When Soriano is ready to come off the DL, will he just get placed back in the lineup with the Cub's, or go down to Iowa for a minor league assignment for a couple games, to get his timing down, before rejoining the major league team?? My guess, is that to the detriment of the team, he will refuse a minor league assignment and just strike out 3-4 times a game for a few games, before he gets his timing. They might not even have the balls to ask him to go to Iowa. Heck, they still bat him lead-off even though a blind man can see he isn't suited for it. Just because he's comfortable there. I sure hope they do what's best for the team and at least ask him to go to Iowa for a couple games. If he declines, at least when he's striking out, it won't be the club's fault for not havng the stones to ask him to accept the assignment.

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Go Cubs!!!!

soriano is going to come back and contribute to this team. they were playing well before he got hurt, they didnt just start playing well when he went down. i hate him at the top of the lineup, but if you get him down in the 5 hole and get fuku in the 2 hole, this lineup will produce. im not thrilled about all the his free-swinging, his play in left-field, and his type of game in general, but the guy can hit, and he would be a major weapon down in the order.

the lineup looks real good right now, but i dont think it is rational to think pie or anyone else is taking his spot in the order.

regarding a minor league assignment - i doubt he will be asked to do that. it isnt like he is coming off knee surgery or something major. the guy strained a muscle. it isnt like a pitcher that needs to build up stamina in an his arm after a long injury or anything. i dont feel there is a need to send him down for a rehab assignment on that. get him out there, and get him back in the lineup. this lineup is/will be stronger with him than without.

i have gotten no feeling from anyone that he is not a team player, or that he is a douchebag who will do anything to the detriment of the team. just because he swings hard and isnt an on-base guy, and hops when he catches the ball, doesnt mean he isnt a team player, or a detriment. not every player is going to have a .400 OBP. this is his game, and the cubs knew it when they signed him. thats ok, but he, in my opinion, should be down int he order.

I know it's a relatively minor injury. But after being out for a couple weeks, his timing will not be there. If he comes back directly to the major league ballclub, without any at bats at AAA to get the timing back-he is very likely to be missing a lot of pitches. I agree that he has shown at times to be a good teammate in that he has been willing to play center or left, even played back at second base for a couple innings in one game. He has moved around in the batting order too. But I still see him failing to move runners, swinging for the fences-even with 2 strikes and things like that don't seem like the kinds of things a good team player does.

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Go Cubs!!!!

No. He won't go to the minors. The guy bitches about moving down in the line up. He certainly won't accept a minor league assignment.

It will only be 2 weeks. He really doesn't need to go down anyway.

Look at how good the Cubs are playing without him. Just think of how you could have better spent that 139 million. You could have traded for and signed Santana. Maybe when AROD opted out with the Yanks the Cubs could have got him.

Send him to Iowa for a game or two, just to really fill up the I-Cubs' park. Oh, also so he can get some semblance of a swing and possibly get above the Mendoza line, that too

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Beardown-Thats a sobering thought. That would have been a MUCH better investment.

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Go Cubs!!!!

i agree that good pitching is always the best investment. i still think soriano can be a huge part of this team. i wont consider his money wasted...yet.

and it will have to be pointed out to me when soriano has bitched about moving anywhere in the lineup since he has been a cub. lou puts him in leadoff because that is where he has had his most success as a hitter, not because soriano bitches about it. painting him as a bad clubhouse guy because he bats leadoff doesnt ring true to me. they bat him leadoff because, for whatever the reason, that has been his most productive spot in the order. i dont like it either, but that is the way it is. that being said, i think he can be a very productive hitter lower in the order, especially if soto is batting behind him, because i think that guy is going to put up some serious hr and rbi numbers himself, and could give soriano protection. soto seems like a guy people arent going to want to face too often with men on base, the way he hits.

Unfortunately, you can't play the what if game when you look at the Soriano deal. Santana was still a productive member of the twins and no discussion of trading. As for ARod the possibility was there. but no one knew if he would take it.

The Cub were dammed if they did and dammed if they didn't. They needed to sign one of the big free agents last off season, and they landed Soriano. He'll produce, but in say 2 seasons, he will either be gone or fans will be clamoring loudly to move him to dump that massive contract for an old outfielder.

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Where would the Cubs have been last year without his 30 HRs and Matt Murton patrolling left? They would have been 10 back in a mediocre division and Cubs fans would have been screaming that they didn't get Soriano.

Thats what I'm saying. They had to get Zito, or El Caballo, or Soriano...one of the top free agents last year. Lee probably would have been the best option, especially considering the way he has hit in Wrigley Field.

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WHOA Frank! An intelligent, objective - and NON-offensive post regarding the Cubs? I'm impressed.

Also, I agree