Comments on: Sveum: Castro’s mistake is “the last straw”

By: Nick Alaga

Nick Alaga — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 19:46:01 +0000

I would say drug test him, but they only look for performance enhancing drugs and that doesn’t seem to be an issue here.

By: Old Gator

Old Gator — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 18:54:33 +0000

Someone that dense might make a fine DH, even if he isn’t gimpy yet. You would just have to remember to keep shouting out the balls and strikes to him.

By: Kevin S.

Kevin S. — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 17:57:38 +0000

Are you sure they weren’t just getting the best player in baseball at a discount? Soriano could have been a model teammate and that was still the best trade they’ve made this side of Ruth.

By: hasbeen5

hasbeen5 — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 17:46:34 +0000

24 PAs in little league is enough for that.

By: stlouis1baseball

stlouis1baseball — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 17:13:12 +0000

Edit Function: Make that…”cuckoo…cuckoo.”

By: stlouis1baseball

stlouis1baseball — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 17:11:26 +0000

Friar: You were illustrating your point(s) very well until you got to the last point. When I read your last point I immediately discounted everything you said and thought…”Coocoo…Coocoo.”
The dude can flat out hit. Take a look at his numbers since arriving in the Big Leagues and get back to us. Dude can flat out hit.

By: jeffbbf

jeffbbf — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 17:07:17 +0000

yeah, I suppose most major leaguers are shaking their heads wondering how a guy who ” has never been any good, consistently. He’s a D Class player, period. TOO immature, and without much talent” led the NL in hits at age 21, has a .304 career BA and a career OPS+ of 105, and is only 22. Oh yeah – he was named to the all-star team at age 21 and was 23rd in the NL voting for MVP. Congrats. You just made Castro look smart by comparison.

By: ceadderman

ceadderman — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 16:42:07 +0000

Ummm dude, did Weeks team get swept as a result? No? The Cubbies did.

Thanks you Cubbies. Now the Giants are 3 games out and are building some momentum. Very much appreciated.

By: friarjack61

friarjack61 — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 16:37:43 +0000

Bench him, and then get rid on him. Too much REAL talent in the colleges, and they most likely, speak English, and can understand, “one out”; “two outs” !

By: friarjack61

friarjack61 — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 16:26:28 +0000

First: Players around the field, notify each other as to how many outs there are.

Second: If a player does not know, how many outs, he was either not paying attention to the other players, or not paying attention to the game.

Lastly: Castro is not a professional talent. Many people who have played that position, are wondering how that guy got into the majors ? He is NOT good, and has never been any good, consistently. He’s a D Class player, period. TOO immature, and without much talent.

By: kkolchak

kkolchak — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 16:02:50 +0000

Same with the Nats…when the Cubs offered Soriano $50 million more in free agency than the Nats offered him to stay, it was an easy Sayonara. Plus, the Nats drafted Jordan Zimmermann with one of the compensation picks.

By: bradmoss1

bradmoss1 — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 16:01:51 +0000

I seriously wonder if he’s ever been checked for Adult ADD/ADHD.

By: thomasgarvey

thomasgarvey — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 15:46:33 +0000

and Soriano IS poisoning the rookies on attitude. I, too, was wondering what the Yankees were doing when they cut the shore line on him years ago. Now we know.

By: thomasgarvey

thomasgarvey — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 15:44:32 +0000

I can guess… he would NOT just be shaking his head, like Sveum. Castro would be benched at least two days, and he would have done one day (at least) last year when Castro was looking into outfield stands while his pitcher was delivering to the plate.

By: toosano

toosano — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 15:27:38 +0000

So the guy can play but apparently he’s a dumbass.
Not sure why his team mates can’t clue him in. Even in HS we used to yell it out so there was no mistake.

By: rico7207

rico7207 — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 15:23:22 +0000

Deep down you know this kid is saying ” what can you do about it, I have a union, so trade me, I still get paid and everyone wants out of here any ways.” Trade me please!!!!!!

By: streatordave

streatordave — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 15:19:31 +0000

I was livid at that bonehead play. I wanted the manager to just walk out & pull him in front of everyone. You play stupid = You don’t get to play. Same feeling about Soriano dogging a single & throwing the ball for some reason to second base while the SF guy was scoring from 1st.
There is a lot of stupid on this team & the players should be pulled from the game when they do stupid things….immediately! BTW Nice pitching except for Marmol, who really needs to go away.

By: sabatimus

sabatimus — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 15:18:05 +0000

Having good range is LESS noticeable? I’d say having BAD range is less noticeable in an infielder (c.f. all those Jeter gold gloves….)

By: chumthumper

chumthumper — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 15:12:51 +0000

(Juke box playing in background)…”Give me one more last chance before you say we’re through.”

By: thomas2727

thomas2727 — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 15:11:20 +0000

I remember watching Soriano in the playoffs. I think it was 2002 or 2003. It seemed like he struck out like 20 times on sliders a foot outside. I thought who ever gets this guy is a sucker.

Plus Jim Hendry was not paying attention when Soriano refused to change positions on Washington. That was a huge red flag.

By: deathmonkey41

deathmonkey41 — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 15:06:31 +0000

When the Yankees parted ways with Soriano, I was asking what the hell they were thinking??? That question has since been answered.

By: Max Power

Max Power — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 15:05:55 +0000

You gotta admit that the manual scoreboard at Wrigley Field is kinda hard to read.

By: bluesfan58

bluesfan58 — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 15:05:47 +0000

This guy may have some level of talent somewhere, but literally every time we have a chance in our area to see the Cubs play, Castro looks totally bored or distracted on the field. I see no fire in this guy’s eyes at all. One game last year, he was looking out towards left field or the stands (or something) with his BACK TURNED to the plate, and his glove off (holding it in his right hand), while his pitcher was THROWING A PITCH. Several times in the same game, he looked as if he wasn’t even paying attention. Although I didn’t see the event described in this article, nothing about it surprises me.

By: thomas2727

thomas2727 — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 15:02:20 +0000

I read an article that really struck a cord with me on Castro. The writer speculated that if the Cubs don’t change him now. He could end up being another Alfonso Soriano. Can you imagine Castro making $15 million per season in a few years and still making such dumb mistakes?

Another reason to cut bait with Soriano earlier than later. His lazy refuse to hustle and don’t care attitude has to be rubbing off on young guys like Castro in a bad way.

Soriano has to be one of the dumbest veteran players I have ever seen. Get rid of him now. Everyday he stays just let him be more of a bad influence on young Cubs players which will only hurt them in the future.

By: hermitfool

hermitfool — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 14:49:15 +0000

A little dab of Ritalin with his corn flakes every morning might just fix the problem.

By: headbeeguy

headbeeguy — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 14:49:10 +0000

He’s the classic guy that does small, less noticeable things right (e.g., he has very good range) but also makes a few very memorable mistakes (bad errors, forgetting outs). He nets out to an above average shortstop, even if watching him makes you want to bang your head against a wall at times.

By: xpensivewinos

xpensivewinos — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 14:20:33 +0000

It would appear as though what Sveum has done is put Castro on Double-Secret Probation. I’m pretty sure that’s the straw right before the last straw.

By: braddavery

braddavery — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 14:17:52 +0000

Even with his idiocy on the field, he ranks as the 5th best fielding SS this year on FANGRAPHS? What the?

By: Ben

Ben — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 14:09:28 +0000

That’s all well and good. But he has 1400 PAs in the majors. It’s on him now.
2400 PAs between the majors and minors is enough to keep track of the number of outs.

By: istillbelieveinblue

istillbelieveinblue — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 14:04:47 +0000

The previous regime in Chicago deserves some of the blame for this. The kid was rushed through the major leagues, skipping AAA altogether. He had less than 1000 AB’s in the minor leagues in only 264 games played. He had nearly 40 errors and a .933 fielding percentage the full season at AA before he was called up, and I don’t think bonehead plays like yesterday’s count towards that total. He would have benefited from AT LEAST one more season in the minors. Look what the Cubs are doing with Rizzo right now. He still needs work defensively (though he has shown a lot of improvement) and he still strikes out a bit too much. Leave him down there, let him mature and work on the weak spots.