Alfonso Soriano RUMORS & NEWS

Chicago Tribune "Alfonso Soriano sat out two games on the Cubs' last homestand and wasn't all that happy about it. Manager Dale Sveum said he wanted Soriano to get more rest on day games after night games, pointing to his age and knees. Soriano, 37, understands Sveum is trying to keep him rested, but he..." May 14

Chicago Sun-Times "Alfonso Soriano’s name came up last month when New York Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson got hurt. Carlos Marmol’s name came up last week in an unfounded media report. And pundits already are speculating that the Boston Red Sox could be in the market for a DH (read: Soriano) with David Ortiz’s..." March 10

New York Daily News "Another former Yankee said he would consider a move back to New York if the Bombers came calling, as Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano said he would consider approving a trade to the Bronx. “I don’t know if they want to call or not, but if they call for me, I’d have to think about it,” said..." February 26

Newark Star-Ledger "In 2009, Alfonso Soriano was one of the worst players in Major League Baseball. FanGraphs rated him worthy of 0.0 wins above replacement (an exact replica of the theoretical “replacement player”), the seventh-lowest mark among qualified position players. Baseball-Reference was even less..." February 25

CSN Chicago "The New York Yankees are part of Alfonso Soriano’s DNA. But just because he started his career in The Bronx doesn’t necessarily mean that he wants to end it there. The Cubs couldn’t make it through their second Cactus League game before the Soriano trade rumors ignited again. The Twitter..." February 25

Chicago Tribune "Alfonso Soriano knew what was coming when he heard Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson suffered a fractured right forearm after being hit by a pitch in a Grapefruit League game on Sunday. Would the Cubs outfielder be interested in waiving his no-trade clause if the Yankees called the Cubs..." February 25

Chicago Tribune "When the Cubs signed Alfonso Soriano to his eight-year, $136 million deal after the 2006 season, they figured he would help them win it all before the final two seasons, making it worth the added years. Now that Soriano is entering the penultimate year of his contact, he's considered an..." February 19

Chicago Sun-Times "Monday afternoon, in a grassy spot between a baseball field and the Cubs’ row of spring bullpen mounds, a few young Cubs players set up a series of platforms ranging from a foot high to about 3 feet high. Then they took turns jumping from a standstill onto the platforms, each working his way to..." February 19

ESPN.com "Alfonso Soriano says he wants to win with the Chicago Cubs, but if the team falls out of contention -- and the Cubs are expected to struggle again after 101 losses last season -- Soriano would be interested in being traded. "I want to go somewhere where I'd feel comfortable," Soriano said..." February 18

Chicago Tribune "On the eve of their first workout of the spring, the Cubs suffered a setback. Carlos Marmol arrived. Another blow is sure to follow in a few days. Alfonso Soriano will walk in the door. Cubs President Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer will tell you it was a productive offseason...." February 12

Chicago Tribune "Will the possibility of a Nelson Cruz suspension put the Rangers in an acquisition mode before spring training? The Rangers would be wise to try to get the best hitter available, the Cubs' Alfonso Soriano, but it appears they have tied their hands by rolling the dice on Lance Berkman as their..." February 03

Cubbies Crib "By now if you are even just casually in tune with sports news in general, you are aware of the latest PED scandal that MLB is having to deal with. Prominent MLB names such as Alex Rodriguez, Gio Gonzalez, Nelson Cruz, and Melky Cabrera have already been connected with the Miami based clinic, with..." January 30

Chicago Sun-Times "If he was surprised, he didn't admit it, but Alfonso Soriano seemed relieved to still be wearing a Cubs uniform for the opening of the Cubs Convention on Friday. ''I'm very happy,'' said Soriano, who was told at the end of last season that the Cubs would consider trade possibilities over the..." January 19

Hardball Talk "The Cubs ate a lot of Carlos Zambrano's contract when he went to the Marlins just to be rid of him and they are willing to do the same thing with Alfonso Soriano, reports Jon Heyman: specifically, $26 million of the $36 million Soriano is owed over the next two seasons. The catch: you gotta..." December 13

Bleed Cubbie Blue "Yes, yes, I know. Too many posts in rapid fire. But this rumor might actually have legs, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports: The Phillies, interested in a right-handed batter to hit behind cleanup man Ryan Howard, talked to the Cubs about a swap of Domonic Brown for Alfonso Soriano but..." December 11

Foxsports.com "Chicago Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano has been available on the trade market at various times over the past several years. This winter, he might finally be on the move. The Cubs expect to meet with teams regarding Soriano during the upcoming winter meetings in Nashville, according to..." December 02

Chicago Tribune "Before the final game of the season, Alfonso Soriano said he's ready for the trade rumors to start this winter. The next day, Cubs President Theo Epstein said he doesn't believe people "get an accurate picture of (Soriano) watching him across the field," lauding his work ethic and quiet..." October 15

Hardball Talk "Alfonso Soriano pulled off quite the rebound this season, hitting .262/.322/.499 with 32 homers and 108 RBI. Still, he's not sure about his future with the Cubs and he's weighing retirement once his contract ends, CSNChicago.com's Patrick Mooney reports. "It depends how long," Soriano said when..." October 03

Chicago Tribune "The Cubs can lose their 100th game today at Chase Field, a milestone manager Dale Sveum and the players have made a goal of avoiding. And next year doesn't look to be that much better, especially if they wind up dealing their only proven power hitter, Alfonso Soriano, who sticks out like a sore..." October 01

CSN Chicago "As the world remembers 9/11, the sports world paid tribute to the 2001 tragedy Tuesday. Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano reflected back on the earth-shattering news. He was just a rookie back then with the Yankees, playing in New York City. "Eleven years, time flies," Soriano said, according..." September 12

Chicago Tribune "Alfonso Soriano donned a Deion Sanders Falcons jersey after Sunday's 4-2 win over the Pirates, part of Dale Sveum's idea to celebrate the start of the NFL season by having the Cubs wear uniforms of their favorite teams on the flight to Houston. Soriano didn't have football growing up in the..." September 10

CSN Bay Area "You can never tell how it's going for Alfonso Soriano at the plate, because he's always the same guy, no matter what's written or blasted out on the talk shows. So there was Soriano on Friday morning, holding court at the breakfast table in the middle of the clubhouse, joking around on the..." September 01

Chicago Tribune "The Giants were looking for a left-fielder for the playoff push, and the Cubs had one they were more than willing to give up. But thanks to the chilly weather in San Francisco, Alfonso Soriano stuck around. On Friday, he homered and drove in three runs in a 6-4 victory over the Giants. "I..." September 01

Chicago Sun-Times "With less than two weeks left for teams to trade players through the August waiver process, left fielder Alfonso Soriano doesn't think he's going anywhere, and he doesn't think he'd waive his no-trade rights at this point anyway. ''Only six weeks left [before the end of the season]. I don't..." August 19

Chicago Tribune "Alfonso Soriano set a career RBI milestone, but the Cincinnati Reds out-slugged the Chicago Cubs to win the opening game of Saturday's doubleheader 5-3 at Great American Ball Park. Starter Johnny Cueto (16-6) went eight innings, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out eight in front of..." August 19

Chicago Tribune "When San Francisco Giants outfielder Melky Cabrera was hit with a 50-game suspension Wednesday for use of performance-enhancing drugs, Alfonso Soriano's name was on everyone's minds. The Giants had made a play for Soriano before the trade deadline, but the Cubs outfielder told Theo Epstein he..." August 16

CSN Chicago "Alfonso Soriano heard about Melky Cabrera's 50-game suspension for failing a drug test. But if the San Francisco Giants come back to the Cubs looking for a corner outfielder, it's highly unlikely that Soriano would rethink his position and approve a trade there. "I don't think so," Soriano said..." August 16

Chicago Tribune "Life has a funny way of working out sometimes. Dale Sveum was seemingly in line to become the Red Sox manager last fall before management vacillated, giving the Cubs an opening to swoop in and grab him. Alfonso Soriano was on the Giants' radar at last month's trade deadline before the..." August 16

Hardball Talk "Alfonso Soriano made it known before the trade deadline that he wasn't interested in a trade to the Giants. Asked again today about the possibility of a move to San Francisco in light of Melky Cabrera's regular season-ending suspension, Soriano replied "I don't think so," CSN Chicago's Patrick..." August 15

CBSSports.com "Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano has cleared waivers and is eligible to be traded anywhere (provided he gives his approval), sources tell CBSSports.com. Maybe the San Francisco Giants, suddenly in need of another corner outfielder, should make another play for him. But if Soriano still declines..." August 15

Chicago Tribune "The cool weather, thousands of empty seats and two teams on the road to nowhere lent an end-of-summer vibe to Wrigley Field on Monday night. The Cubs are playing out the string before the end of August for the third straight year, and the smallest crowd of the season — 31,452 — showed up to..." August 14

Daily Herald Tribune "Alfonso Soriano hit a go-ahead homer in the eighth inning and the Cubs snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 5-3 win over the slumping Cincinnati Reds on a rain-soaked Thursday night. With the score tied at 3, Reds reliever Sean Marshall (4-4) walked Anthony Rizzo. Just as the skies..." August 10

Chicago Sun-Times "The big-league player-development process the Cubs are undergoing is also a learning process for 12-year veteran Alfonso Soriano. ''Sometimes I just feel like I'm in the wrong lineup,'' said Soriano, who in six seasons with the Cubs has gone from megamillions free-agent leadoff man for a..." August 07

San Francisco Chronicle "The Giants have had an eye on Alfonso Soriano only to be pooh-poohed twice. Before the 2007 season, the Giants were prepared to hand a nine-figure contract to Soriano after he collected 46 homers and 41 steals with the Nationals, becoming the fourth member of the 40-40 club. With Barry Bonds..." August 05

Chicago Sun-Times "Alfonso Soriano said Friday that he hasn't been put on waivers yet. And whether that's an indication of how tough it might be to find a trade market for him this month, Soriano said he's in ''no rush'' to be traded, a process that requires his consent. ''It's 50-50 right now for going or..." August 04

Chicago Sun-Times "Carlos Marmol looked up from his iPad screen, noticed the inquisitive expression and grinned. ''What, you surprised I'm still here?'' he said. Sitting at his locker in the Cubs' clubhouse 19 hours after the non-waiver trade deadline? Yeah, maybe a little. ''I didn't even think about..." August 03

Detroit News "The Tigers offense is limping, and the clock was ticking. But in the end, baseball's 4 p.m. non-waiver trade deadline expired with Detroit GM Dave Dombrowski sticking with his roster, despite plenty of conversations with rival executives in recent days. Dombrowski told The News this past..." August 01

Chicago Sun-Times "Alfonso Soriano confirmed that he used his ''10 and 5'' no-trade rights to reject a possible deal that would have sent him to the San Francisco Giants and said he expected to be dealt by Tuesday's non-waiver deadline. He had consented to be traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. ''I'm surprised..." August 01

CSN Chicago "Alfonso Soriano and Matt Garza are the two big names still left on the board, and the Cubs left little doubt that they are still very much available. Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer aren't necessarily done dealing, and there's a good chance the two Cubs executives banked some background information..." August 01

ESPN.com "Soriano told ESPNChicago.com on Sunday that he had not yet been approached by the Cubs about waiving his 10 and 5 rights, which gives him veto power over any trade as a veteran of 10 major league seasons and the past five with the same team. In the sixth year of an eight-year, $136 million..." July 30

Chicago Tribune "The ball was jumping Friday at Wrigley Field and, as frequently has been the case, Alfonso Soriano was doing damage. Soriano crushed a 90-mph fastball from Lance Lynn over left fielder Matt Holliday's head in the third inning. The ball crashed against the ivy and then rattled around at..." July 28

Chicago Sun-Times "Left fielder Alfonso Soriano said he thinks the four-day All-Star break is exactly what he needs to get hot again. Manager Dale Sveum said he thinks Soriano might need a little more than that. ''We know he's streaky and all that, but just his presence in the lineup brings a lot,'' Sveum said...." July 09

Chicago Sun-Times "Alfonso Soriano was as happy for National League All-Stars Starlin Castro and Bryan LaHair as his teammates were disappointed for him being left out. "I'm very happy for Castro and LaHair because they deserve it," Soriano said. "They worked hard to be All-Stars. "I've gone seven times. There..." July 02

Chicago Tribune "It might take several years — if ever — for many baseball fans to find Roger Clemens innocent in the court of public opinion. But Cubs left fielder Alfonso Soriano says he is pleased a jury cleared Clemens of perjury charges related to accusations that he took steroids as a pitcher. "I..." June 20

Chicago Sun-Times "Don't look now, but left fielder Alfonso Soriano might be the Cubs' All-Star in a few weeks. And don't blink because he might be gone nearly as quickly. The Cubs might not find a better trade market for Soriano, 36, in the 2½ years left on his mega-contract. And his value might never get..." June 20

Chicago Tribune "When Starlin Castro cost the Cubs a lead against the Giants by forgetting how many outs there were, he knew the wrath he faced after the game. Manager Dale Sveum put his erratic shortstop on notice by calling it "the last straw,'' but that wasn't the lecture Castro dreaded most. Disappointing..." June 20

Chicago Sun-Times "The more he talked about it after the game Monday night, the more Cubs pitcher Matt Garza got riled up. And it wasn't about the seven starts he endured without a win before beating the White Sox on Monday, or about the home runs he gave up to A.J. Pierzynksi or Paul Konerko. It was the..." June 19

ESPN.com "Not that there was ever much doubt, but Cubs manager Dale Sveum confirmed Sunday that Alfonso Soriano will be the club's designated hitter for the three-game series against the White Sox this week. The only other time the Cubs used a DH this season, in a series last weekend at Minnesota,..." June 17

Chicago Tribune "Cubs hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo is one of the more respected coaches in the game, but his club's poor offensive showing is putting him under the microscope. "He has put his heart and soul into this team the last few years," outfielder Reed Johnson said. "He takes a lot of pride in hitting,..." June 10

Chicago Sun-Times "If this is Alfonso Soriano's future, it's no wonder he's always wearing shades. The Cubs' 36-year-old left fielder with the balky knee settled into an unfamiliar role Friday and made himself at home in the American League again. As the designated hitter, he drilled two mammoth home runs,..." June 09