Chicago Cubs Baseball

So this is what $136 million ball player looks like?

For the first time in a Chicago uniform, Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano was named the National League Player of the Week today.

After two-and-a-half months, Chicago Cubs baseball is finally beginning to see the on-field payout it expected when the organization invested in the free agent. Soriano, who will make $17 million in this his signing year, was nothing short of superlative in helping the Cubs accumulate a 4-2 mark over the week, including a 3-0 sweep of the cross-town rival White Sox.

Soriano was definitely the catalyst and the driving force behind the Cubs recent surge. How productive you ask?

Consider this. In six games the Cub offense smacked six home runs - four coming off the bat of Soriano. During the same stretch Chicago could only muster 23 runs total, of which Soriano was responsible for driving in five, while scoring six himself.

Oh yeah. He also batted .480 during the stretch and from his left field position gunned down the White Sox Luis Terrero - twice - over the weekend.

Soriano’s week-long performance was enough for him to beat out fellow nominees for the award that included Orlando Hernandez and John Maine of the New York Mets, Ryan Howard of the Philadelphia Phillies, Cristian Guzman of the Washington Nationals and Ken Griffey Jr. and Aaron Harang of the Cincinnati Reds.

Now if the Cubs can just find someone to give Soriano some support.