Have stats, will travel

In another time and under a different set of circumstances, Alfonso Soriano would be the face of the Washington Nationals for the long haul. But they are still two years from opening a new ballpark that promises major revenue streams that will allow them to afford better players.

So the timing doesn't appear right for Soriano, who despite his desire to stay will likely be playing for his fourth team in five years as the most sought-after free agent this offseason. The face of the Nationals will likely be rookie third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, and not the player who has stolen 41 bases, hit 46 home runs, and knocked in 95 runs this season.

``We love Fonz," said Nationals president and part-owner Stan Kasten. ``He's a great kid. Very popular, probably our hardest worker, and he's had a year that no one else has ever had before. I'd like to remind his agent that probably suggests that it's never going to happen again because it's never happened before.

``We'd like to commit to him, but this isn't the NBA where you draft Shaquille O'Neal and you go to the Finals. That's not how this sport works. It takes 25 people and it always will. And it will push us farther back if you allocate too much of your resources to one player at the expense of the things we need to do to build the organization.

``We won't do that. If we can sign him in a way that allows us to build around him, we will. If we can't, we'll take our draft picks and continue to build our player development system for the good of the franchise long term. What we want is sustained success like we had in Atlanta."

Soriano wants to take a long vacation before entertaining what will likely be a plethora of suitors.

Soriano, 30, a player once traded for Alex Rodriguez, listed a few things that will be very important to him, including the peace of mind of never having to deal with trade rumors again. He wants to play where he can win again, and he downplays a preference in position -- either left field or second base sounds fine with him -- nor does he care where in the first five spots in the order he hits.

And while Kasten might be correct that no one may ever have a season like the one Soriano just had, Soriano feels he can be a much better player.

``I didn't have a perfect season, " said Soriano, ``so I know I can be a better hitter and a better player in the outfield. I know I can. I've been striking out a lot, so I know I can do better with that, and if I do, I could have a better average, more homers and more hits."

He also said he steals bases ``because if I put myself in scoring position, I help the team. I don't do it for myself. Stealing bases is hard on your body, but I can do it and it helps us.

``I like batting first, but if somebody wants to put me hitting third or fourth or fifth, I don't care. Maybe I wouldn't steal as many bases because that happened to me in Texas and my stolen bases went down."

Usually very serious, Soriano allowed himself a smile when asked about his season.

``I feel so proud and so happy with myself that I've been able to accomplish things that not many people can do in the game," he said. ``But the real fun of playing baseball is winning. It's been hard to stay focused because I like to win. It's been tough at the end here because the season is going to end and we're not going anywhere."

Unhappy last offseason about the move to left field from second base, Soriano grew into the position.

``I haven't thought about second base all year, but that's up to the team that signs me," he said. ``If they want me to play second base, I'll go back there and be happy about it. If they want me to play left field, I can play left field. In the second half of the season, I've felt much better in left field. It's taken some time to get used to it because I liked the action at second base. Sometimes I go through a whole game and I only get one chance."

He was surprised but pleased that he wasn't traded at the All-Star break. He's never understood why he is constantly being rumored in deals if he's this good.

``I don't understand it," he said. ``I think I can play this game, and I play hard every day. I love playing. That's why when I sign a contract, I never want to worry about that again."

And where would he like to go? He said he enjoys the National League, but he's played in the AL with New York and Texas. Would he like to try a place like Boston, for instance?

Soriano laughed.

``After my vacation," he said, ``I'll start to think about that. Like I said, I'd love to stay here. I feel very comfortable here, but I want to win."

A Philadelphia flier?

A few Phillies players and coaches wouldn't be surprised if the team made a run at Manny Ramírez.

The lure would include Ramírez's ties with Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, his former hitting coach in Cleveland, and the chance to hit in a lineup with Ryan Howard and Chase Utley at Citizens Bank Park, where the ball carries. But those who understand how general manager Pat Gillick works think any deal for Ramírez would be subject to Gillick's terms.

One of those terms might be the Red Sox taking left fielder Pat Burrell, who has two years remaining at $13 million and $14 million. The Phillies have been frustrated by Burrell's inconsistency, but here's what the Red Sox would like: Entering yesterday, he led the National League in pitches per plate appearance (4.33), he was tied for eighth in walks (92) and go-ahead RBIs (28); he had hit 27 homers and knocked in 91 runs; and over the last six years, he has led all left fielders in assists with 59.

There's no way the Red Sox could sell this one unless there was another pitcher or top prospect coming back, and they'd still have to acquire a bat to protect David Ortiz.

While Manuel would not indulge us with on-the-record comment concerning a Ramírez deal, he did say about his past relationship, ``I coached Manny when he was a young player and I got along fine with him. I have not been around him for many years now, so I don't know anything about how it would be to manage Manny as a veteran player."

One thing that could make any deal dicey is if Ramírez's agent, Greg Genske, tries to leverage for an extension. Back when Ramírez was talking last season, he told this reporter he wasn't interested in playing beyond his current contract. But Ramírez tends to change his mind. And as a 10-5 guy, he must approve any deal.

Bringing in Gordon for some closing thoughts

A few questions for Phillies closer Tom Gordon:

Q. What do you think of the Red Sox possibly converting Jonathan Papelbon to a starting pitcher?

TG: ``I'm not aware of all the reasons, or if it's physical. But that would be surprising to me. Having watched him, that kid is lights out. When he comes into the game, the game is over. He's someone you just keep there for 10 years and never look back. Guys like that are so hard to come by."

Q. It seems that all pitchers want to be starters because that's where the money is.

TG: ``I know, like me, I always wanted to start. I enjoyed starting, but I came to realize that my value was at the end of the game. There are no guarantees that a closer can be a good starter, either. I think in terms of your arm, you have to manage it when you're in the bullpen. You build up to it. It's not so much the number of appearances, but more the number of times you're up and down. Someone has to manage that. I know for me, I watch the situation and I don't get up until the last possible moment. There are so many times you get up, the game changes and you don't go in. That's where the wear and tear sets in."

Q. Do you miss the Yankees?

TG: ``I loved playing for the Yankees. It's the greatest organization. I loved playing in Boston. I had great years there. But I'll tell you, the one I'm with now is excellent. There's a great group of people here who are trying to make this a winner."

Q. How surprised were you to see the Phillies get back into the playoff hunt?

TG: ``Well, I have to say I was surprised, but once we started making deals at the trading deadline, I think we all took a really professional approach to things. We just told ourselves, `OK, let's take care of today.' And we did that every day. And before you knew it, we were back in the race. I think we're all proud of the fact that we didn't pack it in or lay down. We kept fighting and we fought our way back in."

Q. How much longer do you think you can pitch?

TG: ``I'm shooting for five more years. You never know in this game, but I feel I have that much left. The couple of years I missed over with Boston when I had the arm problems, that really helped me in terms of taking that time to get myself physically better, and it changed my whole outlook. It taught me never to take anything for granted, and it taught me how much I love to do this."

Etc.

Apropos of nothing: 1. After 14 seasons of calling Red Sox games on radio -- including the team's first championship in 86 years -- and becoming a fixture with Joe Castiglione, Jerry Trupiano might not be coming back? For what reason? 2. I've seen closers lose it overnight (hello, Heathcliff Slocumb), but Milwaukee's Derek Turnbow, an NL All-Star, not only lost his closer job in July but surrendered 10 runs in 4 2/3 innings in his last five outings and had a 13.73 ERA in his last 25 appearances through Thursday; 3. Thinking about an outfielder you'd really like to see on the Red Sox? My vote is Rocco Baldelli. He might have the best center-field arm in the game; 4. The official naming of Pesky's Pole was a nice gesture. But I hope it's not in lieu of retiring No. 6; 5. The A's might as well vote the Mariners a playoff share. They were 17-2 vs. Seattle.

The Mets signed Pedro Martínez away from the Red Sox (who wouldn't guarantee a fourth year) to get them to the postseason and then dominate. That won't happen after Martínez was diagnosed with a tear in a calf muscle last week. And yesterday it was learned Martínez will have rotator cuff surgery next week and be out eight months. Commented one NL East executive, ``The fear always was that Pedro was prone to breaking down. That's what the Red Sox feared when they would only go so far on their offer. They've been ridiculed for it, but really, you sign Pedro Martínez to not only get you there but to finish it off. And he won't be finishing it off. What a blow to lose your No. 1 pitcher right before the postseason."

As much distress as the Mets have over the loss of Martínez, imagine the euphoria for the A's getting Rich Harden back for the playoffs. Harden, out most of the season with injuries, pitched the AL West division clincher last Tuesday. The A's are 8-0 in his starts. Harden will be on a limited pitch count in the postseason, but all the A's need is what he gave them Tuesday: five innings, two hits, one walk. ``It's a credit to our medical staff that they were able to get Rich ready this late in the season," said A's GM Billy Beane, whose team might be the postseason's sleeping giant.

Trey Hillman, manager of the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters and a former Triple A manager for the Yankees and player development head for the Rangers, is being talked about as a possible manager for the Marlins, Cubs, and Rangers. (Incidentally, his pitching coach is former Sox righty Mike Brown.) Perhaps a reason to stay where he is: Hillman lifted Ham Fighters starter Satoru Kanemura with two outs in the top of the fifth inning last Sunday. He had a three-run lead and was one out away from earning his 10th win. Kanemura was incensed that Hillman hooked him before he qualified for a win. After the game, he said he would ``never forgive" the manager, adding, ``I don't even want to see his face." On Tuesday, the team fined Kanemura 2 million yen and suspended him for the playoffs. The remorseful pitcher said, ``As someone who should know better as a member of society, I have done a shameful thing. I think this was a gracious act of them, considering that they could have easily fired me."

The Cubs can't do anything but exercise the $3 million buyout to Kerry Wood's contract after so many shoulder and elbow injuries have derailed what should have been a bright career. But Wood, 29, who is now in Arizona rehabilitating a partial tear in his rotator cuff, hopes to return with someone, preferably the Cubs, as a reliever. ``I know I haven't given this organization or the fans or this team what they paid for two, three years ago," he said. ``As a player, you feel -- you don't want to say `guilty' -- but you don't feel like you've done your job and earned your money and gone out and done what you're supposed to do. There's an obligation there, absolutely. This organization has given me everything I have and gave me a chance to play baseball and they drafted me. There's definitely loyalty here."

With Frank Robinson on the way out, don't you wonder about Jim Bowden's future as GM of the Nationals? ``I haven't been asked that in months," said Nationals president Stan Kasten. ``He's here. There's no issue there." Now comes the hard part. Will Bowden pick a manager from his past (Lou Piniella?) or will former Atlanta president Kasten opt for someone with a Braves pedigree (Fredi Gonzalez?).

You can see why Theo Epstein tried to obtain Dodgers first base prospect James Loney (.380, 8 homers, 67 RBIs, and a .426 on-base percentage in 98 games at Las Vegas ) in a deal for David Wells. And you can see why the Dodgers held their ground. Loney, 22, drove in nine runs in Thursday's 19-11 clobbering of Colorado. He is Nomar Garciaparra's heir apparent at first base. On the flip side, the Padres don't miss a chance to rub it in on Epstein. In the interest of fairness, Cla Meredith did surrender the game-winning homer to Albert Pujols Wednesday . Before that at-bat, righthanded hitters were batting .101 (11 for 109) against Meredith, who'd allowed one earned run over his previous 42 2/3 innings. Padres shortstop Geoff Blum piped up, ``Meredith, that guy is disgusting, man. I want to know what's going through Theo's mind every time he watches him pitch. I want to know what's going through his mind when Bardo [Josh Bard] hits a two-run double to win a game." We get it, bad trade.

Material from personal interviews, wire services, other beat writers, and league and team sources was used in this report.