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It could not happen to a nicer bunch.....
Is this not great or what....it could not have happened to a nicer bunch of ballplayers and manager.....Frank Robinson 
(aka Mr. Grumpy) and Jose Guillen 
(aka Mr. Hothead) and now poor Sorryano . Anyone have a match...the gasoline is already wet and waiting......
I will just sit back and enjoy the fireworks.....have a beer
.....and watch the implosion.
Now if Texas would just send Kenny Rogers to the Nats and if the Giants would send Barroid to the Nats then all would be well....this is what baseball is all about eh?...welcome to the team.
Soriano Refuses to Play Outfield for Nationals
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Mar 21, 3:56 AM (ET)
By TIM WALTERS
(AP) Newly acquired Washington Nationals' Alfonso Soriano listens to a question during a press...
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VIERA, Fla. (AP) - The Washington Nationals were on the field and ready to play, eight of them at least.
There was only one problem: Left field was empty because Alfonso Soriano was missing.
Soriano refused to play the outfield for Washington in what was supposed to be his spring training debut Monday night, and general manager Jim Bowden said his biggest offseason acquisition could go on the disqualified list if he doesn't agree to switch positions this week.
"The player refused to take the field, which we believe is a violation of his contract," Bowden said.
Soriano, a four-time All-Star second baseman, was listed as batting leadoff and playing left field on a lineup sheet posted in the Nationals' clubhouse before Monday night's 11-5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
But when the Nationals took the field in the top of the first inning, Soriano wasn't out there. With play just about to begin, nobody on the Nationals seemed to know where he was.
Confused players and fans looked toward Washington's dugout. The only person to emerge, however, was manager Frank Robinson.
He approached plate umpire Mike Estabrook and made a defensive switch, moving Ryan Church from center field to left and putting Brandon Watson in center to replace Soriano in the lineup.
"I was sitting out there ready to warm up, but nobody was out there. And the next thing I see Watty running out there, so I kind of figured what happened," Church said.
The Nationals already have an All-Star second baseman in Jose Vidro, so they told Soriano they want him to move to the outfield. He indicated he doesn't want to do that - and Monday provided his most visible objection.
When Soriano first reported to camp last month, the question of whether he would accept the switch was left open until his return from the World Baseball Classic.
Soriano played for the Dominican Republic, which was eliminated in the tournament semifinals Saturday. He joined the Nationals on Monday and worked out with teammates at second base in the afternoon, but wouldn't speak to reporters.
He wasn't in the clubhouse after Monday night's game.
"It's a difficult situation for the organization and for him personally," said pitcher Mike Stanton, Soriano's teammate on the New York Yankees from 1999-02. "I don't really think anything good can come out of this."
The Nationals acquired Soriano from Texas in a December trade that sent outfielders Brad Wilkerson and Terrmel Sledge and pitcher Armando Galarraga to the Rangers. After the deal, Washington made it clear that Vidro would keep his spot at second; Soriano made it clear that he wasn't happy.
Soriano lost his arbitration case this winter and is due to be paid $10 million this season, still a record for the highest salary awarded in arbitration.
The Nationals are off Tuesday, then travel to play the St. Louis Cardinals in Jupiter on Wednesday. If Soriano refuses to play in that game and again at home against the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday, the Nationals will take action.
"We told him if we get to Thursday, and he refuses to play left field, we told him at that point we will request that the commissioner's office place him on the disqualified list, at that time - no pay, no service time," Bowden said.
"If he refuses to play and goes home, and the commissioner's office accepts our request to place him on the disqualified list, then at that point, if he were to sit out this year, he would not be a free agent, he would stay our property because his service time would stay the same."
Many players on the team hope it doesn't come to that.
"I just hope they can fix the situation," outfielder Jose Guillen said. "That's up to the people upstairs and Soriano. I think everybody's a grown-up man here. I just hope for the best for the team and those guys, and that they can fix the situation. But that's pretty much not my business."
If Soriano does show up for the game Wednesday, Robinson said he would be willing to forgive him.
"It will be water under the bridge as far as I'm concerned," the manager said.
Robinson sat down privately with Soriano for 20 minutes before the game Monday to explain the team's position.
"If he's going to play here, he's going to have to be out in left field," Robinson said. "He said he's ready to play, he needs to play, he's ready for the season, and I penciled him in the lineup in left field."
Robinson said the meeting with Soriano was civil, but the player's position was clear.
"He's very sensitive, and he has a mind-set," Robinson said. "He lets you know how he feels."
Trading Soriano, already a possibility, becomes more likely now - with less than two weeks remaining before opening day.
"He's going to play left field. He needs to be out there now the next couple of weeks to play, and if he's not going to play for us, we need to know so we can go forward," Bowden said. "We obviously will field offers, but we're not going to give the player away. If we can make a deal that makes sense, we will."
http://sports.myway.com/news/03212006/v2575.html
(aka Mr. Grumpy) and Jose Guillen (aka Mr. Hothead) and now poor Sorryano . Anyone have a match...the gasoline is already wet and waiting......I will just sit back and enjoy the fireworks.....have a beer
.....and watch the implosion.Now if Texas would just send Kenny Rogers to the Nats and if the Giants would send Barroid to the Nats then all would be well....this is what baseball is all about eh?...welcome to the team.
Soriano Refuses to Play Outfield for Nationals
Email this Story
Mar 21, 3:56 AM (ET)
By TIM WALTERS
(AP) Newly acquired Washington Nationals' Alfonso Soriano listens to a question during a press...
Full Image
VIERA, Fla. (AP) - The Washington Nationals were on the field and ready to play, eight of them at least.
There was only one problem: Left field was empty because Alfonso Soriano was missing.
Soriano refused to play the outfield for Washington in what was supposed to be his spring training debut Monday night, and general manager Jim Bowden said his biggest offseason acquisition could go on the disqualified list if he doesn't agree to switch positions this week.
"The player refused to take the field, which we believe is a violation of his contract," Bowden said.
Soriano, a four-time All-Star second baseman, was listed as batting leadoff and playing left field on a lineup sheet posted in the Nationals' clubhouse before Monday night's 11-5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
But when the Nationals took the field in the top of the first inning, Soriano wasn't out there. With play just about to begin, nobody on the Nationals seemed to know where he was.
Confused players and fans looked toward Washington's dugout. The only person to emerge, however, was manager Frank Robinson.
He approached plate umpire Mike Estabrook and made a defensive switch, moving Ryan Church from center field to left and putting Brandon Watson in center to replace Soriano in the lineup.
"I was sitting out there ready to warm up, but nobody was out there. And the next thing I see Watty running out there, so I kind of figured what happened," Church said.
The Nationals already have an All-Star second baseman in Jose Vidro, so they told Soriano they want him to move to the outfield. He indicated he doesn't want to do that - and Monday provided his most visible objection.
When Soriano first reported to camp last month, the question of whether he would accept the switch was left open until his return from the World Baseball Classic.
Soriano played for the Dominican Republic, which was eliminated in the tournament semifinals Saturday. He joined the Nationals on Monday and worked out with teammates at second base in the afternoon, but wouldn't speak to reporters.
He wasn't in the clubhouse after Monday night's game.
"It's a difficult situation for the organization and for him personally," said pitcher Mike Stanton, Soriano's teammate on the New York Yankees from 1999-02. "I don't really think anything good can come out of this."
The Nationals acquired Soriano from Texas in a December trade that sent outfielders Brad Wilkerson and Terrmel Sledge and pitcher Armando Galarraga to the Rangers. After the deal, Washington made it clear that Vidro would keep his spot at second; Soriano made it clear that he wasn't happy.
Soriano lost his arbitration case this winter and is due to be paid $10 million this season, still a record for the highest salary awarded in arbitration.
The Nationals are off Tuesday, then travel to play the St. Louis Cardinals in Jupiter on Wednesday. If Soriano refuses to play in that game and again at home against the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday, the Nationals will take action.
"We told him if we get to Thursday, and he refuses to play left field, we told him at that point we will request that the commissioner's office place him on the disqualified list, at that time - no pay, no service time," Bowden said.
"If he refuses to play and goes home, and the commissioner's office accepts our request to place him on the disqualified list, then at that point, if he were to sit out this year, he would not be a free agent, he would stay our property because his service time would stay the same."
Many players on the team hope it doesn't come to that.
"I just hope they can fix the situation," outfielder Jose Guillen said. "That's up to the people upstairs and Soriano. I think everybody's a grown-up man here. I just hope for the best for the team and those guys, and that they can fix the situation. But that's pretty much not my business."
If Soriano does show up for the game Wednesday, Robinson said he would be willing to forgive him.
"It will be water under the bridge as far as I'm concerned," the manager said.
Robinson sat down privately with Soriano for 20 minutes before the game Monday to explain the team's position.
"If he's going to play here, he's going to have to be out in left field," Robinson said. "He said he's ready to play, he needs to play, he's ready for the season, and I penciled him in the lineup in left field."
Robinson said the meeting with Soriano was civil, but the player's position was clear.
"He's very sensitive, and he has a mind-set," Robinson said. "He lets you know how he feels."
Trading Soriano, already a possibility, becomes more likely now - with less than two weeks remaining before opening day.
"He's going to play left field. He needs to be out there now the next couple of weeks to play, and if he's not going to play for us, we need to know so we can go forward," Bowden said. "We obviously will field offers, but we're not going to give the player away. If we can make a deal that makes sense, we will."
http://sports.myway.com/news/03212006/v2575.html
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