WHY RANDY JOHNSON & RAFAEL SORIANO ARE SIMILAR

Scott Boras has come forward to say that Rafael Soriano would not opt-out of his contract with the Yankees. Read about it HERE. We'll see if that really happens. Everyone assumes he will stay, over wise he's passing up a lot of money, $25 million and that would be foolish. Look, as far as I'm concerned, this signing was doomed from the beginning and while Soriano saved himself, accepting the job he wasn’t promised and losing his setup role to David Robertson, he isn’t happy and it's obvious and if he had an opportunity as a closer somewhere else, I think he'd leave for sure.

Soriano’s personality reminds me an awful lot like Randy Johnson. Randy did his job, but clearly was there for the money and not for the team. That’s my take anyway. He and Johnson offer up the same negative vibe.

You remember Randy Johnson on the way to his press conference to be introduced to New York and he got into that scuffle with a reporter? Later, it was broadcast everywhere right around the same time the Yankees introduced him to the world in his new pinstripes. Bad start Randy and it never got better. Rafael Soriano’s press conference went perfectly, but after giving up a 4 run lead and then ditching reporters and refusing to speak about it, it reminded me a lot like Randy Johnson, and from that moment, it seemed as though RaSo was doomed.

I observe Rafael Soriano as someone who believes he deserves high praise all the time. He comes off to me as he’s better than everyone else. That’s an observation. I don’t know him, this is what I see. Randy Johnson was like that. Bottom line, Randy Johnson left New York quickly and I believe in my heart that Rafael Soriano would be happy to leave, but again, he may just not have a good opportunity waiting for him and can't. But, you just never know, anything can happen.

And one big thing DID happen for the Yankees when Soriano got hurt. David Robertson proved that we don’t need an expensive set up man in the Yankee bullpen to do an incredible job. Robertson did it cheaper and will continue to be the Yankees 8^th inning guy until Mariano Rivera passes the torch to him and then, DRob will get his pay day. I'm sure Soriano probably felt denied at that point, called his agent and said “I feel shafted.”

Now, let’s be fair, when RaSo came back from injury, he did really good for us down the stretch. He didn’t complain publicly about being the 7^th inning guy for the Yankees, after all, it wasn’t a demotion; it was just not what he signed up for. But my gut says Soriano isn’t happy.

Before Boras came out and said Soriano probably wouldn't opt-out, I was thinking Rafael Soriano would walk after this season and search for a job somewhere else. No doubt he would find something but it wouldn't be easy, the field of closer's this free agent season is bigger. Bottom line, he’s a good pitcher, but I just don’t think he’s a New York pitcher. One thing’s for sure though, if he stays, and he pitches like he did down the stretch and buries the bad attitude, I’m happy to have him on my team. If he’s going to be a cancer to the ball club though, well, he needs to take a walk, but we won’t know until it happens I guess.

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