Chicago Sports: Alfonso Soriano tries to overcome fear of Wrigley’s brick walls (RR)

Which means…Luis Tiant has been smoking waaay too much hedera colchica.

The big unknown is whether he will be able to overcome his fear of the outfield wall after playing tentatively at Wrigley Field in 2007.

While Soriano’s arm turned out to be an asset in left, he let several catchable balls fall on the warning track or bounce off the base of the wall. He tended to lose track of where he was or pull up at the last second, turning a potential out into a extra-base hit.

“I have no problems running from side to side or running to make a catch in front of me,” he said. “The only problem I have sometimes is running backward because I’m scared of hitting the wall. But I’m working very hard in spring training to get better.”

...“That’s one of the only places that has [bricks] in the back [instead of padding],” Soriano said. “But the work in spring training will help me there and in different ballparks. I just have to work to make myself more comfortable.”

The Cubs added 4 feet of warning track to Wrigley this off-season after leveling the playing field, which could help Soriano feel his way backward. The Cubs don’t expect him to turn into Aaron Rowand and go crashing into walls, but they would like to see him catch balls that fall at or near the base of the wall.