Two days after whiffing in a crucial spot to end the Dominican Republic’s WBC title hopes, Alfonso Soriano has the Nationals pulling their hair out. Though the question remains, how’d they manage to trade for him without knowing this was the likely result? From the AP’s Tim Walters.
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, an 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 game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
But when the Nationals took the field in the top of the first, Soriano wasn’t there. Brandon Watson replaced him in the lineup, playing center field, and Ryan Church shifted from center to left.
I watched a tape of Boston’s 3-1 win over Baltimore from yesterday afternoon — Bronson Arroyo’s final appearance in a Red Sox uniform, as it turned out — and Mike Lowell seems as overmatched this spring as he was throughout 2005 for Florida. Lowell, 0 for 3 on Sunday (.207) appears to have as little confidence or presence with a bat in his hands as any position player I’ve ever seen. Perhaps it would be premature to say on the 20th of March that he’s totally washed up, but there’s not much evidence to the contrary.
Lowell and Gonzales will both be disasters for Boston on offense. Too many strikeouts. It was clear last year Lowell lost all of his bat speed and power once he stopped using.
Lowell, ok, but Gonzales can’t really be a disaster because nothing’s expected of him from the plate. They signed him for his glove, and that’ll be fine. I’m pretty sure Lowell’s gonna ruin my year, though.
i hear wily mo will be splitting time between right and first with youkilis playing 3rd when wmp is at first because lowell has the collective stomach of the sox churning.
Tom Boswell fumes over Soriano’s selfishness: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/20/AR2006032001983.html
Hey Tom,
The Post just called, and you been traded the Decatur Shopper, where you’ll be reviewing dinner theater productions. What? You don’t want to do it? Selfish bastard.
hmm… middle-aged white man angry at a young black man for not doing what he’s told. Nope, nothing uncomfortable about race here.
Soriano may have earned his spotty reputation over the years, but I am sympathetic towards his situation. He was never asked about the position switch before the trade. Moving to leftfield AND playing at RFK will dramatically drop his value when he becomes eligible for free agency at the end of the season.
I would sympathize with Soriano if he wasn’t a lousy 2nd baseman.