Ken Davidoff

Ken Davidoff

MLB

Yankees hope Soriano has another stellar contract year

TAMPA — It sounds like the basis of a self-help book. As a matter of fact, it was just that in 1988 — “Do What You Love, The Money Will Follow” — back when 12-year-old Alfonso Soriano lived in the Dominican Republic.

“I just play the game, enjoy, have fun,” the Yankees’ perpetually cheery designated hitter and outfielder said Friday at George M. Steinbrenner Field. “I don’t even think about free agency or money. It’ll come. If you play good, the money will come.”

This is Soriano’s walk year, his last season before free agency, which isn’t particularly newsworthy in and of itself. Except this: The last time Soriano had to sing for his supper, he put up one of the all-time walk years that set him up for life with an eight-year, $136 million contract from the Cubs.

Four players — Jose Canseco in 1988, Barry Bonds in 1996, Alex Rodriguez in 1998 and Soriano in 2006 — have reached baseball’s 40-40 club, with 40 or more home runs and 40 or more stolen bases. Only Soriano did so in a walk year. (And no, it didn’t elude us that Soriano is the only one of that quartet without a serious connection to illegal performance-enhancing drugs.)

“Have I ever seen a walk year like that? No,” said Jim Bowden, the Nationals’ general manager in 2006 and now a baseball analyst for ESPN and Sirius XM Radio. “Not by any of my players.”

Can Soriano and the Yankees enjoy déjà vu? Almost certainly not. But at least the Yankees can be confident the 38-year-old won’t be fazed by his future. For he dealt with a far hairier situation eight years ago and thrived.

Let’s take a ride back to 2006: George W. Bush rode out the string of his Presidency, Pat Riley guided the Miami Heat to their first NBA title and a young Will Ferrell, in “Talladega Nights,” taught us how to laugh. Soriano, having put together two decent seasons with the Rangers after Texas acquired him from the Yankees for Alex Rodriguez, joined the Nationals when Bowden dealt Armando Galarraga, Terrmel Sledge and Brad Wilkerson for him.

Bowden envisioned Soriano switching from second base, where he already had Jose Vidro, to left field. Soriano didn’t share that vision. Things turned very ugly: On March 21, 2006, Soriano refused to take the field when manager Frank Robinson started him in left. Bowden publicly threatened to place Soriano on the disqualified list.

Soriano gave in a few days later, but “He didn’t talk with me until May,” said Bowden, who called the situation “an absolute nightmare.”

From that nightmare, however, came a fantasy season for the ages.

“They put me in left field when I didn’t want to play left field,” Soriano said. “They put me in a bad position. I said to myself, ‘You know, I have to prove something to the people.’ ”

The proof came in the form of 46 homers and 41 stolen bases. Soriano reached the finish line after falling short with the Yankees in 2002, when he stole 41 bases and slugged 39 home runs. The Nationals and Soriano discussed a five-year extension for about $75 million during the season, but Washington ownership wasn’t interested, and Soriano cashed in with the Cubs; interestingly, the Nats used a compensation draft pick from Soriano’s departure to select current All-Star starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann in the 2007 draft.

Bowden didn’t try too hard to determine why Soriano was putting together such a monster 2006. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Friday when assessing a player’s season, he factors in the player’s contract status — particularly if it’s a walk year.

“I think some guys sometimes try too hard,” Girardi said. “Some guys, it might give them a little extra focus, for whatever reason. Some guys, it doesn’t affect them at all. They’re the same guy. I think it depends on the individual.”

Soriano, having made his fortune, put together an admirable career and even returned to his original team last year, occupies a different state of mind now. His 2014 doesn’t serve as a platform.

“I just want to have fun,” he said. “It’s better to think that way and not think about the last year on my contract.”

If it helped him approach his 2006 numbers, though, the Yankees wouldn’t mind if he did think about free agency.