NEWSLETTER
A trade sending Alfonso Soriano to the New York Yankees isn’t official just yet, but Soriano has already headed to New York, taking a red eye flight overnight. The deal, which will save the Cubs a little cash, will net the Cubs a low-level pitching prospect, and will give Soriano a chance at a ring, is expected to be announced later today.
Before he left last night, Soriano addressed his teammates and the media one last time, and, by all accounts, it was very emotional. Soriano has been with the Cubs since 2007, and was the longest-tenured Cub by far. That means, when every single player on the team started his time with the Cubs, Soriano was there.
“After the game we got everybody together to say our good-byes,” Dale Sveum said, per ESPNChicago. “It was emotional for all of us. You don’t usually gather teams together that often when people get traded to say your goodbyes. That just shows you the kind of person he is.”
Soriano said he’s remember Cubs fans fondly, which is comforting, given how he was sometimes treated.
“I understand in baseball, always it’s not a good moment,” Soriano said, per Cubs.com. “Sometimes you have a bad moment and the fans will boo you. I’m not perfect, I can’t have 162 perfect games. I always say, if I have a bad week, I hope I have a good month …. Sometimes I can struggle for two or three or four games, but I know in one week, I can be good and the fans, they want to love me.”
Soriano left with some words of advice – good ones.
“I’ve always said the money is not the issue,” Soriano said, per Cubs.com. “Money makes you happy, you can buy anything with money, but the more important thing is you have to be a human. I love the game. I got that kind of money because the game gave it to me. I love the game, I respect the game, I love what I do. I always said to myself, don’t worry about the money, just play hard. If the money doesn’t come, I’ll be happy anyway.”
Soriano will force me to do something this year I never thought I’d do: cheer for the Yankees.
More on Soriano and the trade, after it is officially announced.
