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Alfonso Soriano Refuses to Play Outfield

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Alfonso Soriano refused to play the outfield for the Washington Nationals in what was supposed to be his spring training debut Monday night, and general manager Jim Bowden said his biggest offseason acquisition will go on the disqualified list if he doesn't agree to switch positions this week.
``The player refused to take the field, which we believe is a violation of his contract,'' Bowden said.

Soriano, a four-time All-Star second baseman, was listed as batting leadoff and playing left field on a lineup sheet posted in the Nationals' clubhouse before Monday night's 11-5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

But when the Nationals took the field in the top of the first, Soriano wasn't out there. With play just about ready to start, left field was empty.
Confused players and fans looked toward Washington's dugout. The only person to emerge, however, was Nationals manager Frank Robinson.

He approached plate umpire Mike Estabrook and made a defensive switch, moving Ryan Church from center field to left and putting Brandon Watson in center to replace Soriano at the top of the lineup.

The Nationals already have an All-Star second baseman in Jose Vidro, so they told Soriano they want him to move to the outfield, and he indicated he doesn't want to do that. But Monday provided his most concrete - and visible - objection.

http://sportsillustrated.netscape.cnn.com/sports/story.jsp?idq=/ff/story/0001/20060321/0751434570.htm
 
I was talking about this in the Met thread. I have my son, fighting for a starting spot on the HS baseball team. He catches, but there is a stud catcher in front of him, so he is trying his hardest to win the RF job just so he can play.

And then you have this @$$ making 10 million a year, and he won't do it! I say don't even give him to thursday, put him on the list today if he refuses to play.

Then let the team take him out behind the woodshed and kick the you know what out of him!
 
he would be the best player on their team if they let him play and you let a good player play the position he wants to. he could probably play outfield just fine, he's a big hitter who you just want in your line-up. I see both sides but I think you should let him play 2nd base and move the other guy to outfield.

bottom line is that the Nationals need Soriano. last year they were good but they lacked good hitting. Soriano is a big hitter and would much improve the Nationals. they can't afford to suspend him, they have to find a way to work this out.
 
nick1 said:
he would be the best player on their team if they let him play and you let a good player play the position he wants to. he could probably play outfield just fine, he's a big hitter who you just want in your line-up. I see both sides but I think you should let him play 2nd base and move the other guy to outfield.

bottom line is that the Nationals need Soriano. last year they were good but they lacked good hitting. Soriano is a big hitter and would much improve the Nationals. they can't afford to suspend him, they have to find a way to work this out.
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He is not the best 2nd basemen, he could be the best hitter yes.
Vidro is heads and shoulders better at 2nd, you don't move him for a guys ego.

Your team is better with Soriano moving, not the other.
 
nick1 said:
he would be the best player on their team if they let him play and you let a good player play the position he wants to. he could probably play outfield just fine, he's a big hitter who you just want in your line-up. I see both sides but I think you should let him play 2nd base and move the other guy to outfield.

bottom line is that the Nationals need Soriano. last year they were good but they lacked good hitting. Soriano is a big hitter and would much improve the Nationals. they can't afford to suspend him, they have to find a way to work this out.
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Soriano is a very good player, however if he plays 81 games in Washington this year while playing a corner OF position he would probably lose at least $5 million on his contract next year. He knows that and that's a big reason why he won't play the OF.

He home/road splits are huge. He just didn't hit when he wasn't in the band box in Texas. Plus I don't think Soriano is the guy to build a team around. He has had 2 big hits in his life and remember this is the same guy that was sitting on the bench during the World Series because he couldn't hit a ball off of a tee. He doesn't walk at all and just swings at the first 3 pitches he sees all the time. This was an awful trade by the Nationals in the first place which shows that Jim Bowden is the worst GM in baseball.

I think this will be a down year for Soriano if he stays in Washington. He's already unhappy there. If he's not traded by April 1st, I'll be shocked.
 
im actually siding with Soriano on this one.

Your talkin about a 7 year Vet, that has been playing that position his whole life. He loves that position, hes worked his life at that position, and now you want him to switch?

its a lil different for high school players.

an btw, i dont agree with him just straight refusing by not going out there. i believe he could of handled it better, but this isnt his fault, its the Nationals. He told them he wouldnt play OF as soon as they traded for him....they had a long time to work things out, and they failed to. What hes making is pretty irrelevant considering hes still a human being.
 
Nappy Roots said:
im actually siding with Soriano on this one.

Your talkin about a 7 year Vet, that has been playing that position his whole life. He loves that position, hes worked his life at that position, and now you want him to switch?

its a lil different for high school players.

an btw, i dont agree with him just straight refusing by not going out there. i believe he could of handled it better, but this isnt his fault, its the Nationals. He told them he wouldnt play OF as soon as they traded for him....they had a long time to work things out, and they failed to. What hes making is pretty irrelevant considering hes still a human being.
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I could see this if he was a good second basemen, but he is not. Back in the yankee days they were talking about moving him to the outfield. It's not a shock to his system. He know's its coming, but he won't do it.

I'm a Met fan and I was pissed at Piazza for fighting the move to 1st base (which in hindsight he was right!:eek: )

Look at Biggio, this guy is what kids should look up to. He moved and became a great player. Look at A-Rod, he is a better SS then Jeter, but he moved for the good of the team.

Soriano needs to suck it up and move.
 
NJFINSFAN1 said:
I could see this if he was a good second basemen, but he is not. Back in the yankee days they were talking about moving him to the outfield. It's not a shock to his system. He know's its coming, but he won't do it.

I'm a Met fan and I was pissed at Piazza for fighting the move to 1st base (which in hindsight he was right!:eek: )

Look at Biggio, this guy is what kids should look up to. He moved and became a great player. Look at A-Rod, he is a better SS then Jeter, but he moved for the good of the team.

Soriano needs to suck it up and move.
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Yea, i agree he isnt a good fielding 2B at all.

And i agree that Biggio is a great role model. But theres a difference, he agree to move positions. Do you think the Stros would of signed Kent without asking Biggio to switch first? even then i do think Biggio would switch, because hes that type of player. But hes also been a Stro a looooong time, and has many friends on that team, his family there, so he didnt want to leave. Soriano is on a brand new team that he has no connection to.

Griffey isnt near the defender he used to be, do you think it would be right for the Reds to trade him to the Royals, and the Royals demand he move to 1B?
 
Nappy Roots said:
Yea, i agree he isnt a good fielding 2B at all.

And i agree that Biggio is a great role model. But theres a difference, he agree to move positions. Do you think the Stros would of signed Kent without asking Biggio to switch first? even then i do think Biggio would switch, because hes that type of player. But hes also been a Stro a looooong time, and has many friends on that team, his family there, so he didnt want to leave. Soriano is on a brand new team that he has no connection to.

Griffey isnt near the defender he used to be, do you think it would be right for the Reds to trade him to the Royals, and the Royals demand he move to 1B?
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Remember, that's the thirs time Biggio moved, he was a catcher when he started.

And the Nat's did talk with him first.

And yes, if Griffey got traded to the Royals, and they said give 1st base a shot, he should.

Maybe its just me, but like I have said before, I coach high level travel teams (yes they are kids and don't get paid). But I get the best of the areas baseball players, and they all want to play SS and pitch. The kids (and Parents) that move and show they want to be team players I take. The kids that don't, I say goodbye. And I feel my teams are better in the long run. I know this is different then the Soriano case.

But I would rather have a player that will do anything to win a championship (AKA Troy Brown) then one that is only looking after himself.
 
you guys make good points both agreeing and disagreeing with his actions...but IMO this just proves that he's selfish and all about himself...I would hate to play on the same team as a player like that. He better not come to the Mets.
 
NJFINSFAN1 said:
Remember, that's the thirs time Biggio moved, he was a catcher when he started.

And the Nat's did talk with him first.

And yes, if Griffey got traded to the Royals, and they said give 1st base a shot, he should.

Maybe its just me, but like I have said before, I coach high level travel teams (yes they are kids and don't get paid). But I get the best of the areas baseball players, and they all want to play SS and pitch. The kids (and Parents) that move and show they want to be team players I take. The kids that don't, I say goodbye. And I feel my teams are better in the long run. I know this is different then the Soriano case.

But I would rather have a player that will do anything to win a championship (AKA Troy Brown) then one that is only looking after himself.
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The Nats did talk to him, and he said he wouldnt play OF.

Obviously i have to disagree totally about Griffey moving.

And as we both said already, kids and Pros are totally different.

And i would rather have players that will do anything to. but we arent talking about who you would rather have on your team, we are talkin about how what Soriano doing is wrong.
 
Nappy Roots said:
The Nats did talk to him, and he said he wouldnt play OF.

Obviously i have to disagree totally about Griffey moving.

And as we both said already, kids and Pros are totally different.

And i would rather have players that will do anything to. but we arent talking about who you would rather have on your team, we are talkin about how what Soriano doing is wrong.
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What I feel he is doing wrong, is not moving to a postion that will help his team win. There is a better second basemen on the team, hands down. So you move to help the team.

Agian, maybe its just me, but thats what I feel he should do.
 
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