Is Soriano Overrated?

[Poon]

I still have Soriano ranked very high on my list Im worried I might not be able to pass him up at number one depending were I draft in my serpentine. I here what you say about Giles, but he just seems too wreckless for me. That makes Soriano more appealing. I find it hard to believe he cant put up big numbers again after moving to a hitters park and out of the N.Y. spotlight. Am I crazy?

[davidmarver]

This is my first post. I've been watching from the sidelines for a while and am very impressed with the caliber and camaraderie of the posts here at the Cafe. Let me humbly begin . . .

Did the Yankees see something (besides shabby defense) when they shipped Soriano to Texas? His numbers have steadily decreased over the last three years. He's a free-swinging, undisciplined, impatient hitter. Are pitchers figuring him out and getting the upper hand? Can Texas' batting instructors teach him anything? Does he have the capacity to improve or have we seen his best?

In the mock drafts I've seen so far, he's going in the anywhere from the mid-first to mid-second round. This is no doubt in part the "big fish in little pond" phenomenon of the scacity at 2B but aren't Marcus Giles' numbers comparable? Doesn't Giles have more upside? Wouldn't you be better off grabbing Giles a few rounds later?

What's the call? Is Soriano overrated?

Welcome to the cafe.

Soriano always has reminded me of Ruben Rivera, for the reasons you already stated. He has tremendous talent, but is so impatient at the plate and has below-average defense. That said, I wouldn't necessarily say he is overrated even after the down year he had last year. If I believed in position scarcity (which I've experimented with to no avail) I would still draft Soriano in the late first round.

[oklobbyist]

So much discussion...so much crap. He may be overrated, but how much? He's still the number #1 2B in a very weak field. He may not be first round (middle to late), but I guaranty you he will be the first 2B taken...and if he's still there in the middle to late 2nd round, and I'm there...he's gone.

2004 Stats (In a granted down year where he had leg problems and a new team): 3rd in AB, 1st in HR, 2nd in RBI, and 8th in SBs among 2B. Average slipped to 24th, and runs to 11th. I like him to rebound and I hope I get a good SP in the first round and he's still there in the second.

[TheYanks04]

I still have Soriano ranked very high on my list Im worried I might not be able to pass him up at number one depending were I draft in my serpentine. I here what you say about Giles, but he just seems too wreckless for me. That makes Soriano more appealing. I find it hard to believe he cant put up big numbers again after moving to a hitters park and out of the N.Y. spotlight. Am I crazy?

Dunno...I still think he has a bette ruear than 04, but not anywhere near 03 levels and not warranting 1st round selection.

No matter how you slice it, come 06, Soriano is either going to be a legit 1st rounder with a good 05 or his value is going to plummet with another 04-like 05.

And it is amazing how many seem to forget all those pre-04 season projections and state,emts like: "He will hit 50 Hrs in Texas". He will be worth $45 in that park...yada yada yada. Try $18 in a mixed league.

[Yoda]

I still have Soriano ranked very high on my list Im worried I might not be able to pass him up at number one depending were I draft in my serpentine. I here what you say about Giles, but he just seems too wreckless for me. That makes Soriano more appealing. I find it hard to believe he cant put up big numbers again after moving to a hitters park and out of the N.Y. spotlight. Am I crazy?

Dunno...I still think he has a bette ruear than 04, but not anywhere near 03 levels and not warranting 1st round selection.

No matter how you slice it, come 06, Soriano is either going to be a legit 1st rounder with a good 05 or his value is going to plummet with another 04-like 05.

And it is amazing how many seem to forget all those pre-04 season projections and state,emts like: "He will hit 50 Hrs in Texas". He will be worth $45 in that park...yada yada yada. Try $18 in a mixed league.

So I guess no one can have an 'off' season due to an injury huh... I love people who judge a player based on one season.

[The Jury]

Soriano's potential warrants a first round pick in my opinion. He can produce like a bad boy and that's at a middle infield position.

[Poon]

My guess is that Soriano is no longer available in the mid-second round in 90% of pre-season drafts this year. That takes 12-16 awful balsy guys to pass up his potential at 2b.

[sockeye]

I think that a lot of his value comes from the fact that he plays second. .......

Well, kinda yes, kinda no. Beltran in 2004 put up pretty similar numbers to Soriano's best year, and you don't see anyone holding it against Beltran that he doesn't play 2B.

I think everyone values Soriano so high because of his spectacular past, and are willing to overlook 2004 because he plays 2B.

I wouldn't take him high. I tend to avoid high-risk players that I don't like, in the 1st round, and that have had a sharp decline that conforms to criticism of him in prior years. That said, i think you have your answer in these posts - nobody is advocating taking him in the top-7, whereas a lot of people did so last year.

[Pedantic]

I'm not touching Soriano with a ten-foot pole (or a hundred-foot one, for that matter) this year. I see nothing but a steady decline for him. And I don't feel like reiterating why. People may say he was affected by injury, but that hamstring injury happened in September. He had the whole first five months to prove what kind of hitter he was. And prove he did.

[mtarail]

I'm not touching Soriano with a ten-foot pole (or a hundred-foot one, for that matter) this year. I see nothing but a steady decline for him. And I don't feel like reiterating why. People may say he was affected by injury, but that hamstring injury happened in September. He had the whole first five months to prove what kind of hitter he was. And prove he did.

I agree. There's no way I'd waste a 1st or 2nd round pick on Soriano after his '04 swandive. If I'm gonna do that I'll wait a few more rounds and grab Brett Boone. Or better yet, wait a few more rounds and get a nice bat like Loretta.