Soriano to Dodgers?
According to ESPN (and Peter Gammons) it looks like the Rangers and Dodgers are close on a trade of Alfonso Soriano for Jonathan Broxton.

I'm not sure I make this trade if I'm the Dodgers. Sure, Soriano is a proven commodity, but he's OBP challenged, defensively challenged, and expensive (relative to Broxton, at least). Then again, you do know what you're getting. Power. Speed. Strikeouts.
0 recs |
42
comments
Comments
poor splits
by sabernar on Dec 6, 2005 10:18 PM EST 0 recs
Broxton
by RandyKutcherHair on Dec 6, 2005 10:22 PM EST 0 recs
Defense
Ok maybe not, but he's a really bad second baseman. Weren't Soriano and Young the worst defensive middle infield in the league last year?
by sasquatch83 on Dec 6, 2005 10:23 PM EST 0 recs
LF?
Regardless, from a talent perspective this is a GREAT deal if LA can pull it off; Broxton has a wonderful arm and will, I think, be a very effective short reliever in the Benitez/Frank Francisco mold, but assuming Soriano puts together an average Soriano year (.265, 25, 85, 25) it's a wonderful deal.
by silvysilv on Dec 6, 2005 10:56 PM EST 0 recs
Except
by sasquatch83 on
Dec 6, 2005 11:02 PM EST
up
0 recs
Er?
2002 - .300-39-102-41 steals
2003 - .290-38-91-35 steals
I'm not saying his number won't slide; ergo, I think a projection of .260-25-85-25 is fair. Still, that gives the Dodgers the intriguing position of having the two best offensive second basemen in baseball, in my opinion (a case can be made for Utley, but I'd want to see another year).
Soriano isn't perfect by any means, but he's still a dominant offensive player. A comment otherwise is hyperbolic, at the least.
- Furcal - SS
- Navarro - C
- Drew - RF
- Kent - 1B
- Soriano - 2B
- Cruz Jr. - CF
- Werth/Ledee - LF
- Aybar - 3B
by silvysilv on
Dec 6, 2005 11:44 PM EST
up
0 recs
Postscript
You're telling me that Kent or Soriano for Pie/Reyes/Papelbon/Milledge isn't looking very tasty?
by silvysilv on
Dec 6, 2005 11:51 PM EST
up
0 recs
An excellent point
by 3Com Park on
Dec 7, 2005 12:42 PM EST
up
0 recs
July is a long way out
Making a trade based on another deal that may happen 8 months in the future is not good business for any GM.
by count sutton on
Dec 7, 2005 1:13 PM EST
up
0 recs
Soriano
Soriano isn't a dominant offensive player because he's an easy out.
Is that really hyperbole?
by Sulla on
Dec 7, 2005 12:59 AM EST
up
0 recs
Easy out?
by silvysilv on
Dec 7, 2005 1:14 AM EST
up
0 recs
Yes
by Sulla on
Dec 7, 2005 7:29 AM EST
up
0 recs
Actually, no.
by silvysilv on
Dec 7, 2005 9:10 AM EST
up
0 recs
And that's also not REMOTELY close to accurate.
Blalock - 497 out
Ichiro - 494 outs
Figgins - 492 outs
Sizemore - 489 outs
Tejada - 485 outs
Jeter - 482 outs
Crawford - 480 outs
Soriano - 479 outs
By your logic, all of the above players are therefore easier 'outs' than Soriano?
by silvysilv on
Dec 7, 2005 9:21 AM EST
up
0 recs
Okay, lets try this
If Soriano isn't reaching base much, what is he doing?
by Sulla on
Dec 7, 2005 7:33 PM EST
up
0 recs
Well, the dicussion is moot now.
by silvysilv on
Dec 8, 2005 12:43 PM EST
up
0 recs
So I was right
by Sulla on
Dec 8, 2005 5:32 PM EST
up
0 recs
Not at all.
by silvysilv on
Dec 10, 2005 8:45 PM EST
up
0 recs
81 xbh
by sanchez101 on
Dec 7, 2005 2:07 PM EST
up
0 recs
Terrible For LA
by CanuckDodger on
Dec 6, 2005 11:50 PM EST
up
0 recs
When will...
To say that Soriano will hit .230 at Dodger stadium is just downright ignorant.
by limozeen on
Dec 6, 2005 11:52 PM EST
up
0 recs
Actually,
by Azteca on
Dec 7, 2005 2:28 PM EST
up
0 recs
.300
your point is good though, home/road splits often dont tell very much as far as what a player will actually hit on the road.
by sanchez101 on
Dec 7, 2005 2:02 PM EST
up
0 recs
C'mon.
His 2002-2004 seasonal notation in ROAD games ONLY is the following (don't have access through 2005, sorry):
.260-30-75-27 steals 32/134(BB/K)
In 2005 (and excluding Soriano himself) there were ZERO second basemen who had more homers, only four who had more RBI, three who had more steals. The Dodgers are a team in DESPERATE need of offense. This is it. In fact, I'd posit that (if the trade goes throug) they have one of the top three most productive double play combinations in baseball in 2006.
by silvysilv on
Dec 7, 2005 12:04 AM EST
up
0 recs
Don't you get
by ToyCannon on
Dec 7, 2005 6:21 PM EST
up
0 recs
Broxton
I would think that it would only make sense for the Rangers if they feel he can be a starter because Soriano seems like a high price for a reliever; albeit a very very good one.
by JMcGee on Dec 6, 2005 11:02 PM EST 0 recs
Kent to 1B
by natsfan2005 on Dec 7, 2005 12:16 AM EST 0 recs
shhh
by sanchez101 on
Dec 7, 2005 1:59 PM EST
up
0 recs
Choi?
by natsfan2005 on
Dec 7, 2005 2:09 PM EST
up
0 recs
and
by sanchez101 on
Dec 7, 2005 2:16 PM EST
up
0 recs
uh?
And know, I don't think Choi can't hit good pitching b/c I read a blog. I've looked at his batter vs pitcher matchups on retrosheet. He doesn't just hit .200 or .250 against good pitchers he completely tanks against them. Some he's hitless against. Some he strikes out more than 1/2 his ABs against. Outright disgusting.
I'd be OK with having a couple guys in the lineup who hit replacement level pitching and struggle against quality pitching. But why settle for that at the 1B position? I suppose you could if you really don't care if you win a playoff series. The Dodgers should aim a little higher than that.
by natsfan2005 on
Dec 7, 2005 2:49 PM EST
up
0 recs
I don't do this trade if I'm LA!
No way do I do this trade if I'm LA. I know the Dodgers are "offensively-challenged," to put it mildly, but Soriano is not the answer to charge the LA offense.
Yeah, he'll give you some HRs and steal a few bases, but in terms of OBP, it's low, and his strikeouts are high. Plus, he goes into horrendous slumps for long periods of time, which won't help the Dodgers offense.
Plus, the guy they're considering trading for Soriano is probably one of the Top 2 arms in the Dodgers system (along with Billingsley.) Granted, Broxton's value may not be quite as high now because he is a reliever, but you don't find guys who can command 101 MPH fastballs growing on trees, no matter how good your farm system is.
RandyKutcherHair - To answer your question about Broxton, I believe he throws 100-102 MPH, regularly 96-98 MPH as a reliever, and has a good breaking pitch (don't know if it's a slider?) Personally, I think he has better stuff than both Danks and Diamond; his value may not be as high as those two (especially Danks, who I personally believe has a higher ceiling than Diamond,) but his overall ability I think outdoes both Danks and Diamond.
If you were trading for a Pujols, a Teixiera, a Delgado, etc., I would consider it, but a Soriano, a guy who is inconsistent offensively, even if he hits HRs on occasion - no way. Plus, his defense certainly will not help the Dodgers, who will still be more of a defensive-oriented club anyway even if they acquire Soriano. Even with Soriano, they have Kent, Bradley (if he stays,) and Drew (if he's healthy.) That's a maximum of four guys in the lineup you might consider as above-average. That's still not a juggernaut offense - add Soriano's defense in and your pitching staff is likely to give up more runs, which the Dodger offense will still not be able to overcome, even with Soriano.
Personally, if I'm Texas, I try hard to make this deal because I believe they will get the better end of it - plus, Ian Kinsler or someone else can take over 2B for them and put up decent to good numbers across the board (maybe not the HR power Soriano generates, but can certainly outdo him in fewer strikeouts and a higher OBP, which will probably prevent them from going into the long slumps Soriano falls into.)
Just my 2 cents. :-)
Take care and have a good day!
by indiansfan on Dec 7, 2005 12:59 AM EST 0 recs
Its already been said, but....
Broxton wouldnt pull you any of those 1Bs you listed above and they play a less in demand position (again, lets not argue about Sorianos D, if he was unacceptable at 2B, someone would have forced him to move by now - his numbers make up for the poor D).
Just my 2 cents as well, have a good night
by grozzy on
Dec 7, 2005 2:33 AM EST
up
0 recs
cash
by sanchez101 on
Dec 7, 2005 2:10 PM EST
up
0 recs
Good points, but...
I respect your opinion; however, if Soriano is unwilling to play the outfield, there really isn't much any team can do to force him to play the outfield. Even if a team gives him a glove and tells him to go learn how to play the outfield, if he's unwilling to learn (which seems to be the case,) then he's not going to play the outfield no matter if his defense at 2B is below average (which it is by all accounts) or not.
Granted, his offense helps to overshadow his poor defense, but even some of his offensive statistics the last few years are moving in the wrong direction, which is not a good sign. Plus, being prone to long slumps will not help your offense enough for it to be worth giving up arguably the Dodgers' 2nd best pitching prospect (only to Billingsley) and probably, at worst, their fourth-best prospect (only Billingsley, Guzman, and LaRoche MIGHT be better than Broxton, in my opinion.)
Just my 2 cents. :-)
Take care and have a good day!
by indiansfan on Dec 7, 2005 7:20 AM EST 0 recs
Observation
by achiappanza on Dec 7, 2005 11:02 AM EST 0 recs
soriano
by sanchez101 on
Dec 7, 2005 2:08 PM EST
up
0 recs
Soriano
by achiappanza on
Dec 7, 2005 4:23 PM EST
up
0 recs
Soriano and Kent
by zadster on Dec 7, 2005 12:30 PM EST 0 recs
It's not just being a good player
Broxton is a closer of the future in case they cannot retain Gagne. He is making league minimum and has killer stuff. I am not against using him as a trading chip, but I would rather address the holes on the team.
by count sutton on Dec 7, 2005 12:35 PM EST 0 recs







