Baffoe: Cubs Fans Need To Appreciate Alfonso Soriano

(CBS) Did you know the expression “out of left field” supposedly has its origin in Cubs history? Of course you didn’t because I’m so much better than you. But like the mental patients that helped coin that phrase, many Cubs fans have long had me puzzled by their distaste for the man in left field right now.

Alfonso Soriano is not Todd Hundley flipping the bird to the home crowd and being one of the bigger busts in Cubs history. He’s not Jeff Blauser, the priciest bench player the team ever had.

Nomar Garciaparra he is not either—Soriano takes the field even when he’s banged up. And he isn’t Hee Sop Choi because… well, he’s not a large Korean man.

Soriano is not a bust by any means. But he’s been treated by Cub Nation like he’s paid in starving kitten tears pretty much since the ink on his huge contract dried. Why?

Oh, that albatross of a contract. Right.

Actually, it’s more like a rather poopy pigeon at worst. Soriano’s deal has not prevented the Cubs from winning a damn thing, even though it’s very comforting to blame the team’s underachievements on the hoppy left fielder since he donned the blue pinstripes in 2007. "

Click here to read the whole article