It was refreshing to hear Brenly and Casper talk about how Soriano should have gone for a rehab assignment in the minors before playing with the major league team. That he didn't look good in the outfield and needed some game action, rather than just coaches hitting fungo's. That his timing was off at bat. Now I know, he hit a big 2 run homer and drove in a run with a groundout. But he missed 2 flyballs he should have caught. Struck out twice with 2 runners on and grounded out with runners at first and third. Put someone else in that spot and the Card's only have 2 runs and the Cub's may have scored previously in the other run scoring opportunities. He ended up wearing the Sombrero (3 strikeouts). But perhaps he was just getting ready for Cinco De Mayo??

In any case, it was good to hear honest commentary about all this from the Cub's announcers, rather than excuses for the poor play.

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brenly had a great night last night, he was really letting soriano have it. no rehab assignment on earth is going to make him a good outfielder, though, his troubles are due to laziness and fear of the wall.

Unfortunately it does appear as if he doesn't really bust his tail to get to the ball.It's not just the balls hit near the wall either. I don't know how many times now this year, I have seen the shortstop catch a pop-fly that should have been caught by Soriano. What's more, is he seems as if he gives up on those plays way too early and doesnt even hustle in on the play. He seems to be jogging in at half speed-if that. I'm really growing tired of him. Even if he hits like he should, there are so many facets of his game that are lacking, that I find it tough to like him. I really wish they had not signed him now.

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I am going to interrupt the Brenly love-fest for a moment.

While I liked the fact that Brenly addressed it, why did he not also talk about why players like Soriano can get away with refusing a rehab assignment? Is it part of the collective barganing agreement? If so, then say so. and then address what was on mine and I suspect many minds: Why doesn't Lou leave Soriano out of the lineup until he proves he is ready to play defense? If fly balls look different at night then they do during the day, then he should be made to go out after night games and field fungos, again, until he proves he is ready to play. Brenly did not go there at all.

Announcers talking about facts? That's original.

If Soriano played for the Sox Hawk would say it once, that too bad he misplayed that one, but the wind took it! Tadgummit!

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""I am now done at the Score."
Mike North, June 24, 2008

I heard Brenly on the air rip Jessie's question. Fuck you Brenly. Don't tell the reporters what questions they can ask. What, you managers are beyond reproach? Little does he know the many dumb managers we've had in this town. Most of our beat writers, in all sports, are scared of the coaches. We really are soft here. Jesse finally asked a good question in the post game press conference.

Jesse's question was fine. Lou is not dumb. He's a good manager. I understand why he's not pulling Soriano right now. But guess what? Come late September, in the same situation, in a close race, Lou will pull Soriano. That's a fact. He'll do it. Then Lou will look like a hypocrite. So what? He has to bullshit the media sometimes to protect his players. I understand that. That's why he said "you don't pull super stars".

By the way, I like Brenly. He was just wrong here.

The only thing wrong with Jesse's question, was the wording. He should have asked "What was the reason that you chose to leave Soriano, who was coming off the DL with a calf injury and not at full speed, in the game, rather than having Pie in center and Reed Johnson in left, which would have given you a superior defensive outfield?" If Lou had said anything about keeping his bat in the lineup, he could have followed by asking what the chances were that Soriano would ever bat again in a game were, seeing that the Cub's had a 3-1 lead, with the game going to the 9th inning. Of course, with an outfilder who can't judge flyballs and is scared of the wall, the chances for you to bat again increase, since you are more likely to give up runs that never should have scored.

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The more appropriate wording for Jesse's question would be:

"In the future, would you replace Soriano in left for defensive purposes late in the game, given his injuries, etc...?"

i have been out of town a few days...did i miss the part where soriano refused a rehab assignment, or are we speculating here?

I don't think he refused one - but Brenly was talking like vets like Soriano and Lee could refuse them if they wanted to. He said something about Lee doing one game in the minors after his wrist and then decided he had enough. And of course Soriano came straight back to the lineup from the DL, w/o any rehab. No mention of whose idea that was.

I watched the Yankees game tonight, and EA did a interview with A-Rod, and he said he will play in a minor league game Monday and Tuesday. Now if the best player in baseball can play in a rehab game, then Soriano's ass should have no choice next time. Hendry and Lou need to have the nuts to tell him to go to Iowa and get some swings.

a minor league rehab stint for his minor injury was not needed. its not like the guy had tommy john surgery, or a torn hamstring or anything. several days after his "injury", he was running and doing his regular routine. he wasnt on the shelf, rotting away, not getting any work in. he is a big league ballplayer, a free-swinger who strikes out a lot, and a crappy outfielder. tell me again how 2 days in iowa is going to make a difference in his game? was that going to make him run hard after fly balls, or make him have 10 pitch at-bats like fukudome? good for a-rod. fuck him. let him go down to triple-a and waste his time. everyone is all hung up on minor-league rehabs all of a sudden, like that is going to change him and make a difference.

nobody knows who asked who to go where. some say soriano refused it, some say lou and hendry needed to force him. maybe, just maybe, he didnt need it. maybe everyone knew the guy was 100% healthy, and they wanted to get him in the lineup so he can finally get it going and start hitting the fucking ball, rather than wasting his energy striking out in iowa. he didnt fuck up those fly balls because he didnt go shag fly balls in iowa, or lost them in the lights. he fucked them up because he was a crappy 2nd baseman, and now he is a crappy outfielder, and no amount of time in triple-a is going to change that.

MOFO (Man of Few Opinions) I just got a kick out of the MOFO abbreviation, so I had to use it. I know they wanted to get his bat in the lineup, but a batter who doesn't have his timing isn't going to hit very well. That's why he should have gone for the rehab assignment. Plus, as Brenly pointed out, catching fly balls off a fungo bat, is not the same as catching flyballs in a game. It WOULD have been beneficial for him to have played in the outfield in Iowa too. The guy is gonna hit some big home runs, steal some bases and throw out some runners from left field with an exceptionally good arm. BUT, he still hurt the team by not going on a rehab assignment. He's like a lot of stars today-not a great team player. You can see that by the way he doesn't move runners when the situation calls for it. By how he refuses to cut down on his swing even with 2 strikes and still swings for the fences. He's a spectacularly gifted athlete, but a ME first kinda guy. Sosa the sequel...

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