Dr. Appels

Alfonso Soriano agrees to play left field for Washington Nationals

posted March 22 @ 12:29, EST

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) - Alfonso Soriano agreed to play left field Wednesday and was in the Washington Nationals' lineup for his first spring training game, two days after refusing to move from second base.

"It's a relief for everybody, it really is," manager Frank Robinson said before the Nationals played the Cardinals. "We get the distractions away from here and we can focus on baseball now and getting this ballclub tuned up and ready to go for opening day."

Robinson said he gave Soriano the option of not playing Wednesday and making his outfield debut on Thursday for a home game. But he said Soriano wanted to get started now.

"All I wanted to know from him was, was he willing to play left field," Robinson said. "He said he was ready to go, he wanted to get at-bats and get out there and play."

The Nationals did not have to wait long to see if Soriano fulfilled his commitment to play. He was batting leadoff.

Soriano was not immediately available for comment.

The Nationals got Soriano in an off-season trade with the Texas Rangers. He's made the AL All-Star team the last four years as a second baseman, but Washington wants him to change positions because they have an established second baseman, three-time all-star Jose Vidro.

Soriano has been primarily a second baseman throughout his major-league career, and played there for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic earlier this spring. He has never played the outfield in a major-league game.

Soriano had been scheduled to make his first spring appearance on Monday night against the Dodgers. But after being listed on the lineup card in left field, he refused to play.

General manager Jim Bowden had threatened to put Soriano on the disqualified list, which would prevent him from playing, accruing service time and receiving his $10 million US salary.