Alfonso Soriano Clears Waivers, Not Clearing Way For San Francisco

Melky Cabrera was having a breakout season for the San Francisco Giants throughout 2012. As it turns out, it wasn’t a breakout season at all. The All-Star game MVP was suspended for 50 games–the rest of the season–for testing positive for elevated levels of testosterone that were the result of taking a banned substance by Major League Baseball. To simply put it, Cabrera was the latest Major League Baseball player to add to what was an already large dark cloud over the game of baseball.

Cabrera’s suspension also hangs a dark cloud over the San Francisco Giants and their efforts to make the post-season. Cabrera was one of the Giants’ leading run producers this season as the outfielder is hitting .346/.390/.516/.906 to go along with 11 home runs and 60 RBIs. No longer will the Giants have that type of offensive production for their left fielder’s spot.

Wait a second…Don’t the Cubs have a left fielder who is having an impressive season both on offense and on defense? Isn’t this the same left fielder that the Cubs tried to trade to both Detroit and Los Angeles before the July 31 trade deadline? Some around the baseball industry have speculated that Alfonso Soriano could be the answer for Giants in the wake of Cabrera being suspended for the remainder of the season. But before we secure Soriano’s flight to San Francisco, it should be noted that Soriano told the Cubs’ front office prior to July 31 that he would not accept a trade to San Francisco. As common practice, some have suggested over the past 24 hours that Soriano’s stance against San Francisco may have changed with calendar turning to the month of August.

Soriano seemed to have disspelled any suggestions of him being traded to San Francisco with his comments to reporters on Wednesday night.

"“I don’t think so, because San Francisco is not good weather to play,” Soriano said. “It’s on the West Coast, and I never played on the West Coast. But we’ll see what happens. I’ll see if they call and talk with my family to see. It’s not my call. So I want to talk with my family in case they call and see what happens.” ESPN Chicago"

As the Cubs should have learned with starting pitcher Ryan Dempster, one should not take the word’s of a player who has no-trade rights to heart. They may say the standard doing what is best for my family response, but deep down, the decision comes directly down to player and whether he wants to be play there or not. In the case of Soriano, there has been speculation that the left fielder is not fond of the pitcher-friendly AT&T Park. Nonetheless, Soriano did not necessarily close the window on a trade to San Francisco by saying he would have to talk with his family first. Though, as of Thursday morning, it is unlikely that Soriano would approve a trade to San Francisco.

In addition to Soriano, closer Carlos Marmol has also cleared trade waivers.