Evidently the Chicago Cubs are not content to repeat the disaster that befell the hapless team in 2006. The Hot Stove League, as a whole, has been pretty warm. However, the Cubs’ front office has been on fire, throwing cash at players like there was no tomorrow. In November, the Cubbies landed the biggest fish in this year’s free agent market, signing the enigmatic Alfonso Soriano to a long-term deal. On the surface, the Soriano signing seems to bode well for Chicago. However, a closer look at the deal raises some interesting questions. Let’s start with Soriano’s contract. Chicago’s front office must have raided Fort Knox at some point in the recent past. What else could explain the extravagant deal Soriano’s agent negotiated? Soriano signed an eight-year contract worth $136 million. With incentives, it is the fifth most lucrative contract in baseball history.

The question is, is Soriano worth that kind of money?

Let’s look at the positives.

Soriano is without a doubt a high-quality player. Last season he drilled 46 homers and stole over 40 bases, making the puzzling player only the second member of the 40/40 Club. Only the steroid chugging Jose Canseco had previously logged such lofty numbers. Soriano is a legitimate power hitter and a speedster on the base paths. Few players have ever had such a combination of speed and power. Soriano’s talent will certainly help the woeful Cubs. New manager Lou Piniella has dubbed his new player “the best leadoff hitter in baseball.”

I beg to differ.

Among Soriano’s negatives is the fact that he strikes out way too often for a guy at the top of the order. Playing for the Nationals, Soriano whiffed 160 times last season. Not exactly what one wants in a spark plug. In addition, Soriano has a low on-base percentage which, if I am not mistaken, is not a good sign for a leadoff hitter.

Other drawbacks to Soriano’s game centers on his defense. Up until last season, he played second base, first for the Yankees, then for the Rangers. Upon signing with Washington, he was moved to left field because the Nationals already had an All-Star second sacker in Jose Vidro. Soriano resisted the move at first but eventually went to the outfield with mixed feelings. Soriano played an acceptable left field but no one is going to confuse him with Jim Edmonds or Johnny Damon. At times, he looked lost out there.

Soriano has stated that he wants to return to second base, but history reveals he was probably the worst second baseman in baseball.

As I said, defense was never Soriano’s strong suit. I guess if you hit like Soriano, errors can be ignored.

Early talk out of Chicago has Soriano moving to centerfield. Huh?

Why would Piniella take a below average left fielder and move him to the most demanding of the outfield positions? This, fans, just doesn’t make sense.

The Cubs’ projected outfield in 2007 currently has the recently signed Carl Everett in left, Soriano in center, and the slow-footed Jaques Jones in right. Everett is best suited as a designated hitter, Soriano has an iron glove, and Jones would have trouble outrunning my grandmother, and she passed away 20 years ago.

Get the picture?

No, the signing of Soriano to such an outlandish contract does not bode well, both in the short term and the long term. Granted, he will bring much-needed offense to the Cubs’ lineup. Soriano, however, might be better suited to hit cleanup with Derek Lee in front of him and Aramis Rameriz batting behind him in the fifth position.

This should be an interesting summer in Wrigley Field. With Soriano, Piniella, Everett, Ted Lilly, Jason Marquis and Mark DeRosa, Cubs’ fans will have plenty of new faces to look at.

The overriding question is: Will opening up the vault to sign all these players make much of a difference, considering a pitching staff that currently consist of Carlos Zambrano and a prayer.?

Stay tuned.