There are apparently a bevy of scouts today in Mesa to watch the Cubs take on Team Japan (to which I say: well, how many of them are there to watch prospective Japanese imports?), and Nick Cafardo implies that many of them are there to observe Chicago Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano. Cafardo goes so far as to say that the Yankees and Phillies are “on the radar” for Soriano, although there haven’t yet been any substantive talks.
That the Yankees and Phillies would be “on the radar” in Soriano trade talks is not surprising, as we’ve discussed them as fits for Soriano for quite some time. The Yankees have needed a right-handed power bat in the outfield/at DH for quite some time, and the urgency has ticked up in recent weeks as they’ve seen Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira both go down with relatively short-term injuries. The Phillies have arguably needed Soriano all offseason long, as the only right-handed power bat they landed for their outfield hole is Delmon Young, who is injured and unpredictable.
That all said, it’s fair to wonder whether Cafardo’s report will be impacted by the simultaneous news, according to multiple sources, that the Yankees have agreed to terms with recently-released outfielder Brennan Boesch. The lefty made sense for the Yanks given their injuries, but does he really fill their full season need like Soriano could? It’s tough to say, but I’d think their urgency would pull back a bit. I guess we’ll find out more in the coming days.
Soriano is under contract with the Cubs through 2014 at $18 million per year, but the Cubs are believed to be willing to eat a substantial portion of that money in order to get talent back in trade. Soriano has full no-trade rights, but could be willing to accept a deal to the right team. He has suggested, however, that he’d rather wait and see how the Cubs do in the first few months of the season before agreeing to a trade.
I’m squarely in the “Don’t trade Soriano until at least July and maybe not even then” camp.
Me too.
I think the only reason the Yankees have not pulled the trigger, is because they don’t have much in their minor league system, and don’t want to give anything up. It certainly isn’t about the money because of the Cubs willingness to eat so much.
The Tigers should be added to the list of teams needing Soriano as well.
I’ll bet the Cubs would like to package Marmol with Soriano for a better return.
If Yankees have nothing to trade, can’t they just pay more or his Salary ? For example, Soriano and Cubs pay all by $5 million a year of his salary for a top prospect. OR Soriano and Cubs pay all but $7.5 million a year of his salary for a no so good player and a bucket of used game balls.
Not interesting to the Cubs. They have plenty of money. They need players.
If anywhere it’s Baltimore and maybe Dodgers…. The fans in NY and Philly would devour him and he knows it
You don’t think it’s because nobody wants an aging 37 year old player that is terrible? You think it’s because they don’t have much to give up? All they would need would be a slightly deftly whiffle ball to get soriano if they really wanted him.
Nobody wants this guy. How much clearer does it have to get?
You are incorrect.
Not remotely true, not after last year’s performance.
Westbound Willie there are teams out there who need a power bat. The cubs are going to pick up 90 percent of the tab. That means the team that takes him will pay about 5mil this year and next year. That’s peanuts these days. A utility infielder is knocking that down.
Westbound Willie you are wrong. There are teams that will take soriano. Not a team, but several teams could use his stick especially because the cubs are going to eat an overwhelming amount of the paper.
Yankees signed up some power yesterday and may not need Soriano and Sandberg working with Phillies Brown who could have break out year because of it …. So may be going elsewhere
The problem I see with the Yankees and Phillies is “who in their system would be worth Soriano at 5 mil per year”? If they eat all the salary jump but neither is going to do that. The Cubs have indicated they will eat 26 of the 36 mil owed Sori for a good prospect. Who do the Yankees and Phillies have that is “good”? I just don’t see it. I am in the “hold Sori until the break” camp and see what happens as well.
If the cubs trade soriano they lose 95 plus games. If they keep him they lose 85 plus.
The question is what minor leaguer(s) are they getting back?
I want them to trade soriano a.s.a.p. To keep building the minor leagues. That’s our future, soriano is not.
Plus, if they don’t trade him, he could get hurt and then that would lessen whatever trade value he has. See Matt garza if you have any more questions about that.
Bottom line move Alfonso ASAP.
I didn’t make it clear in my first paragraph that it doesn’t matter if they trade soriano or keep him this team will be bad again this year. So trade him for potential future big leaguers who might contribute the next time the cubs are good. The next time they are competitive soriano won’t be here.
I really doubt that soriano is a ten game difference. His era tic play probably causes about ten extra losses a year. In fact one could argue that you have things completely backwards. With sorry they are ten games worse
That’s a big bat to take out of an offense that has nothing. Look around…. Rizzo might hit 25…. Hairston will hit 15 to 20…. Other than that there is no offense!! It is terrible!
And, sorianos defense actually wasn’t that bad last year.
So, that said, I have it right.
Very perceptive of you to recognize your own brilliance.
I wouldn’t call him a big bat. Had nice stats last year I don’t remember him winning any games by himself. What I do remember is that he didn’t start hitting until may and the cubs were already out of contention so most everything he did was pretty meaningless. The odds are is that he has some nagging injuries and a pretty average yer this year. The guy is pushing 40 by all accounts
Can’t see Cubs saving more than 10 mil over remaining life of contract but its better than nothing…. sliding scale with Cubs saving 5,3,2 mil over 3 yrs
He only has two years left on his contract, not three.
Facts, schmacts.
I really think we as Cubs fans are looking at this backwards the fact we are eating 26 million doesn’t matter to other teams (not there problem we overpaid). If they decide they want Soriano at 37 is he worth $10 million for two years? If they say yes they still may have the opinion they don’t have to give anything they value, we might get someone they have given up on IE Dominic Brown, a Tommy John project, etc. Then Theo needs to decide if the return is worth it. Hope for the best…
Did you see some of the contracts outfielders were getting this year?
Soriano is easily worth 2/$20 on the open market. If we’re only saving $10 million, I expect $10 million worth of prospects in return.
I like this thinking.
If Epstein doesn’t get a guy he really wants, he won’t trade Soriano. End of story.
Javier Baez hit a 9th inning 2 run homer to beat Japan, 7-5. It was his second of the game.
So you are saying he is the top prospect in the Cubs farm again?
Yankees might have Chamberlain on the trade block. I would be interested.
I don’t think Sori wants to be traded, certainly not now, when there is still slim hope to be in contention. I see a trade at the deadline to a contender of his choosing as the likely outcome. It will take desperation from another team to come off a good prospect, and the Cubs will have to be out of contention. Both of these scenarios will play out in July.
Rangers kicking the tires on Marmol
you got a source?
Do your own due diligence
Trolling 101: When stating a rumor never back it up with sources and if ever called out to verify the claim simply flip the question to an attack and avoid the simplicity of logically supporting claims with cited references.
Die hard you have graduated this class with honors. Congratulations!
Disrespecting all who want to participate and shouting them down is intimidation at its worse… Gonna have to put u on ignore if you continue to have fits
All I’m asking (and many more of us on here) is that you start to support your speculations with actual sources or at least quantify your many “rumors” as something you are just wondering, but lately you have just be throwing out unsupported ideas on here and then getting defensive when anyone questions the validity of your comments. I use to enjoy your comments as a kind of satire but lately you are becoming increasingly trollish with your behavior. Before you just throw out your speculative comments or extreme ideas and not respond to anyone that said “WTF” but now you become quite defensive with anyone questions your logic. This is the behavior of a troll and yes ignoring it the best option from both of us.
Your behavior is that of a troll DO us all a favor, and go kiss your on butt in private,
Ah The Troll Brigade stopping logic from crossing the bridge to the internet for years but remember a goat overpowered you once and will do so again.
If a troll is someone who speculates about what could happen based on facts like Rangers need a right handed closer and the Mets Wright went down with a bad back then you have included every “source” cited by Brett when starting a thread —- I am in good company then
Then, at least, you could say “according to a source …. “
better yet “according to THE source”
So it’s not what but how …. anybody can qualify anything with that phrase and doesn’t change a thing… Like ‘with all due respect ‘ sir but you are full of crap …. doesn’t really soften the blow … in a way it’s more disrespectful by suggesting that the person can’t handle the news
Its the HOW that is the problem with your “rumor” reporting, you just speculate that something is happening because you connect two dots without any verified line. Such as:
The Cubs are interested in trading for Mike Trout.
The Cubs are interested in adding Felix Hernandez and Justin Verlander to the rotation.
The Yankee are interested in Castro to take over for Derek Jeter when he retires.
You can do this all day but until a verified source is confirming the rumor is just useless and unproductive rumor mongering, but continue as you see necessary.
The fact another team has a need that a Cubs player might fill could justify raising the question of whether that other team might be interested in trading for the Cubs player (Brett posts articles like that all the time). But it does not justify saying that the other team is “kicking the tires” on the Cubs player unless there is some evidence that the other team has actually expressed a possible interest in the Cubs player or has talked with Cubs personnel about that player. That’s what “kicking the tires” means.
So if you are going to go around repeatedly posting cryptic one-liners about how “Team X is kicking the tires on Cub Y,” people are rightly going to ask you for evidence that Team X has actually kicked a tire. If there is such evidence, you should share it, because it would be of great interest to all of us. If there is no such evidence, then you should just stop misusing phrases like “kicking the tires,” instead of getting defensive when people ask you to back up your statements.
Only regret….I will never get back in my life the 3 seconds it took to read that rant
That was hardly a rant. It was a cogent explanation of how you misuse a particular phrase, delivered with no personal invective. The difference between the two can be illustrated more colorfully, if you prefer.
See the difference now?
You sure use up a lot of the oxygen in this room- save some for the rest of us
Mets kicking the tires on Stewart
Why??? Last time I checked David Wright was signed long term to play 3rd base for them
Wright may have long term back issue
See my response above… this is just speculation hidden as actual rumor.
No need to apologize— we understand and respect ur privacy
Who would they have to give up for Trout?
joke?
just read the comments above and it will all make sense
Aligning with protocol…….
Early in spring a few sources said the Mets were interested in Soriano, and Soriano said he would go to the Mets
The Mets outfield is still a mess and the Mets have a bunch a good/interesting prospects.
A few solid lefty reliever types of which any one would fit Cubs needs could be paired with another prospect for Soriano.
The Mets make sense yet nothing since early spring is being mentioned.
FOX NEWS is infamous for starting items with “Some Say …”.. Why not just be intellectually honest ?
[...] not going to explicitly connect the dots to Alfonso Soriano – to whom the Yankees have repeatedly been connected – but it’s [...]