https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0t7yqEns4es

Only 51 players have reached 400 homers. At the time of his retirement, Soriano was 7th among active players.

Reaching this big round-number milestone isn’t quite like 500, but it has to put some Hall of Fame consideration into Soriano. Look at his stats and you decide.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diJXfIo7N7I

Genuinely one of the coolest home runs I’ve seen. A walk-off grand slam is cool enough, but it was a no-doubt bomb. Then there’s the “you can’t see me motion” around third base and the truly great call by the Cubs broadcasters.

New York fans were delighted in 2013 to hear that Soriano would be returning to the Yankees for the rest of the season. He dilvered—he hit 17 homers in only 58 games and slugged 0.525. He even played some great defense, but sadly no second base.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIr0yITvdq4

His overall season totals were 34 homers and 101 RBI, with stats being split about 50/50 between Chicago and NY but with much more time spent in Chicaco.

In retrospect, it would have been nice for him to finish on a good note like in 2013 and not 2014, but hey, I would still be selfish and want him to play forever.

Soriano’s miracle 2001 season hadn’t stopped after Game 5. In Game 7, with the game tied 1-1 in the top of the 8th, Soriano hit a go-ahead homer for the Yankees.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2xYrmRojJw

The rookie hit it off of Curt Schilling of all people, who had led the league with 22 wins and had 293 Ks to finish second in Cy Young voting. Schilling had been dealing that day, with 7 innings of one-run baseball.

Sadly for his Yankees, they later lost that game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RinBf87xSCM

As a young adult in the Yankee organization, Soriano had the opportunity to play in the first ever Futures Game. He decided to flex his muscles that day: two homers and five RBI. Almost like he was a star before he was even a Major Leaguer.

Speaking of which, he was in the big leagues by the end of the year at age 23.

The 40-40 club is the achievement of hitting 40 homers and stealing 40 bases. This club is so elite that only Jose Canseco, Barry Bonds, and Alex Rodriguez were in it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7UfCAJ2psc

In 2006, Soriano had his career best season in his lone year with Washington. Playing left field full time for the first time, he hit 46 homers and had 41 stolen bases, putting him in the elite club. In addition, he had a career high in walks, showed off his great arm with an outrageous 22 outfield assists, and became the only person in the 40-40-40 club (40 doubles, 40 homers, 40 stolen bases).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYvrHV_7f8s

This hit for Soriano is very significant in a lot of ways:

• first career hit

• first career home run

• walk-off home run

It sure does beat an ordinary infield single, doesn’t it?

Not to say they were underdogs—because the Yankees of this era were the most dominant team—but they weren’t the most dominant team in 2001. In 2001, the Yankees faced off against baseball’s new superstar Seattle Mariners that they faced off against in 2000 as well. The 2001 Mariners set a record with 116 wins.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkzdE7EmByI

The Yankees got through them to reach their fourth straight pennant. Soriano’s walk-off homer was a legendary moment from that series. Shoutout to John Sterling for the great call.

Coming off of a night where Tino Martinez and Mr. November got to play hero, Scott Brosius hit one of the greatest home runs in baseball history to tie the game.

Now that extra innings were in play, it was the Alfonso Soriano show. As if the rookie wasn’t a superstar already, he made sure people knew the name. His diving catch saved the day and if it had been a hit, the Yankees would be down by two runs again. Later in the game he came through again with the game winning hit, touched off nicely with Knoblauch’s iconic slide home.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAs9rpk2KKw