Cubs Place Soriano On DL

by Eli Greenspan on Apr 16, 2008 5:07 PM EDT

The Cubs have placed left fielder Alfonso Soriano on the DL with a right calf strain. He injured his calf doing his trademark hop to catch a fly ball. Soriano is hitting .113 with 2 HR, but started to heat up in previous games. The Cubs are paying this guy to hit for a high average, with homeruns, and stolen bases. Doing that hop after each catch is just dumb, and someone should have told him to stop. Many thought the Cubs were going to call up Matt Murton in his place; however, they called up utility man Eric Patterson. Patterson is struggling in Triple-A, but one reason that might have lead to his call up over Murton's is because they are playing his brother Corey Patterson. That probably is not the key reason, but it really does not make sense to call up Patterson over Murton. Murton should be starting on a MLB team right now, considering he hits in the .280-.290 range with 15-20 homeruns.

Patterson gives the Cubs a lead off man with speed, but he has not proven he can hit for a respectable average. I question some of Lou Piniella's decisions as a manager, especially with Felix Pie, but we'll see how this plays out for them.

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If you really think the cubs took into consideration that they were playing corey patterson then you are clueless. That had 100% nothing to do with it

by Anonymous on Apr 16, 2008 8:58 PM EDT reply actions

It was a little joke....they called him up to back up fontenot b/c dero will be in left.

by Eli on Apr 16, 2008 10:01 PM EDT reply actions

Eric Patterson is an OF that can play all 3 positions, that's why he was called up, not because he is a backup 2B

by Anonymous on Apr 16, 2008 11:18 PM EDT reply actions

No I think they will give the majority of Soriano's at bats to DeRosa/Reed/Ward/Fotenot.

Patterson might of just been called up to be a speedy defense sub.

Murton stays in Iowa to get regular playing time bc it would not make sense to call him up only to send him back down when Soriano comes back.

by Yaow on Apr 16, 2008 11:37 PM EDT reply actions

Sometimes economics plays a part in these decisions. Are the Cubs trying to push Murton's arbitration years back, perhaps?

Also, the Cubs tried all offseason to acquire a left-handed bat with some speed, so it shouldn't be all that surprising that they would give E-patt a look.

And as for the 'hop', I don't like it, but I've got more concern over the 'body-bump' that the Cubs outfielders are doing to celebrate wins. That's a lot of payroll crunching together out there at the end of a game.

by Anonymous on Apr 17, 2008 8:59 AM EDT reply actions

Eric Patterson gives the Cubs flexibility off the bench, something Murton doesn't. Nevertheless, Murton gets on base, gets over, and scores runs. One thinks the second coming of a Patterson will be short-lived.

by DON on Apr 17, 2008 1:32 PM EDT reply actions