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Orioles, Cubs Discussed Alfonso Soriano

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | January 6, 2012 at 8:11am CDT

The Orioles and Cubs have discussed a trade involving Alfonso Soriano, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported yesterday that a couple of teams have inquired about Soriano and at this point there's no indication that Baltimore GM Dan Duquette is close to adding Soriano to the left field/designated hitter mix.

Soriano posted a .244/.289/.469 line with 26 home runs last season and is under contract through 2014. There’s $54MM remaining on the 35-year-old left fielder's contract and his no-trade clause allows him to block trades. The Cubs would presumably have to absorb upwards of $40MM to facilitate a deal. Earlier in the week, they sent Carlos Zambrano to the Marlins, absorbing $15.5MM of his $18MM salary in the process.

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Baltimore Orioles Chicago Cubs Alfonso Soriano

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Alex Cora Likely To Play In 2012
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69 Comments

  1. MB923

    13 years ago

    Whoa

    Reply
  2. BDLugz

    13 years ago

    If you can save almost $5M per year, you have to jump on that.

    Reply
  3. danistheguy

    13 years ago

    Gross.

    Reply
    • captainjeter

      13 years ago

      Soriano is so overpaid that it is not funny. I am so glad that Cashman traded  him to Texas when  he did.
      I am so happy that we did not overpay this over rated player.

      Reply
  4. redsx968

    13 years ago

    I knew that contract was bad, but jesus. That’s absurd.

    Reply
    • Taylor Scroggins

      13 years ago

      coming off the 40/40 year he had in washington it really wasn’t a bad contract at all.. but, now…. good lord its awful

      Reply
      • stewie75

        13 years ago

        no it was bad back then too. my original thought when it was announced was “EIGHT YEARS???!!”

        Reply
      • pennypincher

        13 years ago

        Actually 18 million a year for a guy who strikes out a lot, can’t really play defense and rarely walks is rarely, if ever, a good idea.

        Reply
  5. Mitch Ade

    13 years ago

    Please, please, please trade him!  I don’t care if you have to eat all but 1MM.  You’re saving money and getting that bum off the field.  He runs about an 8 second 40 these days.

    Reply
  6. Lefty

    13 years ago

    Top Ten Things Lefty would take from Cubs instead of Soriano
    1.)    I would have taken Zambrano
    2.)    Lake Effect Snow
    3.)    Wind
    4.)    Strands of Ivy for the OPACY Outfield Wall
    5.)    Kerry Wood
    6.)    Blake DeWitt
    7.)    Lifetime Supply of Chicago Bagel Dogs
    8.)    8 Track Cassette of Harry Caray singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame
    9.)    Mike Ditka at least he would instill some toughness and discipline within the Oriole Organization. I know he was never officially a Cubbie, but he sang at Wrigley and is everything Chicago. So I will take him!
    10.)  Wind and Snow Together

    Reply
    • Mikey Roederer

      13 years ago

      Number 8 might be a collectors item and actually be worth more than Soriano….

      Reply
    • 0bsessions

      13 years ago

      RE: 9

      Added benefit, install Ditka as manager. Firing Buck Showalter is a proven recipe for success. No other manager in baseball history can make the claim that every manager immediately following him (Torre, Brenly, Washington) took his team to the WS. Firing Showalter for Ditka all but guarantees a Ditka Dynasty.

      Reply
    • Jeff 30

      13 years ago

      Zambrano – Agreed.
      Snow – God no!
      Ivy – It was only down for a year (maybe 2) to get rid of a disease it had.
      Bagel Dogs – Yes Please.Wind & Snow – Why?   Just why.

      Reply
  7. plain_g

    13 years ago

    oriLOLes

    Reply
    • cacavolante

      13 years ago

      never seen that one before…

      Reply
    • Guest 5243

      13 years ago

      Kindergarten humor meets Mlbtraderumors

      Reply
  8. Zuidvogels

    13 years ago

    “at this point there’s no indication that Baltimore GM Dan Duquette is close to adding Soriano to the left field/designated hitter mix.”

    Why is there a story then?

    Reply
    • Triple Hawpes Brewed

      13 years ago

      I say this sometimes and get flamed. NO news is news here apparently. And why no word on the “Starlin Castro wanted for questioning in sexual assault?”

      Reply
  9. Paul Lebowitz

    13 years ago

    Don’t you mean, “disgust”? 

    Reply
  10. djones83

    13 years ago

    The Orioles should get a ton of money and some sucky sucky with that.

    Reply
    • 0bsessions

      13 years ago

      They’d have to get Oakland involved in the trade talks then, Cherington already gave Beane Head.

      (I am going to take this joke and run it into the ground at record speed)

      Reply
  11. mehs

    13 years ago

    Another low average, low OBP guy to add to the mix.  Why would this be an improvement over resigning Luke Scott?

    Reply
  12. Jordan Gorosh

    13 years ago

    This would be a good move for the Orioles. They would basically get a player for free, and have no hopes of contending. The worst that happens is he sucks, and they cut him. He’s an intense flyball hitter who still does have some power, and Camden is a HR park according to park factors. He’s a free version of Luke Scott.

    Reply
    • randomkeys

      13 years ago

      Not quite. It says the Cubs would absorb $40MM of the $54MM remaining on Soriano’s salary. That means the Orioles would be on the hook for $14MM/3yrs. That’s not huge, but surely there are lower-risk/higher-reward options out there.

      Reply
    • Kyle Haker

      13 years ago

      Luke Scott is a free-er version of Luke Scott

      Reply
    • Thomas Wilson

      13 years ago

      10-14 million over the next two years is free? that is half of what Beltran is getting.

      Reply
      • stewie75

        13 years ago

        3 years*

        Reply
  13. sourbob

    13 years ago

    Considering how low the payroll is going to be this year, this is the season to eat those bad deals. They can write off some/most of that $40MM against this year’s books and be out from underneath that deal for next year.

    Reply
    • casorgreener

      13 years ago

      That’s some faulty accounting there fella…

      Reply
      • sourbob

        13 years ago

        I”m not an accountant, but is it? Is there no way they can just cut a $40MM check this year and then be done instead of multiple checks for the next few years? It’s true, I can’t remember having seen it done that way, but then, most teams don’t have the ridiculous amount of slack the Cubs will have in 2012, given how much their payroll is dropping.

        If nothing else, maybe they could structure it so that they send $17.5MM this year and next and just $5MM in 2014. That way, they’d be largely out from under it sooner, and would have more cash by the time they’d be looking to spend more seriously.

        Reply
        • casorgreener

          13 years ago

          They basically have to write it off however it’s paid.  If they pay $14M a year then that’s what they show on the books.  Given that it’s a written contract it would be hard to write of the entire loss in one year.  Many companies write off major losses in one year and then give false statements about being profitable while they are still losing money (due to continuing to on things they had “written off”).

          There are a few ways around it but generally it’s not advised.

          Also, with time value of money, it’s usually better to spread out payments rather than pay a lump sum as money becomes less valuable in the long run. $40M now is worth more than $13.3M over 3 years.

          Reply
  14. rundmc1981

    13 years ago

    I’ve been suggesting this all along – for the Braves to look into this. If CHC is willing to eat a similar chunk of Soriano’s salary as they did with Zambrano, Braves should seriously consider it. Soriano/Prado could be in LF, while Soriano provides Heyward some relief in RF on occasion and LF when Prado needs to relieve Jones at 3B. Heck, Soriano could even relieve Uggla on occasion, though I’m not suggesting it.

    Soriano has a .317 career AVG at Turner Field, .279/.347/.520 vs. LHP for his career, and can be counted on for at least 20 HRs (has hit 20+ since 2001).

    Reply
    • BlueCatuli

      13 years ago

      Soriano can’t play second any more. You don’t want that to be an option.

      Reply
      • Peter G

        13 years ago

        As bad as Soriano was in 2nd I think he is far worse playing in the outfield.  He looks like he has zero clue where the ball is when its floating to left field.

        Reply
      • brian310

        13 years ago

        Maybe he is talking about sticking Prado at second while still having a decent bat in left

        Reply
    • randomkeys

      13 years ago

      “Heck, Soriano could even relieve Uggla on occasion, though I’m not suggesting it.”

      …but, but… you just suggested it.

      Reply
      • rundmc1981

        13 years ago

        Haha…give me a mulligan on that. I don’t know why I said that if only thinking that Uggla’s range isn’t much better. But, I was trying to get at 2B also being covered by Prado, if Soriano relieves him in LF. Sorry for the early morning confusion.

        Reply
    • Thomas Wilson

      13 years ago

      Why wouldn’t you have Prado play 2B instead?

      Reply
      • rundmc1981

        13 years ago

        I failed to make a point about how valuable Soriano could be and wasn’t considering Prado. But yes, Prado, if any, should relieve Uggla at 2B.

        Reply
    • Brv Rocks

      13 years ago

      Soriano is a terrible defensive LF, much less RF or 2B.  He would be a terrible option for the Braves. 

      Reply
      • rundmc1981

        13 years ago

        Without looking at the defensive stats, I was merely suggesting Soriano as a possibly alternative. This would allow Prado to be used in a utility role, while providing some insurance for Chipper, Uggla and even Heyward if they/when they go through a slump/injury. It looks as though Soriano, based on the outside chance CHC picks up a chunk of his final 3 years, could be had for less than Josh Willingham. Considering ATL wasn’t really keen on Willingham, who is also not good defensively, has more power, and plays LF, I can’t really see them taking that long of a look at Soriano anyway. 

        If Soriano had 1-2 years remaining, I’d be all about that, but so would everyone else despite his defensive lapses. 

        Reply
  15. brocnessmonster

    13 years ago

    Orioles and Dodgers chasing guys who make outs 70%+ of the time.

    Reply
    • The Mythical One

      13 years ago

      Almost every hitter in baseball makes outs 70% of the time, and those guys hit .300.

      Reply
  16. Os84

    13 years ago

    Please stay far away from Soriano, O’s! 

    I have a feeling these “talks” were initiated by the Cubs, not the O’s.

    Reply
  17. Mike

    13 years ago

    If it’s one thing that I know about the Orioles, they always take the Cubs’ garbage players.  Sammy Sosa, Corey Patterson, Felix Pie, Derrek Lee, and Kevin Gregg, to name a few.

    Hope this trend continues…

    Reply
    • Logjammer D"Baggagecling

      13 years ago

      66% of those players were trade involved. Gregg was never good to start his career. Pie he’s not a ML player he’s just on a horrible team.

      Reply
    • Ry.the_Stunner

      13 years ago

      Derrek Lee didn’t come to the Orioles from the Cubs, and I hardly would’ve classified him a “garbage player”.  Sure, he’s on the decline now, but only a year previously he had hit .306/.393/.579 with 35 HR and 111 RBI.

      Reply
  18. Paul Shailor

    13 years ago

    The Orioles might trade Adam Jones.
    The Orioles might get Soriano.

    “According to sources the Orioles and Cubs are nearing a deal involving Adam Jones and Alfonso Soriano” -Buster Olney.

    Reply
    • Chris Hess

      13 years ago

      No clue where you got this from. But if this did happen, DD would be picked up and thrown out of Baltimore by the fan base.

      The Orioles refused Prado, Jurjjens, and a pitching prospect for Jones. Let alone a straight Jones-Soriano deal? No way in a million years.

      Reply
  19. The_Porcupine

    13 years ago

    Sammy Sosa all over again!!!  Haven’t we learned our lessons on the Cubs retreads yet?

    Reply
  20. wgfinley

    13 years ago

    That’s not a moving truck backed up to Wrigley, it’s a SEMI.

    Reply
  21. oscargamble

    13 years ago

    I can’t believe Soriano is 35 years old.

    Reply
    • Mikey Roederer

      13 years ago

      Neither do his parents…but his birth certificate in crayon says so…

      Reply
    • Logjammer D"Baggagecling

      13 years ago

      Just like most can’t believe Anaheim would give a 35 yr old Pujols a 10 yr contract.

      Reply
  22. FS54 2

    13 years ago

    Please stay away from Soriano. He has nothing to offer to the Os.

    Reply
    • Taylor Scroggins

      13 years ago

      oh sure he does… you dont want 10+ errors in LF and 3 stolen bases with a .240 average? Please just take him! i’ll give you 5 bucks

      Reply
    • Hordak Sanchez

      13 years ago

      the Orioles are so lowly, ANYTHING would help….

      Reply
      • FS54 2

        13 years ago

        Even after learning of Markakis’s injury, I want Orioles to stay away from Soriano. There is no point in giving him any money when they don’t intend to contend next season. Soriano will be a better off on a contender.

        Reply
  23. Taylor Scroggins

    13 years ago

    this is just another example of theo cleaning up hendrys dirty diaper

    Reply
  24. stewie75

    13 years ago

    a cubs/o’s rumor that doesn’t involve trading the farm for brian roberts? how strange.

    Reply
    • mehs

      13 years ago

      Wasn’t Pie the big piece in that alleged deal for Roberts?  Who the Orioles got the next year for a bag of balls and a ham sandwich and was cut this offseason.

      Reply
      • Logjammer D"Baggagecling

        13 years ago

        I am so glad just like mostly all other suffering Cubs fans they didn’t acquire Brian Roberts.

        Reply
      • The Mythical One

        13 years ago

        It was a slew of players that included:

        Felix Pie, Ronny Cedeno, Sean Marshall, Sean Gallagher, and Ryan Theriot.

        The Orioles supposedly wanted Rich Hill and Tyler Colvin in the package.

        Funny, because the Orioles actually got Pie and Hill later on as free agents….and they both stunk.

        Reply
  25. pageian

    13 years ago

    Dan Duquette, singlehandedly returning the O’s to a time when OBP didn’t matter.  Welcome to the 1980’s, O’s fans.

    Reply
    • OrangeCards

      13 years ago

      Except for the fact that Duquette has repeatedly said he’d like to add high OBP guys to the roster.

      I wouldn’t be too quick to judge DD’s philosophy based on one very loose “rumor.”

      Reply
      • The Mythical One

        13 years ago

        So Jai Miller is a good player to fit that profile, huh? So are all those other minor league free agents that he’s signed…and so is Endy Chavez.

        Clearly he is obtaining a slew of high OBP guys.

        Reply
    • mehs

      13 years ago

      I’d gladly take the 80’s Orioles.  7 winning seasons and a World Series.

      Reply
  26. Logjammer D"Baggagecling

    13 years ago

    The Orioles are like the Cubs minor league team. They traded Sosa, Hill, Pie, Patterson all to Baltimore. Now it will hopefully be Soriano.

    Reply
  27. Chris Hess

    13 years ago

    Honestly, if they are in huge need for a DH bat, I don’t know why they just don’t go back with Vladimir Guerrero. Already has played with the club for a year, you will be able to get him at a lower price, and probably wrap up his career with the Orioles. 

    Somewhat of a reliable bat, and still provided a little power the lineup that led the majors in HRs last season. 

    I’d take Vlad over Soriano for certain.

    Reply

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