Nice Route

It's obvious that Alfonso Soriano cannot play second base. Starting to receive word that left field isn't going to be much better for E4-onso. Soriano misplayed a ball in the first inning that led to an Astros run. Lefty Lance Berkman hit a ball the opposite way to left-center that Soriano misread. He charged the ball and it carried over his head allowing Willy Taveras to score from first base.

That has got to do wonders for the confidence of Washington pitchers this season.

"I try to catch the ball, but it was a line drive going up because of the wind," said Soriano, on a day where the wind blew straight out to center at 12 mph.

Another thing that is painfully obvious. Soriano is going to need to work on his excuse making, too. But manager Frank Robinson noted that Soriano didn�t go for the cheap �sun in my eyes� excuse, instead branching out to the underutilized �wind� excuse. That's progress.

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