Dominican player of the week: Alfonso Soriano

Dominican player and Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano has been named the Dominican player of the week here at the Dominican Baseball Guy blog. Soriano is no stranger to awards. Since he first appeared on the MLB scene back in 2000 with the Yankees he has made seven All-Star games. He has won the player of the week in his league six times, and the player of the month three times. And he has four Silver Slugger awards.

Last week was a short week due to the All-Star break, but in just three games Soriano had two doubles, two home runs, and five RBI, while hitting .545. He actually did most of the damage in just one game, with both doubles and both home runs, and the five RBI all coming one game.

His average has declined in recent years, but he was never a high average hitter. But he is still on pace for around 30 home runs and 90 RBI, right around his career average. Pretty good numbers for a 36 year old player in his 14th MLB season.

He had two World Series titles with the great Yankees championship teams and made the playoffs with the Cubs in 2007 and 2008. Other than that, he can be said to be a player that has had all these great numbers on bad teams. He put up great numbers on some really bad Rangers teams, and perhaps his best year came with a horrible Nationals team in 2006.

Soriano is one of the few Dominican players to be signed as a free agent into the Japanese Professional Baseball League (NIPON) where he played for three seasons before being picked up by the Yankees. He is from San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic.

Dominican player of the week Alfonso Soriano, photo by EmmyMik on Flickr

Dominican baseball player of the week: Alfonso Soriano

And the much anticipated Dominican baseball player of the week for the week of June 4th-10th goes to Dominican Alfonso Soriano.  He has been featured many times on the Dominican Baseball Guy blog.  Alfonso Soriano honored his late mother last May and he was featured as the best paid Dominican athlete last April.

Soriano has been one of the top Dominican baseball players of his generation.  He is a seven time all-star and four time Silver Slugger.  He is a three time player of the month and five times player of the week.  So, the Dominican Baseball Guy's Dominican Player of the Week award is another feather in his cap.

Too bad the Cubs are not having a better year, as they are the worst team in baseball, and they even have a worse record than the Dominican Baseball Guy's lowly Houston Astros.  Take it from the DBG, that is bad.

As a cultural anthropologist the Dominican Baseball Guy was interested to note that Alfonso Soriano began his professional career in Japan.  He signed with the Hiroshima Toro Carp as a teen and first appeared as a professional for their senior side team in Japan.  After one year he left to the MLB and was signed by the Yankees in 1998.  And the rest is history.

Dominican baseball player Alfonso Soriano is from San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic.

Alfonso Soriano bats for the Cubs, by Michael Myers on Flickr

Dominican Alfonso Soriano goes on disabled list, Dominicano Alfonso Soriano va a DL

The Dominican Baseball Guy loves Alfonso Soriano.  He was great with the Dominican Baseball Guy's home state Rangers.  And he has been great since moving over to the NL.

The Dominican Baseball Guy last mentioned him in April as the best paid Dominican athlete.  And the Dominican Baseball Guy mentioned him earlier this month: Alfonso Soriano honors mother on mother's day.

Well, unfortunately the Dominican Baseball Guy has to report bad news about a Dominicano player.  Soriano has gone to the 15-day disabled list.  He had been having another productive year for the Cubs, leading the team with 12 home runs and 29 RBI before he got hurt Monday.

Here's hoping he makes a quick recovery.  Soriano is from San Pedro de Macoris, the town with the most MLB players per capita in the world.

Cool custom shot of Alfosno Soriano with the Cubs, by Guano on Flickr

Happy Mother's Day, feliz Dia del Madre, Alfonso Soriano honors mother

The Dominican Baseball Guy wants to wish his mother, Lorry Winters, a happy Mother's Day.  The Dominican Baseball Guy had a great lunch in Austin, Texas with his mother and family.

Alfonso Soriano honored his mother by wearing pink shoes on Mother's Day.  His mother Andrea died last year, but she remains a major influence on his life:

“She’s everything for me,” Soriano said. “I think of my mom every day. What she did for me, I can never forget.”

Soriano created a benefit foundation in honor of his mother after she died.  The Alfonso Soriano Family Foundation provides donations to families of children with disabilities and special health needs in both the Dominican Republic and the United States.

A number of other Cubs honored their mothers on this day as well.

Alfonso is from San Pedro de Macoris.  Please visit the website of his foundation and provide a donation if possible:

Dominican Republic baseball player Alfonso Soriano to honor late mother on Mother's Day, Dominicano Alfonso Soriano va a dar honor a su madre

Alfonso Soriano was very close to his mother who recently passed away, and he plans to honor her on Sunday, Mother's Day. The Alfonso Soriano Family Foundation is teaming with the Cubs to have a day of honor in her memory at the Mirqueya's Day Care in the Dominican Republic.

Soriano and his family have donated presents to the daycare for the past five years, and his mother was very close to the project, so it is a great way to honor her on Mother's Day.  Soriano has been active with his
foundation and in charitable contributions in recent years. According to Alfonso Soriano:

"God blessed me with my talent, so why not give something back to the kids?" Soriano said Tuesday. "They need it. I grew up in that town and it makes me sad to see those kids. They don't have anything to play with, they don't have anything to eat."

The Dominican Baseball Guy can not find an active link to The Alfonso Soriano Family Foundation.  The previous link was here, but it is no longer active.  You can find the company profile and address here if you care to donate there is an address at the profile.

Alfonso Soriano es de San Pedro de Macoris, a famous baseball city of the Dominican Republic.

Alfonso Soriano is best paid Dominican athlete

According to a report to be released on May 2 by ESPN, Alfonso Soriano is the highest paid Dominican athlete.  He has been one of the top players in all of baseball for the last ten years, though his play has dropped off some in recent years.  Soriano is a seven time all-star with four different teams, has four Silver Slugger awards, and is one of only four players to ever record 40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a season.

He signed an eight year $136 million dollar contract in 2007 with the Cubs that made him one of the best paid players in MLB.  It will be interesting to see which other Dominican players make the ESPN list.

Soriano is one of the unending stream of players from San Pedro de Macoris, DR.

Alfonso Soriano bats for the Cubs, by Michael Myers on Flickr

Red Sox-Yankees series features many foreign players

The Red Sox versus Yankees series that took place last week featured 14 foreign born players out of the 50 players on the two teams active and reserve rosters.  The Yankees have six Dominicans, including Rafael Soriano and Robinson Cano.  The Red Sox have just one, David Ortiz.

The two biggest clubs in baseball are always interested in signing a top flight talent, no matter what the cost or country of origin.  The Yankees have featured a number of Dominicans throughout the years, such as Alfonso Soriano and Alex Rodriguez.  The Red Sox championship teams in the 2004 and 2007 of course had two of the best players of their generation in David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, as well as Pedro Martinez among others.

Alfonso Soriano and Cano are both from San Pedro de Macoris, and Ortiz and Ramirez are both from Santo Domingo.  Fans of the Yankees and Red Sox should enjoy this series and enjoy seeing all the great Dominicans play all year.

David Ortiz, by Googie Man

Raul Gonzalez interview: assistant general manager of the Estrellas Orientales

The Dominican Baseball Guy recently had the chance to interview Raul Gonzalez, assistant general manager of the Estrellas Orientales in the Dominican Winter Baseball League.  The Estrellas had a great year this year, making it to the final series of the Dominican Winter Baseball League (LIDOM) before being eliminated.

The Estrellas are located in San Pedro de Macoris, the town that many consider to have the best baseball talent in the world.  It has been called the Mecca of Baseball and the Craddle of shortstops, due to all the shortstops that come from the city.  Alfredo Griffin, Alfonso Soriano, and Robinson Cano are some of the most famous players to come out of the city recently.

Raul is a great addition to the Estrellas staff.  He is highly knowledgeable and has experience working in the Major League Baseball office in the Dominican Republic, as well as in the Nationals organization in Washington D.C.   Raul has also worked with Licey Baseball Club in Santo Domingo.  He will be in the States for several weeks during spring training.  

See the full interview at the Dominican Baseball Examiner and at Baseball de World, where the Dominican Baseball Guy is a contributor.

Raul Gonzalez in his Estrellas gear, by Raul Gonzalez

Cubs hoping Aramis Ramirez stays healthy, returns to old form

Aramis Ramirez has had an unlucky last two seasons with the Cubs, as he has only played in 206 games over the two years combined due to injuries.  From 2005 to 2008 he averaged over 30 HRs and 100 plus RBI and made two all-star teams.

The Cubs and Ramirez hope he remains healthy and returns to that all-star form.  He will be slotted into the cleanup spot and the Cubs want him to remain there all season.

Ramirez exercised a player option this past off season to remain with the Cubs.  He will be making $14.6 million this year and will become a free agent at the end of the year.

The Cubs projected lineup features four Dominicans in the field.  Ramirez will be joined by Starlin Castro, Carlos Pena, and Alfonso Soriano in the Cubs lineup.  Ramirez and Pena are both from Santo Domingo, while Castro is from Monte Cristi, and Soriano is from the famed San Pedro de Macoris.

Ramirez chats with Henry Blanco, by Terren in Virginia on Flickr

Dominicans in 2010 MLB (Update #2)

There is a lot going on with Dominican Players in MLB right now.  This is an obvious fact since there were around 80 Dominicans on opening day rosters.  This number will fluctuate throughout the season as players are called up to the big show, or sent down to the minors, but the Dominican Baseball Guy thinks there should be at least 80 Dominicans in the big leagues all year.  So, some of these Dominicans will surely continue to make news.

Ubaldo Jimenez and Francisco Liriano continue to pitch well as starters, as the Dominican Baseball Guy stated a few posts back.  Jimenez is definitely a front runner for National League Cy Young at this point.

Vladimir Guerrero is playing very well for the Rangers.  He is in the top 10 in the American League in average and RBI right now.  Guerrero has long been a favorite player of the Dominican Baseball Guy.  He is a .322 lifetime hitter, an incredible lifetime average for someone that also hits for power.  He was the AL MVP in 2004 and has 4 Silver Slugger awards.  He also has a great arm in the outfield and the Dominican Baseball Guy has seen him throw out many runners from right field.  He had a walk off hit a few days ago too.

Alfonso Soriano and Robinson Cano are also off to good starts.  They are both from San Pedro de Macoris, the city highlighted in the new book, The Eastern Stars: How Baseball Changed the Dominican Town of San Pedro de Macoris.

Jose Bautista has played well for the Blue Jays.  Albert Pujols is doing his normal thing, batting like 1.000 with runners in scoring position and churning out his normal triple crown contending numbers.  Jose Guillen and Nelson Cruz have hit well, although Nelson Cruz has been injured some.

Interesting that the Dominican Baseball Guy does not mention some of the most famous Dominican ballplayers like Pedro Martinez and David Ortiz.  There is a new crop of Dominicans playing in MLB and there will be another group behind them, as there are no shortage of Dominican prospects in the minor leagues.