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Robinson's Gone; Will Soriano Be, Too?

WASHINGTON (AP) - It was Game 2 of what would become a long, 91-loss season for the Washington Nationals. Alfonso Soriano, at the center of quite a bit of hubbub over a position switch, took his time running out a popup and was sent to the bench by manager Frank Robinson.

Soriano took the message seriously, wound up earning praise from Robinson for his hustle, and produced the first 40-40-40 (homers-steals-doubles) season in major league history.

Robinson, meanwhile, wound up with the tough task of juggling a lacking roster - and with a pink slip after a third consecutive last-place finish in the NL East.

Now that Robinson is gone, having managed his final big league game in Sunday's season finale, the key offseason question becomes: Will Soriano leave, too?

"I'd like to be back," the perennial All-Star said. "It just depends what they want to do."

Soriano said he and his agent will meet Wednesday with general manager Jim Bowden and team president Stan Kasten, although Soriano also insisted he doesn't want to talk about a contract offer yet.

But given how good his season was, the many millions of dollars it will take to sign him could be more than the rebuilding Nationals are willing to pay.

"I love Alfonso. We love what he's done for our team. In addition to what he is on the field, he's a great, great kid. He's our hardest worker. And we love him in the locker room. And he's at an age where he can still be part of our team when we are successful - which is in the very near future," Kasten said last week.

"So, you bet, absolutely - I'm going to be out there trying to sign him. But ... if I take too many of our limited resources and dedicate it to one player ... that will set us farther back. ... I won't do that. I will keep us on track to build this thing right."

Kasten, of course, oversaw the development of the Atlanta Braves' teams that went from worst to first-for-more-than-a-decade. With the Nationals, there's at least one significant building block in place: third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, a contender for NL Rookie of the Year honors.

But Kasten and Bowden want to turn around a franchise that simply can't seem to escape a propensity for instability. First, there was talk of folding the Montreal Expos. Then "home" games in Puerto Rico. Then the Expos' move to Washington. Then a drawn-out ownership search. And now, with a group led by local real estate developer Ted Lerner having bought the team from Major League Baseball for $450 million, there's another offseason of uncertainty.

Beyond Soriano's situation, there's the issue of who will manage the team. And whether any of the coaching staff will stick around. And what the starting rotation will look like, with Tony Armas Jr., Pedro Astacio and Ramon Ortiz - all ineffective for long stretches - possibly gone. And whether Jose Vidro will be traded. And how Nick Johnson will recover from the nasty September collision that left him with a broken leg.

Injuries were a theme this season, something Robinson and his players all point to right away when asked to assess 2006.

Bowden described spring training as "un-fun," and things never really got better.

New starter Brian Lawrence was done for the season with a shoulder injury before the team held its first practice. Key reliever Luis Ayala and shortstop Cristian Guzman also missed the whole year. John Patterson, who everyone expected to have a breakout season and perhaps become the staff ace, made only eight starts before having surgery on his pitching arm. Jose Guillen had season-ending shoulder surgery in July.

All told, the Nationals used a franchise-record and majors-high 57 players, including 12 starting pitchers.

It didn't help that they began the season with little pitching depth, and then traded staff stalwart Livan Hernandez for two prospects not expected to reach the majors before 2008.

The best thing to happen to the Nationals this season was the emergence of Zimmerman, who hit .287 with 20 homers, 47 doubles and 110 RBIs, while making some superb plays at third base.

"I learned a lot this year. It was tough. There were some tough times," Zimmerman said. "But a lot of my teammates, and especially Frank, didn't let me get down on myself."

There were other positives, including the July trade that landed shortstop Felipe Lopez and outfielder Austin Kearns, and the acquisition of Nook Logan, who could finally end the search for a center fielder.

As the season neared its close, his departure imminent, Robinson was reluctant to say what he thinks Washington needs to do to improve.

He didn't hesitate, however, to praise Soriano, putting him in a class with a couple of Hall of Fame members.

"As far as his approach, and his willingness to play, he ranks right up there with the Eddie Murrays, the Cal Ripkens, who came to the ballpark every day to play. No ifs ands or buts," Robinson said. "He's one of the best ballplayers I've had the privilege to manage."

Clearly, their relationship came a long way from that April day when Soriano earned Robinson's wrath. Will Washington's new manager get a chance to know Soriano?