WHY A BAD ATTITUDE IS POISON

So, I've hesitated about writing about this because there was so much other chaos surrounding the Yankees, I hate adding to it. Besides, it's upsetting and irritating.

Rafael Soriano has a chip on his shoulder. Big surprise. Bill Madden of the NY Daily News first touched on this back on January 17th, read it HERE. I appears that Soriano's all about himself and that's a different cry than the postive family attitude coming out of Yankeeland normally.

Back in Tampa Bay, it seems he wasn't a team player at all and was "hated by almost everyone in Tampa Bay." Madden says that Rafael Soriano didn't like being brought into games in non-save situations, he would freak out. He'd get pissed if he had to pitch more than one inning in a game.

According to Madden: "The final straw was the last game of the season - Game 5 of the ALDS versus Texas - when Maddon asked Soriano to pitch the ninth inning with the Rays trailing, 3-1. After throwing a tantrum in the bullpen in front of all his fellow relievers, Soriano trudged into the game and promptly gave up a single to Nelson Cruz and a game-breaking homer to Ian Kinsler."

Now, if there is one thing I hate it's a selfish player. We saw it with Ruben Sierra back in 1995-1996. He thought he deserved more playing time, he didn't like the way he was being treated on the team. So he was traded. When he came back to the Yanks in 2004, he was a changed man, because there's something to be said about the Yankees clubhouse and it all goes back to attitude.

So yes, while I don't like to hear or write about attitude problems and poisons in the Yankee Clubhouse, we've seen it before and we'll see it again. My prediction for Soriano is it will start out tough, he'll probably piss some people off, maybe even Joba will knock him out, but he'll learn to adapt and learn about what the Yankees are all about.

The most brilliant part of this contract was handled by the Yankees, who've dealt with pricks like this before. Get this... the Yanks had given Soriano an opt out clause and no no-trade clause. If he we're to opt out, the Yankees would get a draft pick. If they wanted to cut him loose, he could go anywhere, even Kansas City and no one would care.But back to my thinking about attitude. Mariano Rivera was the guy who was behind getting Soriano here, he saw the talent and the confidence. Mariano Rivera is Mr. Yankee when it comes to sportsmanship, team work and love of the game. I know Rivera will be the man who guides RaSo and keeps his mind focused, and probably turns his nasty attitude around.

If Soriano keeps his attitude in check, he'll be a successful for the Yanks no doubt, but if the attitude problem lingers, he'll be a cancer, and no one needs that. Bottom line.

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