So Taguchi's Option declined

by StLHugo on Nov 6, 2007 7:23 AM EST

It appears the Cards are down but not out on Taguchi, they have declined his option but aren't saying the door is closed for him to return.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/sports/stories.nsf/cardinals/story/48F09069179BA0A58625738B001E42BA ?OpenDocument

So this is something that should make most of us happy.

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So Mo let So Go

No mo So. Go Mo, Go.

Watching the Playoffs as Reigning Champs is not a bad thing.

by Birds on the Bat on Nov 6, 2007 7:36 AM EST reply actions

I hope, for the team's sake, that they don't bring him back, but I have great respect and admiration for the guy. He made amazing strides as a player from where he was to what he's been the last couple of years. Now, the age and everything has just caught up with him. I'd like to see him stay involved with the organisation; he could help to recruit and then mentor the Cards' offseason acquisition, Kosuke Fukudome.

I also hope he takes my suggestion and opens a restaurant. It will combine traditional Japanese fare with Memphis style barbecue and other Southern specialties. It will be called...

So Food.

The 2007 offseason: Butter? Or Steel?

by the red baron on Nov 6, 2007 7:37 AM EST reply actions

I agree with everything you wrote

My lady friend has been wanting So to open up a sushi stand at Busch for three years now. Lets make that happen.

Thanks for the memories, So. If ever we needed a homerun hit by a tiny man against a flame thrower, we could count on you. Hope you stick around somehow.

Well, let's go to the old mill anyway -- get some cider!

by Alxfritz on Nov 6, 2007 7:46 AM EST up reply actions

Agreed

I am happy he won't be playing but I don't want to see him go. He is a heart and soul player like Eckstein but he is also 38 yrs old and one of the oldest on the team. I wouldn't mind having So do some coaching, but it would be really cool if they offered him a manager roll of a Japenese or other Asian farm team. We need to expand into that market anyway.

A restaurant is a great idea as well, Pujols pull off the Americanized Dominican food thing pretty well, Jimmy is bringing a California night club type here, why not bring a So Food restaurant as well? Sounds great.

by StLHugo on Nov 6, 2007 7:58 AM EST up reply actions

mixed feelings

This is a positive step in that the team is parting with one of the high batting average, low secondary skills type of players (miles, you are next). and we know he's a "la russa" guy, maybe showing Mo can be his own man here.

On the flip side, Taguchi was a very likeable player and certainly not at all the worst 5th OF in the world. I admire how hard he worked to get to the level he was at, and he seems like a very nice guy.

with Ludwick and Skip, he just doesn't seem to fit anymore, and at $1.1 M he doesn't makes sense if he's going to be 38.

so long so.

Future Redbirds

by erik on Nov 6, 2007 8:14 AM EST reply actions

I agree

I love the dude, but it is time he rode off into the sunset.
i'll miss he's so guchi, he's taguchi, but let's put skip into that 4th/5th OF role.

by jroman on Nov 6, 2007 9:15 AM EST up reply actions

goodnight

thanks for the dinger in the NLCS, but at 38 it is time to get younger

by spakowpj on Nov 6, 2007 11:09 AM EST reply actions

What other MLB player

had a smile on his face at all times?

He'll catch on with somebody, somewhere. I remember the WS parade - he was more excited than the fans, waving like a kid.

there is no secret weapon...there is only Oquendo.

by bukowski on Nov 6, 2007 11:57 AM EST reply actions

so sorry

hello,

I'll miss So too. But I don't think it's entirely out of the question, or 100% nonsensical, that he comes back.

At this point it makes grand sense to decline his option for reasons cited above, but if the cardinals decide not to/fail to trade one of their lefthanded outfielders, I could see a repeat of the 07 outfield. If they do trade one of them then Schumaker has a spot on the team as both a left-handed batsman and So's replacement as defensive replacement/grit generator. Right now picking up the option would restrict their 08 outfield options.

I wouldn't make a very good gm (I love to sleep, which not only makes me a poor candidate for anything more than seven hours of work per week, but only induces vivid dreams where I form intense, mostly platonic, relationships with baseballers from the local squad who've provided me with the sweet nectar of memories of grand victories.) But the bottle of stamp glue (circa 1940) that I use to enhance the vibrancy of my early afternoon nap's baseball reverie has me believing that a duncan/edmonds/ankiel/
ludwick/taguchi outfield in 08 could perform significantly better than their 07 level.

by infallibleopiniongenerator on Nov 6, 2007 12:43 PM EST reply actions

so

I liken the guy to Willie McGee. One of the good guys - humble, smiling, plays hard.

Unfortunatly, he had a few too many weakly hit ground/fly balls in recent times. Sorry So. It's not personal - just business.

My Blog: And That's A Winner!

by HugeCardsFan on Nov 6, 2007 1:22 PM EST reply actions

That's a very apt analogy

So is definitely a fan favorite, plays the game the right way, and will be missed. It's tough to watch your favorites decline and be forced out. Aging sucks.

It's awesome that So got his WS ring, though. His shot off of Wagner in the NLCS was historic.

Doumo arigatou gozaimashita, Taguchi-san.

There are 10 types of people in the world. Those who understand binary, and those who don't.

by Mr Clean on Nov 6, 2007 4:26 PM EST up reply actions