All anyone associated with the Texas Ranger seemed interested in last week was the loss of Alex Rodriguez.
Question after question flowed about Rodriguez. That was to be expected, as he is a two-time Gold Glove winner and the defending American League most valuable player.
And Alfonso Soriano? He was all but an afterthought.
Incumbent second baseman Michael Young wasn’t at the news conference introducing Soriano, but he has heard all the national talk about the trade and thinks Soriano deserves some discussion.
“Everybody’s talking about what a great player we’re losing,” Young said. “And that’s true. Alex is an unbelievable player. But we’re also getting a great player in return.”
Soriano is clearly not of the same caliber as Rodriguez, whom many consider the best player in the game. But it’s not like Soriano is a journeyman.
Going into his fourth full major-league season after playing three years in Japan, Soriano, 28, already is a two-time All-Star at second base.
He finished third in the league’s MVP voting in 2002, just behind Rodriguez. He is one of three players in history to post consecutive seasons of 35 home runs and 35 stolen bases. And his numbers between 2001 and 2003 rank him among the top 10 in the American League in steals, multihit games, doubles, hits, extra-base hits, runs and homers.
At $5.4 million for this season, Soriano is a bargain.
“He’s a very talented player,” Rangers general manager John Hart said. “We know he’s not a perfect player.”
No, he’s not perfect, but his combination of speed, power and developing talent make him one of the game’s most exciting young players. Some people have likened him to a young Hank Aaron, one of the other two players to have back-to-back 35-35 seasons.
Soriano’s biggest fault is a lack of patience at the plate, where he has 430 strikeouts to 91 walks in the majors. Still, the overall product doesn’t have many flaws.
“It’s all a balance,” assistant GM Grady Fuson said. “When you think about the power this guy has, the speed that he has and the athleticism that he has, I think there’s still a lot of improvement there.
“But statistically, I’ll take everything that he’s already done.”
Soriano has been particularly productive at the Ballpark In Arlington. In 12 games there, he has hit .360 (18 of 50) with eight doubles, three home runs and eight RBIs.
The Rangers will have options with Soriano, both on offense and defense. He played second base in New York, but he rose through the minors as a shortstop and has the speed and range to play center field. In the batting order, he has the speed to bat leadoff but enough pop in his bat to make an intriguing option in the No. 2 slot.
“Flexibility will be paramount,” Hart said. “He’s a gifted, gifted athlete.”
