Soriano bashing out of control

May 2nd, 2008 at 09:44am Matt Trowbridge

No one ever said Alfonso Soriano was a perfect leadoff hitter, but he’s not a bum, either. He’s a six-time All-Star as a leadoff hitter (he certainly didn’t make it because of his glove). Anyway, the cries to move him down in the order are now getting hysterical and have lost all reason. Case in point: A Chicago Tribune columnist ripped Soriano on Friday for hitting pitches when the count was 0-1, 1-2, 1-1 and 1-0. What, he’d rather Soriano take a called third strike on a 1-2 pitch, like the White Sox’ Nick Swisher striking out looking on three pitches to end the game with the tying run on base Wednesday? Soriano went 0-for-4 Thursday, and you could argue that it was because he was TOO patient, rather than not patient enough. He was behind in the count in each of his first three at-bats. When pitchers are throwing strikes, you have to swing the bat. All good hitters are going to be looking to swing at strikes when the count is 0-1, 1-2 and 1-1.

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