The Cubs finally managed to extricate themselves from the Soriano albatross after nearly seven seasons. I suppose this is something of an achievement for the front office. I was really surprised to see all the tearful farewells and tributes from the players.
I imagine this illustrates the differences between the perceptions of the players and that of the fans and students of the game. To me, Soriano was always the epitome of a dumb and selfish player. How many years did it take to persuade this guy to practice fielding flyballs in left field and to consent to bat other than leadoff when it was obvious he never got on base?
In any case, he is gone. I gather the trade has caused a bit of a controversy in New York where the GM, Brian Cashman, has declared he was opposed to the acquisition from the beginning and it was done only after his strong objections. I'm glad the Cubs pulled this off, but he is right in the long run and probably in the short run as well. How old can the Yankees get and still stay competitive? Are we seeing the invisible hand of Jim Hendry at work behind the scenes in the Bronx?
The Cubs managed to pull out a tough win last night. This game, like so many others involving teams with serious flaws, turned on luck. Jackson pitched well, but fell behind when he gave up a bloop double in the seventh. The Cubs came back and scored on a botched grounder - admittedly hard hit - from Rizzo.
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