Only the Cubs...
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by user Jeeves
I must both applaud and deride the Cubs' apparent signing of Alfonso Soriano to an 8-year $136 million contract.
I have to applaud the Tribune Company's desire to be a contender in the NL. Perhaps they saw how a weak Cardinals team was able to win the World Series and were inspired to go for a title now, rather than rebuild. With the signings of Pinella, Soriano, Ramirez, Wood, Miller, Blanco, and DeRosa, the Cubs have already spent $242.5 million. I'm not going to debate whether or not the Cubs' moves are going to pay off, because frankly, (my dear) I don't give a damn.
BUT I will note that the contract the Cubs gave Soriano is absolutely ridiculous. 8 years! Only the Flubs would give Soriano an eight year contract, well maybe the Yankees would too. Soriano will be nearly 39 years old by the time his contract ends. Soriano's skills will definitely diminsh withing 5 years, if not earlier, so the Cubs will be stuck with an albatross of a contract. Soriano's deal is the fifth biggest in baseball history, only trailing A-Rod($252 mil-10 years), Jeter ($189 mil - 10 years), Manny ($160 mil - 10 years), and Helton ($141.5 -11 years). I think it's unbelieveable that Soriano got more money than Beltran did.
The interesting thing will be to see how this deal plays out over the next 8 years, and to see what this will do to the contract negotiations to such players as Carlos Lee.
This is from my site, Chi-Sox Blog. Please come comment and join the good banter, good banter, good banter.
