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