm with his talk of how all free agents absolutely adore the atmosphere in Chicago so much that they'd take pay cuts to go there? :scratchchinhmm:

I actually was at that game (went on a business trip to Chicago), sitting in the left-field bleachers, and this was apparently just a rumor. Although, as it was a non-divisional opponent (Dodgers) with the Cubs taking an early lead, the fans were relaxed, playful--and the girls ridiculously pretty.