Alfonso Soriano moves to outfield

[Appling]

Alfonso Soriano originally resisted the suggestion that he move from second base to left field. He seemed to look on the switch as a demotion.

But somehow Frank Robinson and the Washington Nationals management team convinced Soriano to accept the move -- that there is no shame in playing the outfield -- that it is in his own best interest to make this switch.

What do you think was the main factor in Alfonso agreeing to make this career change?

Was it the stature and the persuasiveness of Frank Robinson?
Did he recall the history of other players who made this switch?
Did he watch videos of his own horrific performance at second base?
or was it just that he wants to ensure that he will stay on a MLB payroll?

[Bob Hannah]

Bowden's Folly

In general its the money, which is an umbrella reason. Its his FA year and he considers his future elsewhere than D.C. If he contiued the holdout for any length of time his value and the way he would be viewed by other teams' front offices would suffer.

I hope the guy has a torrid first half of the season and a contender needs to fill a hole sometime in July so the Nationals can get some decent value for him in a trade. If that occurs Bowden's Folly may not hurt the Nats as badly as a middling to subpar showing by Soriano.

[Tigerfan1974]

Alfie knew if he didn't play, he wouldn't get paid and wouldn't accrue service time.
He wants to play 2d for his offensive prowess to be more attractive in free agency once he gets there, but first he needs to get there with service time.

It is all about the greenbacks.

[KingJ]

Soriano should work well in LF considering how bad of a glove he has... Guys like Barry Bonds, Manny Ramirez, Lance Berkman, Cliff Floyd, etc., can play there so you know it's a pretty decent hiding spot for the more defensive inept players when you don't have an open job at 1B or a DH.

[Appling]

.
He wants to play 2d for his offensive prowess to be more attractive in free agency once he gets there, but first he needs to get there with service time.

Normally a good hitter is worth more if he plays a skill position (like 2nd Base) than if he plays OF or DH -- but is that true in Soriano'a case?
I think the Rangers would have kept him if had agreed to play outfield for Texas, but he insisted he wanted to stay at second base.

[RedSoxVT92]

He was not thinking of greatness or nothing. He was thinking of his paycheck going out the window. His agent probably advisded him to do it. Holdouts are never the best chocie to get something (take T.O. for example)