Well, you know what happens every. single. time. I do something nice about Alfonso Soriano: he goes in the tank.
I think the last time I did a positive Soriano post, it was called "Thoriano" - not for the lispy sound that makes if you say it out loud, but because he was swingin' a big hammer.
But this post isn't about his bat, although it's been pret-ty damned hot lately.
No, this is about his skills as an outfielder.
His D.
We've all seen him be so bad you couldn't believe he literelly didn't walk off the field in shame.
Just impossibly, jaw-droppingly, high-schoolingly awful.
But something changed.
Did you see that diving catch he made yesterday?
I've seen him do that thing where the ball's right there and he sort of jumps to make it look harder than it was, falls down.
But yesterday was a true, fully stretched out catch of sharply hit ball in front of him.
Not easy.
It was unusual enough to elicit a, "HOLY SHIT! DID YOU SEE THAT?"
So, props to you, Alfonso.
Obviously, you've been working hard, and whoever the coaches are that took on the Alfonso Glove project have done quite a job.
Which is good not just for the team, but because in this whole world, there is nothing worse than a left fielder making $18 MILLION dollars who can't catch a fly ball.
So, super cool second win in a row over a team the Cubs should actually beat, the San Diego Padre (I call them that because pretty much their whole team is injured except for that one guy).
Jeff Samardzija continues to be, for me, the most exciting thing about this year.
Cubs 5 Padre 3.
Okay so there, Alfonso, a positive post about you.
Hopefully my Jinxy Hexman superpowers aren't in play.
Because today is very important, for Alfonso and the rest of the team, to do well.
Your bats, your gloves, your baserunning...all that stuff needs to be in top form, because if Ryan Dempster doesn't get his first win today I'm calling the police.
Lastly, sad news out of Los Angeles: Ted Lilly put on the 15-day DL with shoulder inflammation.
Our old buddy was an exceptional Ted-like 5-0 with a 1.79 ERA.
GET WELL TED!
