Do the Cubs really think Alfonso Soriano can play center field?
I don’t know why they should. In six full seasons in the big leagues, Soriano has never played there. And if you look beyond the 22 assists he had in left field last year, his first season in the outfield, he didn’t have a particularly good defensive go at it. He made 11 errors. Only the Reds’ Adam Dunn, a brutal glove, had more among left fielders. Soriano took a lot of bad routes to balls, too, and just flat-out misplayed several others. You simply can’t hide those kinds of deficiencies in center field, especially in Wrigley with its schedule of sunny afternoon games, its famed winds and the imposing brick wall. Yeah, Soriano has the speed to cover the extra ground, he has a strong arm and he’s proved to beadaptable. But his lack of experience in center means he’ll take his lumps. If he ever makes it that far, that is. Don’t be surprised if the Cubs somehow make another move and put Soriano in a corner outfield spot, where he’s a little more at home and his arm would be better utiliz
