Alphonso Soriano

Just a couple of thoughts about Alphonso Soriano who remains with the Nationals despite reports to the contrary.

1. Tim Kurkjian and ESPN were reporting that Soriano was bound for the White Sox in a deal built around Brandon McCarthy. Now it seems like McCarthy isn't part of the equation and that Scott Podsednik would be the key piece going to DC from Chicago. I like Tim Kurkjian best among the ESPN baseball folks (of course that doesn't include Hall of famer Peter Gammons) but the report of the Soriano / McCarthy "trade" is just the latest example why you HAVE TO take baseball trade rumors with a huge grain of salt. (Probably the funniest was Buster Olney reporting that a possible Mike Lowell for Jake Peavy trade was being discussed.)

2. There is no doubt in my mind that Jim Bowden was Kurkjian's source for the trade rumor. Jim Bowden is an idiot (in fact I think A Large Regular is the first match if you Google that phrase). If he burns Ken Williams by leaking this stuff then Crazy Ken Williams may just come out and say he will never deal with Bowden again. That hurts Bowden's attempt to stay employed or get a new job if the Nationals decide during the off-season to go in a different direction. Also - if his information to Kurkjian turns out to faulty - then he may have burned a bridge in the press as well.

3. Back in the spring of 2004 - there was a chance that Alphonso Soriano could have been traded from the Rangers to the Dodgers in exchange for either Odalis Perez or Edwin Jackson. Seeing how Perez just netted just Elmer Dessens or that Edwin Jackson (and LHP Chuck Tiffany) was traded this year for just RHP Danys Baez, RHP Lance Carter and a PTBNL from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays - do you think the Dodgers wished they pulled the trigger for Soriano back when they had the chance?