"Before running up the stairs from the dugout for pregame work Wednesday night, Alfonso Soriano paused long enough to notice the storm clouds and rain spitting down — then called out to a group of fans at the dugout rail:

"You let me have your umbrella?" he said, smiling.

"Huh?'' said one.

"Your umbrella — you let me have it?"

At which point the still-confused fan started to hand his umbrella to Soriano.

"Naw," Soriano said, smiling bigger, and bounded up the stairs to find the batting cage.

Let's make one thing clear right now: For all the flap over the Cub left fielder's comments to the Sun-Times about Chicago fans, and all the flak he took over it Wednesday, this guy is anything but a fan hater.

One of the most outgoing players in the game, he's also one of the best at blocking out the boos and staying upbeat in the clubhouse and with the fans even during his roughest slumps.

"I have a great relationship with the fans in left field [at Wrigley Field]. I don't want them to think I don't like it here,'' he said Wednesday after taking heat for his comments in support of struggling Sox slugger Adam Dunn and suggesting fans' tendency to boo slumping stars is worse in Chicago than other cities.

"I enjoy my time here, and I love to play here. That's what I want them to understand," he said. "I feel sorry for Adam Dunn, because he's a great guy, a great player, a great career. I hope he [starts] doing good and they don't boo him, because as a player, I don't like to see other players get booed. That was my point.''

But let's make one more thing clear: Soriano was right. "