Comments on: Soriano first now and always http://blogs.e-rockford.com/cubs/2008/04/03/soriano-first-now-and-always/ Your chance to talk Cubs baseball all season with our newsroom fans, as the North Siders try to snap a 100-year drought. Sun, 23 Nov 2008 10:25:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.2.4 By: Matt Torman http://blogs.e-rockford.com/cubs/2008/04/03/soriano-first-now-and-always/#comment-6 Matt Torman Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:45:53 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/cubs/2008/04/03/soriano-first-now-and-always/#comment-6 Trowbridge makes a valid point about the extra at-bats. I, too, was skeptical when Soriano was named to the leadoff spot last year. But having that kind of power at the top of the lineup is becoming a luxury that most clubs would snatch up in a second. The point of a leadoff hitter is to get on base, and that kind of pop in his bat forces pitchers to work the corners and be more careful. You start to feel like the Fons can do more deeper in the lineup (it's just frustrating when a player of his caliber hits 33 home runs but only drives in 70 runs), but he's gotta be the best bet to lead off. I just hope the Cubs' hitting coaches emphasize the "work the count" part of the equation. Trowbridge makes a valid point about the extra at-bats. I, too, was skeptical when Soriano was named to the leadoff spot last year. But having that kind of power at the top of the lineup is becoming a luxury that most clubs would snatch up in a second. The point of a leadoff hitter is to get on base, and that kind of pop in his bat forces pitchers to work the corners and be more careful.

You start to feel like the Fons can do more deeper in the lineup (it’s just frustrating when a player of his caliber hits 33 home runs but only drives in 70 runs), but he’s gotta be the best bet to lead off. I just hope the Cubs’ hitting coaches emphasize the “work the count” part of the equation.

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