Soriano Back In The Bronx

Deal done: http://tracking.si.com/2013/07/26/report-yankees-complete-alfonso-soriano-trade/?xid=nl_siextra

Looking back I think The Yankees would have been better off keeping Soriano
and never trading him for Aroid.

 

You know, Boom, I covered that trade for the Herald, and the Yankee players I talked to, especially Jeter, all stated that losing Soriano was a considerable price to pay even for a player with A-Rod's numbers.

 

He was on upward plain when he was traded. Had monster year in 2002 with
39 HR's , 102 RBI's , 41 SB's and .300 avg. Was a crowd favorite and proved
that he could play in The Bronx. Somewhat homegrown player who by now would
have been considered one of the all time Yankee greats. Aroid just never fit.

 

Any other team but the Cubs and I wouldn't have believed they got Alex Rodriguez in the trade

 

A-Rod won MVPs in 2005 and 2007 in pinstripes and was an absolute beast in leading them to the World Series in 2009. He had one of the great seasons in Yankees history in '07 with 54 HR, 143 RBI and 1.067 OPS. He hit at least 30 HRs in his first seven seasons in the Bronx. Never fit?

I love Soriano and I'm glad to see him back in NY, but he hit 30 HRs in only five his 10 seasons outside NY, including just twice in the bandbox at Wrigley Field. Plus he's been a deficient defensive outfielder. Do you really think that he'd be an all-time Yankee great right now?

 

It was beyond obvious that Yankee management freaked out over Soriano's admittedly wretched performance in the 2003 playoffs, which is why they agreed to put him in the trade. No, he's not as good as A-Rod was. On the other hand, he's still productive, and it's increasingly unlikely A-Rod will ever be that again, assuming he ever plays again.

 

The thing I've always liked about Soriano is that he always struck me as a guy who gave it everything he had when he was out there and by all accounts is a great guy in the clubhouse as well.

He's not putting up numbers now that are worthy of the contract Hendry gave him but it's not Soriano's fault Hendry was dumb enough to bid against himself.

 

Yankee fans agreed in 2002:

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/New+York+Yankees+All-Star+Alfonso+Soriano+and+Continental+Airlines...-a092089939

 

In 2007, he hit 13 home runs at Wrigley Field and 20 on the road.

In 2012, he hit 15 home runs at Wrigley Field and 17 on the road.

 

Yes - never fit. Created constant circus atmosphere.

 

I think I'm missing your point here, Dick.

No question about it, but your posts assert the Yankees would have been better off with Soriano and he would have become an all-time Yankee great. As I said, I love Soriano - I love the way he coils back just before the pitch is thrown then explodes into it, I love his attitude and I loved watching him on the basepaths - but he's not A-Rod, never was and never would have been if he'd stayed in New York.

Without A-Rod, the Yankees don't win the 2009 World Series. Do they win the 2004 ALCS and World Series with Soriano? Probably not, considering the way so many guys in pinstripes went in the tank after Game 3.

A-Rod has absolutely been a circus from the minute he arrived in NY. But I don't think you can really, honestly argue the Yankees would have been better off with Soriano.

 

Maybe "all time great " was not right term but perhaps " beloved Yankee" in vain of Paul O'Neill, Bernie Williams, Tino
might be a better fit. The Yankees of 4 WS fame were built on players that were all solid team first types. Players that
Yankee fans respected and wanted to root for. Clubhouse was calm and professional. Players brought it had to
adapt to Yankee way as opposed to the other way around.

It all started to change when they brought in players like Clemens, Sheffield and Aroid. They became a
traveling circus built on big name players that rarely came through in the clutch.

As a Yankee fan I would have much preferred watching Soriano the past 10 years in pinstripes than
Aroid. I think most fans would have.