Fans Speak / Gary Garland

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What was Alfonso Soriano's correct number when he played with Hiroshima?

Could you please tell me Alfonso Soriano's correct number when he played with Hiroshima?

Thank you!

Michele

Gary Garland's Response

Hiya Michele!

First of all, thank you for reading Baseball Guru.

Alfonso Soriano was with the Hiroshima Carp in 1996 and 1997 after being signed and sent to that team's academy in the Dominican Republic in November, 1994. . His uniform number was 74. I don't know what his number was when he was in the Japanese minors.

His stats in Japan:

1996: (Japanese minors): G 17 AB 131 H 28 2B 5 3B 0 HR 0 RBI 13 SB 4

BB&HBP 7 K 17 AVG .214 OBP .250 1997 (Hiroshima Carp): G 9 AB 17 H 2 2B 0 3B 0 HR 0 RBI 0 SB 0 BB 2 K 4 AVG .118

Interestingly, his height and weight at the time were listed as

5'11" 132 pounds. So he's filled out quite a bit since.

A salary dispute with Hiroshima lead to him quitting the Japanese league and he then worked out for the Mets on July 21 of 1998 and then for the Yankees on July 24th and the Yankees formally signed him in September of 1998 for $3.1 million, a four year deal. He was making about $35,000 a year in Japan.

Take care,

Gary

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