report: Cubs sign Soriano. 8yr 136m.

[Spy Dog]

This is a great deal for the Cubs if they are willing to keep spending NY Yankee-type money for the next few years. I can hardly be mad at the Cubs for signing the top 2 free agent hitters available. The Cubs had 4 options:

1) Sign nobody and continue pissing off it's fan base.
2) Sign JD Drew and watch him average 300 ABs over the next 3-4 years.
3) Sign Carlos Lee and watch his weight rise and skills decline.
4) Bust out the cash and overpay for Soriano.

I personally like #4 by a wide margin.

[bugstud]

I'm really interested to see the bp pecota for soriano.

[Jack of Arcades]

The cautiously optimistic projection would have to be something like a .300 EqA and average defense in center. It's more likely he'd be something like a .285 EqA and around -8 runs in center. IE, would you pay 8/136 to Corey Patterson or Torii Hunter?

[THAY3R]

Dude, but Soriano has speed and power. 40 40 ZOMG.

[Quinn Warren]

[ QUOTE ]
The cautiously optimistic projection would have to be something like a .300 EqA and average defense in center. It's more likely he'd be something like a .285 EqA and around -8 runs in center. IE, would you pay 8/136 to Corey Patterson or Torii Hunter?

[/ QUOTE ]

Again, Soriano is slated for RF. Now Pinella on saying they will be looking to add a CF. Looks like Jacque is headed out.

[Spy Dog]

[ QUOTE ]
IE, would you pay 8/136 to Corey Patterson or Torii Hunter?

[/ QUOTE ]

They weren't available.

[TheRover]

[ QUOTE ]
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IE, would you pay 8/136 to Corey Patterson or Torii Hunter?

[/ QUOTE ]

They weren't available.

[/ QUOTE ]

and that would actually change your answer?!?

BTW the fact that Soriano would be about the same as Patterson is my favorite part of this.

[Jack of Arcades]

[ QUOTE ]
Again, Soriano is slated for RF. Now Pinella on saying they will be looking to add a CF. Looks like Jacque is headed out.

[/ QUOTE ]

There was a Trib article stating he would be leading off and playing center.

As a right fielder he's probably either average to +8 defensively, with around a .285 EqA. So now he's not Corey Patterson, but Dave Roberts.

[Spy Dog]

[ QUOTE ]

and that would actually change your answer?!?

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't think 8 years for $136m is a good deal and I said they overpaid in my original post.

However, the Cubs are loaded with cash. If money is no object then signing Aramis and Soriano has greatly improved your chances of winning over the next 3-4 years. A healthy JD Drew would probably be a better signing, but the Cubs have been burned by injuries in the last 3 years so it makes sense to sign Soriano, who has been injury free his entire career. If they continue to supplement their core of Ramirez-Lee-Soriano then the deal can turn out to be a good one. I'm not sure how committed they are to winning longterm, but this looks promising to a Cub fan because it bucks their usual trend.

I'm not saying the Cubs are World Series bound with Soriano, but had they not signed a big bat to go along with Ramirez and Lee then the Ramirez signing is also worthless. At least this gives them a chance of being competitive in a weak division, so long as the pitching staff sees the positive side of variance for a change.

[sublime]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
8 YEARS LOL
FLUKE CAREER YEAR LOL
DECENT LF DEFENSE LOL
BUT WILL PLAY CF LOL
WON'T LAST 4 YEARS IN CHICAGO LOL
ALBATROSS LOL
.280 /.325/ .510 LOL
JD DREW MUCH BETTER CHEAPER LOLWTF

[/ QUOTE ]
hater

[/ QUOTE ]

more like realist

soriano is one hell of an overrated baseball player.