I heard that Soriano is available.

So, Alfonso Soriano is available.

Thank god Al nixed that deal to the Giants. I've seen him play left field in AT&T, and it was scary.

#2 More like Alfonso Soriano might be available.

I think the biggest surprise is that this article was not submitted by McCoy.

I think the biggest surprise is that this article was not submitted by McCoy

Yup. I was so sure it was I had to look twice.

Still makes me laugh. For some reason this never gets old...

In any event, Soriano’s no-trade clause is just one obstacle to dealing him. The fact that he’ll make $18 million in each of the next two seasons is also a notable impediment. Unless the Cubs are willing to throw in towering stack of bills—marked or unmarked—it’s going to be impossible to trade Soriano.

Is there any conceivable reason that the Cubs would not be willing to do this?

Still makes me laugh. For some reason this never gets old...

It's successfuly migrated to several of my Facebook baseball groups.

Is there any conceivable reason that the Cubs would not be willing to do this?

They like money?

In any event, Soriano’s no-trade clause is just one obstacle to dealing him. The fact that he’ll make $18 million in each of the next two seasons is also a notable impediment. Unless the Cubs are willing to throw in towering stack of bills—marked or unmarked—it’s going to be impossible to trade Soriano.

Is there any conceivable reason that the Cubs would not be willing to do this?

Because it's more and more getting to be "what's the point..."

Other team's leverage in getting a 'free' (essentially) Soriano is exponentially - or at least, geometrically, declining...

Last year/last winter - the Cubs were looking at legitimately saving some cash and 3 years of a player that didn't fit with their future plans... That's still true, BUT:

1) The Cubs STILL don't have anyone really being blocked... Brett Jackson is the only OF of note the Cubs would really want to get a look at, and he's earmarked for CF. Dave Sappelt is hardly someone you really worry about 'blocking'

2) Unlike other vets in his position - Soriano hasn't been a clubhouse problem... maybe that changes if someone causes him to sit more regularly - or if the Cubs for some unknown reason think Sappelt really, really, really needs 400 PAs to prove he's a 4th OF at best -- but even when he was getting benched under Lou, Soriano really wasn't ######## up a storm over it

3) The Cubs have already cast off and eaten a ton of salary -- it's not like they have a desperate need to save a couple million..

Basically - at this point, with 2 years left -- there's just not much incentive for them to eat much of anything. SOMEONE has to play LF this year and next. They don't NEED to save 2-3-4-5-etc million. With 2 years (and about to start the clock on 1 year plus ever-shrinking change) remaining - it's fast becoming a matter of IF they have someone else to play LF, they can legitimately just eat the remainder outright.... So - why should they just give Soriano away for free at this point?

If I'm Thed - sure, if someone wants Soriano - I'd absolutely listen.

But - to me - we have reached the point of trading Soriano falling into one of categories:

1) The acquiring team assumes MOST of the contract, saving the Cubs more than just a few spare million -- but legitimately saving the Cubs 10-15-+ million... and the Cubs get nothing interesting back

or

2) The acquiring team gets him very cheaply (with the Cubs picking up say, 30-35 million of the remaining 38 or so) - but the return is actually something of value. Basically - the acquiring team is "selling" the Cubs a prospect of at least moderate value.

I can completely understand the other teams saying "well then, no thanks" under those terms... but again -- not desperate to move Soriano.

Can he play 1B? I hear Milwaukee needs one.

Can he play 1B? I hear Milwaukee needs one.

I don't see why not... He's played SS, 2B, LF, and CF in his career - granted, none of them particularly well - but hard for me to imagine he'd be any more terrible than he's been elsewhere.

So, it would come down to this:

Do the Brewers want to get him very, very cheap -- in which case, pick some flotsam... or -- are they will to pick up 10 million or so of the remaining salary and part with someone moderately interesting (was Khris Davis or somesuch one of the fast-fading OF prospects that they added to the 40 man roster late before the rule 5? something like that would be what I'm thinking if the Cubs are eat say... 30-35 mil of the remaining 38 mil).

2) The acquiring team gets him very cheaply (with the Cubs picking up say, 30-35 million of the remaining 38 or so) - but the return is actually something of value. Basically - the acquiring team is "selling" the Cubs a prospect of at least moderate value.

This is what I meant. I agree there's no pressing need to give Soriano away for absolutely nothing.

I think it was at some point last season when I stopped thinking that dealing Soriano was really necessary. Zonk summed it up well, so I won't retread, but really, Soriano is so low on the list of problems facing the franchise. He's expensive, but by many accounts, he's still working hard to bring SOME shred of value to the team.

I guess I've developed a bit of a soft spot for him. He was a lot more infuriating when the Cubs were actually a good team and the contract was so young. Now? The Cubs are a lousy team, the contract's end is finally in sight, and getting rid of him doesn't make them a less shitty team nor does it likely save them much money.

Yeah good luck with that. Nobody is giving up anything remotely interesting for a 37 year old LF, who has totalled 0.3 WAR over the past 4 years. Free or not.

Well ok, Sabes might.

Nobody is giving up anything remotely interesting for a 37 year old LF, who has totalled 0.3 WAR over the past 4 years.

Not that it ultimately much matters for the analysis, but for the sake of accuracy/completeness: while he's totaled 0.3 bWAR over the past 4 years, FanGraphs has him at 8.6 fWAR over that same span. And, of course, the trailing four years is the most punitive set of end points one could use. (He's totaled 2.1 bWAR over the last *3* years, for example.)

Soriano isn't a future All-Star by any means, but there's no need to jigger the numbers to turn a likely 1-2 WAR player next year into a replacement level one.

</bizarrely motivated defense of Soriano. My Stockholm syndrome must be flaring up.>

Is there any conceivable reason that the Cubs would not be willing to do this?

The sicilian Vizzini says it's "inconceivable!"

I hear the Yankees are a good fit for Soriano.

I went to a Cubs series at Wrigley a few years ago, and sat in RF on Friday just because I so enjoyed the Dawson era there and then the utterly different but also enjoyable Sosa era there, back in the day.

For that last series, we switched to LF on Saturday because Soriano had his own vibe. It was silly that he signaled to us that there how many outs there were, as if we could affect the next play - and endearing, too.

I don't know what it's worth, but I liked those very different fan engagements....

On Hot Stove this morning they were saying as though it were confirmed that the Cubs were willing to pay $26m of the $36m remaining... and Harold Reynolds said he was sure Soriano could play 1B.

The sicilian Vizzini says it's "inconceivable!"

He keeps using that word. I do not think it means what he thinks it means.

#20 My nephew (a passionate Yankee fan) really, really wants Soriano. As in trade legitimate prospects for him.

His career goal is "general manager of the Yankees", but there are a few hurdles on the way. Like finishing grade school.

My nephew (a passionate Yankee fan) really, really wants Soriano. As in trade legitimate prospects for him.

Theo would listen if your nephew called.

I hear the Yankees are a good fit for Soriano.

Phil Hughes is out for two weeks. The NY media demands action!

Since there is no where else for this to go. I just want to say that I am very excited to see what the cubs prospects do this year. Solar is the one I'm most excited about, seems to have a very good bat. In general though in the next 2 years we will be seeing a lot of these guys hit the majors, It may be possible that the team of the future is an almora solar jackson outfield with baez castro and rizzo infield 3rd and c are the bigger question marks, maybe wellington at c but saldy prety much no pitching.

Almora "Solar" Jackson was my favorite blaxploitation heroine.

The sicilian Vizzini says it's "inconceivable!

Isn't that a birth control drug?

I was trying to find comps for Soriano, and there aren't many near ones; but perhaps the closest of all is a longtime teammate: