Alfonso Soriano
Encyclopedia
Alfonso Guilleard Soriano (born January 7, 1976 in San Pedro de Macoris
, Dominican Republic
) is a Major League Baseball
outfielder
for the Chicago Cubs
.
He previously played for the New York Yankees
, Texas Rangers
, and Washington Nationals
. He played primarily as a second baseman
for the Yankees and Rangers. He bats right-handed, and has batted as a lead-off hitter for most of his career.
, training at their Carp Academy for Dominican
players. In 1997, he was promoted to the varsity team
, and, wearing uniform number 74, he appeared in nine games, batting .118 (2 for 17) with two walks
.
Soriano disliked the intense Japanese practice schedule, and the Carp denied him a salary increase from $45,000 to $180,000 per year. Like Hideo Nomo
and Hideki Irabu
, who had previously left Japan to play in the United States, Soriano hired Don Nomura
to help his situation. After first attempting to void Soriano's NPB contract by unsuccessfully arguing that the player was legally a minor when he signed it, Nomura advised him, like Nomo, to retire from NPB and pursue a career in MLB. This prompted Carp executives to file an injunction
against Soriano, and to send letters to MLB teams demanding that they cease all negotiations with him. After the Nomo case, NPB officials had amended the Working Agreement without consulting any MLB officials in an attempt to prevent the situation from recurring. Since MLB had not agreed to any changes to the agreement, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig
declared that MLB would recognize Soriano as a free agent on July 13, 1998, and the Carp backed down.
with the New York Yankees
in 1998, starting his career
as an infield player, and played in New York for five seasons. His first hit in the MLB came in 1999 when he hit a game-winning home run against Norm Charlton
of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He finished in third place for Rookie of the Year honors in 2001. In the World Series that year, he hit the would-be game and series winning home run off of Arizona Diamondbacks
pitcher Curt Schilling
, but was denied the series winning run when Luis Gonzalez hit his famous series-winning bloop single on a cut fastball by closer Mariano Rivera
.
In 2002, Soriano led the American League
with 696 at bats, 209 hits
, 92 extra base hits, 41 stolen bases, 128 runs
and set a New York Yankees
team
record for most at bats (696) and most strikeouts (157) in a season
. While he was hitting home runs, he was not taking many walks. He is one of only six players active in 2009 who have concluded a 30-homer season with more homers than walks (39 HR, 23 BB), the others being Ryan Braun
(34–29 in 2007), Garret Anderson
(35–24 in 2000), Ivan Rodriguez
(35–24 in 1999), Joe Crede
(30–28 in 2006), and José Guillén
(31–24 in 2003).
In 2003, Soriano set the record for most home run
s to lead off a game in a season with 13, and for the second straight year, led the league in at bats, and finished in the top five for hits, doubles, home runs, stolen bases, and strikeouts.
along with minor league
r Joaquin Árias for Alex Rodriguez
and cash amounting to $67 million of the $179 million remaining on Rodríguez's contract.
On May 8, 2004, Soriano had six hits in nine innings—the first Texas Ranger to do so—in a 16–15, 10-inning victory over the Detroit Tigers
. The game featured a bizarre, hour-long fifth inning, where Detroit scored eight runs in the top half of the inning to take a 10-run lead over the Rangers, only to see Texas score 10 runs in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game, the largest deficit ever overcome by the Rangers and tying an MLB record for most runs in an inning by two teams. That same year, Soriano was elected to the All-Star Game
as the starting second baseman. He hit a three-run home run off Roger Clemens
in the first inning and was named the MVP of the game
.
In 2005 he finished sixth in the AL for stolen bases, and third for extra base hits (as well as eighth for strike-outs).
On December 7, 2005, Soriano was traded to the Washington Nationals
in exchange for Brad Wilkerson
, Terrmel Sledge
, and minor league pitcher Armando Galarraga
. On February 10, 2006, Soriano set a record for the highest salary ever awarded in arbitration
, receiving $10 million, even though he lost his request of $12 million. The previous high had been set in 2001 by Andruw Jones
of the Atlanta Braves
when he earned $8.2 million. The Nationals offered Soriano a five-year, $50-million extension, but Soriano rejected the offer.
Soriano and his agent Diego Bentz instead opted to open contract negotiations during the off-season, so that he would become a free agent
and would be capable of earning a greater salary.
On March 20, 2006, Nationals manager Frank Robinson
wrote Soriano in the lineup
to play left field. Soriano, who since 2001 had played exclusively at second base, refused to take the field, and the Nationals organization threatened him with disqualification, which would have meant forfeiture of his salary, and he would not have received credit for service time in fulfillment of the obligations of his contract. With his contract's service terms officially still unfulfilled, he would then not have been eligible for free agency at season's end.
Two days later, Soriano relented and played in left field for the Nationals in their exhibition game against the St. Louis Cardinals
. Robinson indicated that he considered Soriano's move to left field to be permanent and would not consider moving Soriano back to second base at any point during the season. In his comments following that game, Soriano indicated that he would accept his new position without further argument. As the season got underway, however, Soriano began to enjoy his new position, and by the All-Star break, he led the league in outfield assists and became one of the few players ever to start the All-Star game at two different positions.
Soriano enjoyed the greatest season in his career in 2006. He shattered his previous career high in walks with 67 (previously 38). He also reached a career high in home runs with 46 (previously 39). He also had 41 stolen bases. On August 25, a week after reaching 30–30, he became the fastest man in baseball history to reach 200 home runs and 200 stolen bases, reaching the mark in 929 games (breaking the previous record of 1,053 games held by Eric Davis).
In September, he completed his 20th outfield assist, becoming the only player in baseball history with 40 home runs, 40 stolen bases, and 20 assists.
On September 16, 2006, Soriano stole second base in the 1st inning to become only the fourth player to join the 40-40 Club
, joining José Canseco
, Barry Bonds
, and Alex Rodriguez
. Six days later he became the first person ever to reach 40 home runs, 40 stolen bases and 40 doubles in one season.
Soriano, making his fifth consecutive All-Star team, became only the third man to start All-Star games for both leagues at two different positions.
praised Soriano's leadership in the clubhouse, and further suggested that Soriano should be considered for MVP of the National League
. There were plenty of suitors, including sending Soriano back to the Yankees, and the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers were also interested. In the end, Nationals general manager Jim Bowden
felt that what he was offered was not worth trading him. The "non-trade" was a risk for the Nationals and made headlines across the country. The Nationals hoped to sign him to a long term deal before the season ended but on October 12, 2006 he rejected a $70 million deal.
The Chicago Cubs
signed Soriano to an eight-year contract worth nearly $136 million. The contract marked the most expensive deal in the Cubs' franchise history and goes through 2014. It contains a no-trade clause, meaning Soriano cannot be traded without his consent. The Cubs' manager, Lou Piniella, assigned Soriano to play center field
, but later moved him to left field
after he sustained a hamstring
injury. He struggled during the first month of the season, during which he posted a .270 batting average
, with no home run
s. He managed to hit his first home run during the Cubs' first game in May, and gradually increased his batting average throughout the month.
Soriano was extremely productive in June. In a game against the Atlanta Braves
, Soriano hit three home runs off Lance Cormier
. Soriano had accomplished the same feat in his past, coincidentally, also against the Atlanta Braves
. During the subsequent game, Braves pitcher Tim Hudson
hit him with a wild pitch
. The home plate umpire
deemed Hudson's actions to be unintentional, and warned both teams. Soriano also played an integral part in the Cubs' offense during the team's annual Cross-town Classic with the Chicago White Sox
at US Cellular Field. He hit home runs in three consecutive games, and single-handedly out scored the entire White Sox's offense.
His efforts merited the 'National League's Player of the Month
' title for June. He was later selected as a reserve outfielder in the 2007 MLB All-Star Game, where he hit a two-run home run for the National League
in the bottom of the ninth inning. Soriano led the Cubs in home runs during their National League Central
chase in June and July, during which they erased the Milwaukee Brewers
' eight game lead over the division. After losing the tie for first in early August, Soriano tore his right quadriceps during a game against the New York Mets
on August 5. The Cubs placed him on the fifteen day disabled list, and expected him to miss several weeks while recovering from the injury.
The Cubs used Matt Murton
, who had been recalled from the Triple-A Iowa Cubs
, in left field. He began to show signs of improvement around on August 21, when he was seen running and working out with trainers. Soriano stated he felt healthy enough to return in a few days, but made his actual return on August 28, 2007. Upon his return, Soriano proceeded to have the most productive September in the franchise's history. He hit fourteen home runs, twenty-seven runs batted in, and recorded a .320 batting average within twenty-nine games. Soriano said upon his return from the quad injury that he had also been suffering from wrist injuries and the time off to heal his leg also helped his wrists. The Cubs went on to win the National League Central
Division, but were swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks
in the National League Division Series
. Soriano finished the season with thirty-three home runs (including eleven lead-off home runs), seventy runs batted in, and a .299 batting average
. He led the Cubs in home runs, triples, runs, strikeout
s, and Slugging percentage, among all regular starters.
with a bad leg. After being activated, Soriano got off to a quick start, raising his average to .280 and increasing his home run total. In a one week stretch in May, he hit 7 home runs in just 6 games, hitting nearly .500 during that stretch. At the end of May he had 12 home runs and 33 RBIs. However, his defense was extremely poor, and after being placed on the DL early in the season, Soriano was encouraged to stop hopping as he caught fly balls. This seemed to affect his play in the field as he misjudged two balls in St. Louis on May 2, shortly after being activated. After being severely booed by Cub fans who had traveled to St. Louis in that particular game, he homered in the ninth to send the game to extra innings. Later that month, he lost a ball in the sun and dropped what would have been the game's final out in the 9th inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates
, allowing Jason Bay
to reach safely and eventually costing the Cubs a win.
On June 11, 2008, Soriano was hit by a pitch and broke a bone just under the ring finger
in his left hand. On July 7, 2008, Soriano was voted a starter in the 2008 MLB All-Star Game. However, due to the injury, he was replaced in the starting lineup by Matt Holliday
of the Colorado Rockies
.
As poor as Alfonso's defense is perceived to be, his arm has been just as much as asset to the Cubs, and he was one of the league's leaders in outfield assists. Soriano also led the team in home runs, despite having played in only 109 games. On August 22, Soriano accomplished one of baseball's rarest feats, as he stole home plate in a loss to his old team, the Washington Nationals.
In early September, Soriano helped end the Cubs six-game losing streak by slugging out three home runs with five RBI against the Cincinnati Reds
. It marked the third three-home run game of his career. However, as the Cubs went into the playoffs against the Los Angeles Dodgers
, Soriano, like nearly everyone else on the team, hit poorly in the NLDS.
Soriano had an embarrassing moment in a day-night double header on Wednesday, August 13, 2008, where he hit a long ball which he thought was a home run. He watched it, and slowly trotted down to 1st, yet the ball never left the park. He wound up with only a single. Between games, he apologized to his team and promised that it would never happen again.
Soriano had gotten off to a quick start, hitting a solo home run in his first at bat of the 2009 season.
Soriano also hit a game tying solo home run off LaTroy Hawkins
in the 8th inning in the second game of the young season. On April 11, Soriano hit a 2-run home run off of Carlos Villanueva in the top of the ninth giving the Cubs a 6 to 5 victory over rival Milwaukee. Comcast Sportsnet awarded Soriano with "Play of the Day.". Soriano homered again, the very next day, on the first pitch he saw from Jeff Suppan
, his 51st lead-off home run. On April 17 with one out in the bottom of the eighth Soriano hit a two run home run to give the Cubs a 8–7 lead over the St. Louis Cardinals. However, Soriano only hit .216 in the month of May.
In voting for the 2009 All Star Game, Soriano was fourth among NL outfielders (2,692,994 votes), trailing Ryan Braun
(4,138,559), Raúl Ibáñez
(4,053,355), and Carlos Beltran
(2,812,295).
Shortly before the All Star break, manager Lou Piniella dropped Soriano in the batting order and made it clear that it was not a temporary change. For the first time in his career, Soriano seemed to accept not being a leadoff hitter and actually praised his manager for making the necessary decision citing the fact that, "I'm not doing my job."
The batting order change helped Soriano. In the first series after the all-star break, he hit two go-ahead home runs against the Nationals
. On July 27 he hit a walk-off grand slam
against the Houston Astros
during the 13th inning.
On September 5, 2009, it was reported that Soriano is to undergo a knee surgery. The surgery would sideline him for the rest of the season.
In 2009, Soriano led all major league left fielders in errors, with 11, and had the lowest fielding percentage among them (.950).
. In 2010, on defense led major league left fielders in errors, with 7, and had the lowest fielding percentage, at .968.
.
On May 17, 2009 Soriano appeared in a skit on WWE Judgment Day
with The Miz
and Santino Marella. Also after John Cena
defeated The Big Show
, Cena went over to Soriano in the crowd to give him a hug.
Soriano and his wife Isis have three daughters named Alisis, Angeline, and Alisha and three sons named Allen, Angel and Alfonso Jr.
San Pedro de Macorís
San Pedro de Macorís is a municipality and the capital of the San Pedro de Macorís province in the Dominican Republic.-Demographics:...
, Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
) is a Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
for the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
.
He previously played for the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
, and Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
. He played primarily as a second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
for the Yankees and Rangers. He bats right-handed, and has batted as a lead-off hitter for most of his career.
1997: Japan
Soriano began his professional baseball career in Japan with the Hiroshima Toyo CarpHiroshima Toyo Carp
The are a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League. The team is primarily owned by the Matsuda family, led by , who is a descendant of Mazda founder Jujiro Matsuda. Mazda is the largest single shareholder , which is less than the portion owned by the Matsuda family . Because of that,...
, training at their Carp Academy for Dominican
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
players. In 1997, he was promoted to the varsity team
Varsity team
In the United States and Canada, varsity sports teams are the principal athletic teams representing a college, university, high school or other secondary school. Such teams compete against the principal athletic teams at other colleges/universities, or in the case of secondary schools, against...
, and, wearing uniform number 74, he appeared in nine games, batting .118 (2 for 17) with two walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
.
Soriano disliked the intense Japanese practice schedule, and the Carp denied him a salary increase from $45,000 to $180,000 per year. Like Hideo Nomo
Hideo Nomo
is a former right-handed pitcher in Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball from Japan. He achieved early success in Japan, where he played with the Kintetsu Buffaloes from to...
and Hideki Irabu
Hideki Irabu
was a professional baseball player of Okinawan and American mixed ancestry. He played professionally in both Japan and the United States.-Early life:...
, who had previously left Japan to play in the United States, Soriano hired Don Nomura
Don Nomura
, is a sports agent who primarily represents Japanese baseball players.-Early life:Don Nomura was born Donald Engel at St. Luke's International Hospital in Chūō, Tokyo. Born to an American father and a Japanese mother, Yoshie Itō left the family when Don was six, leaving Alvin George Engel to care...
to help his situation. After first attempting to void Soriano's NPB contract by unsuccessfully arguing that the player was legally a minor when he signed it, Nomura advised him, like Nomo, to retire from NPB and pursue a career in MLB. This prompted Carp executives to file an injunction
Injunction
An injunction is an equitable remedy in the form of a court order that requires a party to do or refrain from doing certain acts. A party that fails to comply with an injunction faces criminal or civil penalties and may have to pay damages or accept sanctions...
against Soriano, and to send letters to MLB teams demanding that they cease all negotiations with him. After the Nomo case, NPB officials had amended the Working Agreement without consulting any MLB officials in an attempt to prevent the situation from recurring. Since MLB had not agreed to any changes to the agreement, MLB Commissioner Bud Selig
Bud Selig
Allan Huber "Bud" Selig is the ninth and current Commissioner of Major League Baseball, having served in that capacity since 1992 as the acting commissioner, and as the official commissioner since 1998...
declared that MLB would recognize Soriano as a free agent on July 13, 1998, and the Carp backed down.
1998–2003: New York Yankees
Soriano signed as a free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
with the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
in 1998, starting his career
Career
Career is defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as a person's "course or progress through life ". It is usually considered to pertain to remunerative work ....
as an infield player, and played in New York for five seasons. His first hit in the MLB came in 1999 when he hit a game-winning home run against Norm Charlton
Norm Charlton
Norman Wood Charlton III , nicknamed "The Sheriff", is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds , Seattle Mariners , Philadelphia Phillies , Baltimore Orioles , Atlanta Braves , and Tampa Bay Devil Rays .Charlton holds three degrees from Rice University.The left-handed...
of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He finished in third place for Rookie of the Year honors in 2001. In the World Series that year, he hit the would-be game and series winning home run off of Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
pitcher Curt Schilling
Curt Schilling
Curtis Montague "Curt" Schilling is a former American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He helped lead the Philadelphia Phillies to the World Series in and won World Series championships in with the Arizona Diamondbacks and in and with the Boston Red Sox. Schilling retired with a...
, but was denied the series winning run when Luis Gonzalez hit his famous series-winning bloop single on a cut fastball by closer Mariano Rivera
Mariano Rivera
Mariano Rivera is a Panamanian right-handed baseball pitcher who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. Nicknamed "Mo", Rivera has served as a relief pitcher for most of his career, and since 1997, he has been the Yankees' closer...
.
In 2002, Soriano led the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
with 696 at bats, 209 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, 92 extra base hits, 41 stolen bases, 128 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
and set a New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
team
Team
A team comprises a group of people or animals linked in a common purpose. Teams are especially appropriate for conducting tasks that are high in complexity and have many interdependent subtasks.A group in itself does not necessarily constitute a team...
record for most at bats (696) and most strikeouts (157) in a season
Season (sports)
In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an...
. While he was hitting home runs, he was not taking many walks. He is one of only six players active in 2009 who have concluded a 30-homer season with more homers than walks (39 HR, 23 BB), the others being Ryan Braun
Ryan Braun
Ryan Joseph Braun is an American right-handed Major League Baseball left fielder for the Milwaukee Brewers. A perennial standout, he was ranked No...
(34–29 in 2007), Garret Anderson
Garret Anderson
Garret Joseph Anderson is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played most of his career with the California/Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels...
(35–24 in 2000), Ivan Rodriguez
Iván Rodríguez
Iván Rodríguez Torres , nicknamed "Pudge" and "I-Rod", is a Major League Baseball catcher...
(35–24 in 1999), Joe Crede
Joe Crede
Joseph Taylor Crede is a Major League Baseball third baseman who is currently a free agent. Crede attended high school at Fatima High School in Westphalia, Missouri which he led to 3 district championships and two final four berths as a pitcher...
(30–28 in 2006), and José Guillén
José Guillén
José Manuel Guillén |San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic]]) is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. A prototypical league journeyman, the Giants were the tenth team for which Guillén has played since his major league debut in 1997....
(31–24 in 2003).
In 2003, Soriano set the record for most home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s to lead off a game in a season with 13, and for the second straight year, led the league in at bats, and finished in the top five for hits, doubles, home runs, stolen bases, and strikeouts.
2004–05: Texas Rangers
In 2004, the Yankees traded Soriano to the Texas RangersTexas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
along with minor league
Minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
r Joaquin Árias for Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez
Alexander Emmanuel "Alex" Rodriguez is an American professional baseball third baseman with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. Known popularly by his nickname A-Rod, he previously played shortstop for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers.Rodriguez is considered one of the best...
and cash amounting to $67 million of the $179 million remaining on Rodríguez's contract.
On May 8, 2004, Soriano had six hits in nine innings—the first Texas Ranger to do so—in a 16–15, 10-inning victory over the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. The game featured a bizarre, hour-long fifth inning, where Detroit scored eight runs in the top half of the inning to take a 10-run lead over the Rangers, only to see Texas score 10 runs in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game, the largest deficit ever overcome by the Rangers and tying an MLB record for most runs in an inning by two teams. That same year, Soriano was elected to the All-Star Game
2004 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 2004 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 75th playing of the midseason exhibition baseball game between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 13, 2004 at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas,...
as the starting second baseman. He hit a three-run home run off Roger Clemens
Roger Clemens
William Roger Clemens , nicknamed "Rocket", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who broke into the league with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he would help anchor for 12 years. Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards, more than any other pitcher. He played for four different teams over...
in the first inning and was named the MVP of the game
Major League Baseball All-Star Game MVP Award
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award given to the most outstanding player in each year's MLB All-Star Game. Awarded each season since , it was originally called the "Arch Ward Memorial Award" in honor of Arch Ward, the man who...
.
In 2005 he finished sixth in the AL for stolen bases, and third for extra base hits (as well as eighth for strike-outs).
2006: Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
in exchange for Brad Wilkerson
Brad Wilkerson
Stephen Bradley "Brad" Wilkerson is a former American college and professional baseball player who was an outfielder and first baseman in Major League Baseball for eight seasons in the 2000s. Wilkerson played college baseball for the University of Florida, and was selected by the Montreal Expos...
, Terrmel Sledge
Terrmel Sledge
Terrmel Sledge is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball, who currently plays for the Yokohama BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan. Sledge's career began in with the Montreal Expos. He moved with the team to Washington, D.C...
, and minor league pitcher Armando Galarraga
Armando Galarraga
Armando Antonio Galarraga is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. Galarraga made his Major League Baseball debut with the Texas Rangers on September 15, 2007...
. On February 10, 2006, Soriano set a record for the highest salary ever awarded in arbitration
Arbitration
Arbitration, a form of alternative dispute resolution , is a legal technique for the resolution of disputes outside the courts, where the parties to a dispute refer it to one or more persons , by whose decision they agree to be bound...
, receiving $10 million, even though he lost his request of $12 million. The previous high had been set in 2001 by Andruw Jones
Andruw Jones
Andruw Rudolf Jones is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is a free agent.Jones made his debut during the 1996 season. In the 1996 World Series, Jones became the youngest player to ever homered in the postseason...
of the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
when he earned $8.2 million. The Nationals offered Soriano a five-year, $50-million extension, but Soriano rejected the offer.
Soriano and his agent Diego Bentz instead opted to open contract negotiations during the off-season, so that he would become a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
and would be capable of earning a greater salary.
On March 20, 2006, Nationals manager Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956–1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues...
wrote Soriano in the lineup
Batting order (baseball)
The batting order, or batting lineup, in baseball is the sequence in which the nine members of the offense take their turns in batting against the pitcher. The batting order is the main component of a team's offensive strategy. The batting order is set by the manager before the game begins...
to play left field. Soriano, who since 2001 had played exclusively at second base, refused to take the field, and the Nationals organization threatened him with disqualification, which would have meant forfeiture of his salary, and he would not have received credit for service time in fulfillment of the obligations of his contract. With his contract's service terms officially still unfulfilled, he would then not have been eligible for free agency at season's end.
Two days later, Soriano relented and played in left field for the Nationals in their exhibition game against the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. Robinson indicated that he considered Soriano's move to left field to be permanent and would not consider moving Soriano back to second base at any point during the season. In his comments following that game, Soriano indicated that he would accept his new position without further argument. As the season got underway, however, Soriano began to enjoy his new position, and by the All-Star break, he led the league in outfield assists and became one of the few players ever to start the All-Star game at two different positions.
Soriano enjoyed the greatest season in his career in 2006. He shattered his previous career high in walks with 67 (previously 38). He also reached a career high in home runs with 46 (previously 39). He also had 41 stolen bases. On August 25, a week after reaching 30–30, he became the fastest man in baseball history to reach 200 home runs and 200 stolen bases, reaching the mark in 929 games (breaking the previous record of 1,053 games held by Eric Davis).
On September 16, 2006, Soriano stole second base in the 1st inning to become only the fourth player to join the 40-40 Club
40-40 club
The 40–40 club is a baseball term for players who have accumulated a total of 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a single season, similar to the much more common 30–30 club....
, joining José Canseco
José Canseco
José Canseco Capas, Jr. is a Cuban-American professional baseball manager, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Yuma Scorpions of the North American League and former Major League Baseball player. He is the identical twin brother of former major league player and current teammate Ozzie Canseco...
, Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds
Barry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds...
, and Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez
Alexander Emmanuel "Alex" Rodriguez is an American professional baseball third baseman with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. Known popularly by his nickname A-Rod, he previously played shortstop for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers.Rodriguez is considered one of the best...
. Six days later he became the first person ever to reach 40 home runs, 40 stolen bases and 40 doubles in one season.
Soriano, making his fifth consecutive All-Star team, became only the third man to start All-Star games for both leagues at two different positions.
Possible trade
As the trading deadline of July 31 approached, the Nationals were in a dilemma. On one hand, Soriano had initially expressed his distaste for playing left field, and he was in the last year of his contract, which would grant him free agency at the end of the season. If the Nationals lost Soriano at the end of the season, they would receive a first or second round draft pick and a "sandwich" pick in between the first and second round as compensation. Further, Soriano did not want to engage in contract negotiations during the season. On the other hand, as the deadline approached, Soriano expressed his enjoyment with left field, and his strong desire to stay with the team. Both fans and players began to be more vocal in their support to keep Soriano. Manager Frank RobinsonFrank Robinson
Frank Robinson , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956–1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues...
praised Soriano's leadership in the clubhouse, and further suggested that Soriano should be considered for MVP of the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
. There were plenty of suitors, including sending Soriano back to the Yankees, and the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers were also interested. In the end, Nationals general manager Jim Bowden
Jim Bowden
-Early life and career:Bowden was born in Boston, MA and raised in Weston, Massachusetts and Boothbay Harbor, ME. He graduated from Rollins College in 1983 with a B.A. degree in Communications and Business Administration. He was the Sports Director at the College radio station as well doing the...
felt that what he was offered was not worth trading him. The "non-trade" was a risk for the Nationals and made headlines across the country. The Nationals hoped to sign him to a long term deal before the season ended but on October 12, 2006 he rejected a $70 million deal.
2007
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
signed Soriano to an eight-year contract worth nearly $136 million. The contract marked the most expensive deal in the Cubs' franchise history and goes through 2014. It contains a no-trade clause, meaning Soriano cannot be traded without his consent. The Cubs' manager, Lou Piniella, assigned Soriano to play center field
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
, but later moved him to left field
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
after he sustained a hamstring
Hamstring
In human anatomy, the hamstring refers to any one of the three posterior thigh muscles, or to the tendons that make up the borders of the space behind the knee. In modern anatomical contexts, however, they usually refer to the posterior thigh muscles, or the tendons of the semitendinosus, the...
injury. He struggled during the first month of the season, during which he posted a .270 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
, with no home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s. He managed to hit his first home run during the Cubs' first game in May, and gradually increased his batting average throughout the month.
Soriano was extremely productive in June. In a game against the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, Soriano hit three home runs off Lance Cormier
Lance Cormier
Lance Robert Cormier is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays of Major League Baseball. He has previously played for the Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks, Baltimore Orioles, and Los Angeles Dodgers.-Early years:Cormier went to Lafayette High School, and graduated in...
. Soriano had accomplished the same feat in his past, coincidentally, also against the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. During the subsequent game, Braves pitcher Tim Hudson
Tim Hudson
Timothy Adam Hudson is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the Atlanta Braves. Hudson began his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and played his last two years of college eligibility at Auburn University...
hit him with a wild pitch
Beanball
"Beanball" is a colloquialism used in baseball, for a ball thrown at an opposing player with the intention of striking him such as to cause harm, often connoting a throw at the player's head...
. The home plate umpire
Umpire (baseball)
In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
deemed Hudson's actions to be unintentional, and warned both teams. Soriano also played an integral part in the Cubs' offense during the team's annual Cross-town Classic with the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
at US Cellular Field. He hit home runs in three consecutive games, and single-handedly out scored the entire White Sox's offense.
His efforts merited the 'National League's Player of the Month
Player of the Month
The Player of the Month Award is a Major League Baseball award named by each league every month of the regular season. The National League started recognizing the award on June 4, 1958. National League president Warren Giles conducted a poll of baseball writers in each Major League city and...
' title for June. He was later selected as a reserve outfielder in the 2007 MLB All-Star Game, where he hit a two-run home run for the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
in the bottom of the ninth inning. Soriano led the Cubs in home runs during their National League Central
National League Central
The National League Central Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. This division was created in 1994, by moving two teams from the Western Division and three teams from the Eastern Division of the National League...
chase in June and July, during which they erased the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
' eight game lead over the division. After losing the tie for first in early August, Soriano tore his right quadriceps during a game against the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
on August 5. The Cubs placed him on the fifteen day disabled list, and expected him to miss several weeks while recovering from the injury.
Matt Murton
Matthew Henry Murton is an outfielder for the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan...
, who had been recalled from the Triple-A Iowa Cubs
Iowa Cubs
The Iowa Cubs are a Triple-A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, that plays in the Pacific Coast League. Their home games are played in Des Moines, Iowa, at Principal Park.-Franchise history:...
, in left field. He began to show signs of improvement around on August 21, when he was seen running and working out with trainers. Soriano stated he felt healthy enough to return in a few days, but made his actual return on August 28, 2007. Upon his return, Soriano proceeded to have the most productive September in the franchise's history. He hit fourteen home runs, twenty-seven runs batted in, and recorded a .320 batting average within twenty-nine games. Soriano said upon his return from the quad injury that he had also been suffering from wrist injuries and the time off to heal his leg also helped his wrists. The Cubs went on to win the National League Central
National League Central
The National League Central Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. This division was created in 1994, by moving two teams from the Western Division and three teams from the Eastern Division of the National League...
Division, but were swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
in the National League Division Series
National League Division Series
In Major League Baseball, the National League Division Series determine which two teams from the National League will advance to the National League Championship Series...
. Soriano finished the season with thirty-three home runs (including eleven lead-off home runs), seventy runs batted in, and a .299 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
. He led the Cubs in home runs, triples, runs, strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s, and Slugging percentage, among all regular starters.
2008
During the first few weeks of the 2008 season with the Cubs, Soriano struggled. He was only hitting .190 at the time he was put on the DLDisabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
with a bad leg. After being activated, Soriano got off to a quick start, raising his average to .280 and increasing his home run total. In a one week stretch in May, he hit 7 home runs in just 6 games, hitting nearly .500 during that stretch. At the end of May he had 12 home runs and 33 RBIs. However, his defense was extremely poor, and after being placed on the DL early in the season, Soriano was encouraged to stop hopping as he caught fly balls. This seemed to affect his play in the field as he misjudged two balls in St. Louis on May 2, shortly after being activated. After being severely booed by Cub fans who had traveled to St. Louis in that particular game, he homered in the ninth to send the game to extra innings. Later that month, he lost a ball in the sun and dropped what would have been the game's final out in the 9th inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, allowing Jason Bay
Jason Bay
Jason Raymond Bay is a Canadian professional baseball player. An outfielder, he currently plays for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball...
to reach safely and eventually costing the Cubs a win.
On June 11, 2008, Soriano was hit by a pitch and broke a bone just under the ring finger
Ring finger
The ring finger is the fourth digit of the human hand, and the second most ulnar finger, located between the middle finger and the little finger. It is also called digitus medicinalis, the fourth finger, digitus annularis, digitus quartus, or digitus IV in anatomy.- Etymology :According to László A...
in his left hand. On July 7, 2008, Soriano was voted a starter in the 2008 MLB All-Star Game. However, due to the injury, he was replaced in the starting lineup by Matt Holliday
Matt Holliday
Matthew Thomas Holliday , nicknamed "Big Daddy", is an American Major League Baseball left fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals. Holliday was originally drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the seventh round of the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft.Holliday is a five-time All-Star and Silver Slugger...
of the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
.
As poor as Alfonso's defense is perceived to be, his arm has been just as much as asset to the Cubs, and he was one of the league's leaders in outfield assists. Soriano also led the team in home runs, despite having played in only 109 games. On August 22, Soriano accomplished one of baseball's rarest feats, as he stole home plate in a loss to his old team, the Washington Nationals.
In early September, Soriano helped end the Cubs six-game losing streak by slugging out three home runs with five RBI against the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
. It marked the third three-home run game of his career. However, as the Cubs went into the playoffs against the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, Soriano, like nearly everyone else on the team, hit poorly in the NLDS.
Soriano had an embarrassing moment in a day-night double header on Wednesday, August 13, 2008, where he hit a long ball which he thought was a home run. He watched it, and slowly trotted down to 1st, yet the ball never left the park. He wound up with only a single. Between games, he apologized to his team and promised that it would never happen again.
2009
Soriano also hit a game tying solo home run off LaTroy Hawkins
LaTroy Hawkins
LaTroy Hawkins is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Through 2011, he was third of all active pitchers in career games pitched.-Minnesota Twins:...
in the 8th inning in the second game of the young season. On April 11, Soriano hit a 2-run home run off of Carlos Villanueva in the top of the ninth giving the Cubs a 6 to 5 victory over rival Milwaukee. Comcast Sportsnet awarded Soriano with "Play of the Day.". Soriano homered again, the very next day, on the first pitch he saw from Jeff Suppan
Jeff Suppan
Jeffrey Scot Suppan , is a Major League Baseball pitcher, who is currently a free agent.-Baseball career:Suppan was drafted out of high school by the Boston Red Sox in the second round of the 1993 amateur draft, and rapidly ascended to the Majors making his debut at the age of 20...
, his 51st lead-off home run. On April 17 with one out in the bottom of the eighth Soriano hit a two run home run to give the Cubs a 8–7 lead over the St. Louis Cardinals. However, Soriano only hit .216 in the month of May.
In voting for the 2009 All Star Game, Soriano was fourth among NL outfielders (2,692,994 votes), trailing Ryan Braun
Ryan Braun
Ryan Joseph Braun is an American right-handed Major League Baseball left fielder for the Milwaukee Brewers. A perennial standout, he was ranked No...
(4,138,559), Raúl Ibáñez
Raúl Ibáñez
Raúl Javier Ibáñez is an American Major League Baseball outfielder.Over his career, Ibáñez, who did not make 500 plate appearances until the age of thirty, has batted .280 with 377 doubles, 252 home runs and 1054 runs batted in over sixteen Major League seasons...
(4,053,355), and Carlos Beltran
Carlos Beltrán
Carlos Iván Beltrán is a Major League Baseball outfielder.-Early life:In his youth, Beltrán excelled in many sports, with volleyball and baseball being his favorites. At his father's urging, he gave up volleyball to concentrate on baseball when he was seventeen...
(2,812,295).
Shortly before the All Star break, manager Lou Piniella dropped Soriano in the batting order and made it clear that it was not a temporary change. For the first time in his career, Soriano seemed to accept not being a leadoff hitter and actually praised his manager for making the necessary decision citing the fact that, "I'm not doing my job."
The batting order change helped Soriano. In the first series after the all-star break, he hit two go-ahead home runs against the Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
. On July 27 he hit a walk-off grand slam
Walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game—either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning...
against the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
during the 13th inning.
On September 5, 2009, it was reported that Soriano is to undergo a knee surgery. The surgery would sideline him for the rest of the season.
In 2009, Soriano led all major league left fielders in errors, with 11, and had the lowest fielding percentage among them (.950).
2010
After a poor season in 2009, Soriano was placed permanently in the 6th spot in the Cubs lineup, where he rebounded nicely, by playing in the most games(147 games) that season for the Cubs. He also collected 40 doubles, and 79 RBIs. On June 11, 2010, Soriano hit his 300th home run off of Jake PeavyJake Peavy
Jacob Edward Peavy is a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who plays for the Chicago White Sox. He bats and throws right-handed...
. In 2010, on defense led major league left fielders in errors, with 7, and had the lowest fielding percentage, at .968.
2011
In 2011, on defense he tied for the major league lead in errors by a left fielder, with 7, and had the lowest fielding percentage, at .965.Fielding
Soriano led all major league second basemen in errors every year from 2001 to 2005 (19 (tied), 23, 19, 23, and 21). In 2006 he was second in the major leagues of all left fielders in errors, with 11, but led all left fielders with 22 assists, 9 double plays, and a 2.29 range factorRange Factor
Range Factor is a baseball statistic developed by Bill James. It is calculated by dividing putouts and assists by number of innings or games played at a given defense position...
.
| Games | GS | INN | TC | PO | A | E | DP | RF | FPCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1184 | 1171 | 10346.1 | 4592 | 2306 | 2151 | 135 | 494 | 3.880 | .971 |
Personal life
On June 23, 2004 Soriano donated US$2.6 million to his home country for children wanting to become professional baseball players.On May 17, 2009 Soriano appeared in a skit on WWE Judgment Day
WWE Judgment Day
Judgment Day was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event, produced every May by WWE, a professional wrestling promotion based in Connecticut. The event was created in 1998, with its inaugural event produced as an In Your House event in October of that year. The event was then replaced in 1999...
with The Miz
Mike Mizanin
Michael "Mike" Gregory Mizanin is an American professional wrestler and reality television personality better known by his nickname and ring name The Miz. He is currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment on its Raw brand...
and Santino Marella. Also after John Cena
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena is an American professional wrestler, actor, rapper, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE as a member of its WWE Raw brand....
defeated The Big Show
Paul Wight
Paul Donald Wight, Jr. , better known by his ring name, Big Show, is an American professional wrestler and actor, currently signed to WWE on its Raw brand....
, Cena went over to Soriano in the crowd to give him a hug.
Soriano and his wife Isis have three daughters named Alisis, Angeline, and Alisha and three sons named Allen, Angel and Alfonso Jr.
See also
- 30-30 club30-30 clubThe 30–30 club is a grouping of Major League Baseball players who have reached the 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases plateaus in the same season....
- 40-40 club40-40 clubThe 40–40 club is a baseball term for players who have accumulated a total of 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a single season, similar to the much more common 30–30 club....
- List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
- List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions
- List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions