Opening Day Countdown

Ahhh It has certainly been a while since my last post but I have been sick, with baseball fever. I just can't wait for the season to start and lucky for myself and all the baseball seam heads the season will start in 12 days with the Yankees taking on the Red Sox on Easter Sunday on ESPN. Don't worry Met fans as the Mets look for a fresh start on April 5th when they take on the Marlins.

The Yanks and Sox kick off the season and a rivalry that is timeless in 12 days. My favorite player Alfonso Soriano, wore 12 during his time with the Yankees before getting traded to the Texas Rangers for Alex Rodriguez.

Soriano won the second base job in 2001. Soriano showed his promise of great talent at times, including hitting what would have been the game winning home run in game 7 of the 2001 World Series.

2002 would be a break out year for Soriano. Soriano missed being part of the 40-40 club by one homerun. The knock on Soriano was that he struck out to much (157 times) and didn't walk enough (23 walks). Soriano made the All Star team that season and finished 3rd in the MVP voting. The following season Soriano once again put up great stats, but struggled in the playoffs against the Red Sox, hitting just .133.

Right before the start of the 2004 season,Aaron Boone went down and the Yankees needed a third baseman. The Yanks pulled off a blockbuster trade for A-Rod, sending Soriano to Texas. At times i would often wish the Yanks never traded away Soriano , no season more then in 2006 while Rodriguez was struggling at the plate and field, while Soriano had 40 home runs 40 steals and 40 doubles.

Soriano would sign a huge contract following his 2006 campaign with the Nationals, he signed with the Cubs to play Left field. Soriano had always been a second basemen with the Yanks. In 2009 Soriano was banged up and had his worst season since his rookie season. Soriano looks to help the Cubs break there curse this season and rebound from his worst season.



Edgardo Alfonzo may bring back fond memory's for Mets fans. Alfonzo was a key part of the late 90's Mets teams that made the Mets respectable in a time when the Yankees ran the town. Alfonzo's best seasons were in 1999 and 2000. Both season's the Mets made it deep into the playoffs losing to the Braves in 1999 in the NLCS and the Yankees in 2000. With the Mets during that time Alfonzo was part of the "The best infield ever" with Robin Ventura , John Olerud and Rey Ordonez. Following the 2002 season with the Mets, Alfonzo signed with the San Fransisco Giants. Following three season's of struggling in San Fran , Edgardo was traded to the Angels and then the Blue Jays.
Following his time in the majors, Alfonzo could still be seen locally with the Long Island Ducks. Currently Alfonzo is playing in Japan

--Matthew Saur