Alfonso Soriano and his infectious smile join Cubs All-Decade Team

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With the 2010s coming to a close, NBC Sports Chicago is unveiling its Cubs All-Decade Team, highlighting the players who made the biggest impacts on the organization from 2010-19.

It wasn’t too long ago when left fielder Alfonso Soriano was a core member of the Cubs and one of the team’s stars.

Soriano signed an eight-year, $136 million deal with the Cubs in November 2006. He joined a team coming off a 66-win season (2006), helped the Cubs win back-to-back division titles (2007-08) and was around when the franchise officially began to rebuild (2012).

Soriano’s best offensive seasons on the North Side came in 2007 (122 wRC+) and 2008 (117 wRC+) but he was still productive during the second half of his contract. As a 36-year-old in 2012, he posted Cubs career highs in home runs (32) and RBIs (108 — also an overall career-high) along with a respectable .262/.322/.499 line and 117 wRC+.

In total, Soriano slashed .255/.307/.485 (.792 OPS) with 99 homers and a 110 wRC+ as a Cub from 2010-13. He was a minus defender (-26 Defensive Runs Saved in left field), so his all-around numbers don’t jump off the page considering he made $18 million annually.

Fans will remember Soriano for his contract and playing for Cubs teams that never won a game in the postseason. But he was one of the faces of the franchise as it transitioned under new president Theo Epstein. His crouched batting stance with the big leg kick and vicious swing were notorious. Plus, who can forget the guy’s infectious smile?

Soriano gave Cubs fans a reason to watch during a trying time for the franchise and was known as a good teammate. He’s one of the three outfielders on our Cubs All-Decade Team.

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