Joakim Soria News: Pro Sports Daily

Soria honored as baseball's top reliever for September

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October 9

Kansas City Star

"Royals closer Joakim Soria sure knows how to close out a season. Soria was honored Thursday as the Major League Baseball Delivery Man of the Month for September after converting all 10 save opportunities and pitching 13 2/3 scoreless innings in 12 appearances. It marks the second straight season that Soria won the award in September. The award is determined through a vote by a Major League Baseball panel and seeks to recognize each month's "most outstanding relief pitcher." Four other relievers received votes: Joe Nathan of the Twins, Mariano Rivera of the Yankees, Jonathan Broxton of the Dodgers and Francisco Cordero of the Reds. Soria's 10-save month boosted his season total to 30 and ..."

Soria reaches 30 saves by closing out victory

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October 1

Kansas City Star

"Joakim Soria recorded his 30th save Wednesday night and joined Dan Quisenberry and Jeff Montgomery as the only pitchers in Royals' history to reach that milestone in consecutive seasons. Quisenberry had a four-year run from 1982-85 and Montgomery did it three straight years from 1991-93. Now Soria, who had 42 last year in his first full season as the club's closer. Soria's 30 saves this season, in 33 opportunities, came despite missing nearly a month of the season because of a sore shoulder. The ailment has also limited his availability on other occasions. "It's better than I thought it would be," he said. "After I had shoulder inflammation and missed all of that time, it's good to have 30 ..."

Soria saves Royals in 4-3 victory over Yankees

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October 1

Kansas City Star

"Here's more proof, if any were needed, that Joakim Soria makes a difference when the Royals find themselves looking to protect slender leads in the late innings. Soria closed out a 4-3 victory Wednesday night over the New York Yankees _ yes, barely, by stranding runners at second and third in a scoreless ninth. But really, all that matters is he closed it out, right? Contrast that with Tuesday night: Kyle Farnsworth blew a one-run lead to the Yankees in the ninth inning when Soria was unavailable while recovering from Sunday's career-high 46-pitch outing against the Twins. "Soria just gives you confidence," catcher John Buck said. "You look at his face and into his eyes _ like I did when I ..."

Royals' latest skid hits five as Soria is roughed up in 10-6 loss to Indians

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August 25

Kansas City Star

"It might all be falling apart now for the Royals. When Joakim Soria blows a late lead by giving up a three-run homer to Luis Valbuena, as happened Monday night in a 10-6 loss to Cleveland … well, sheesh, how much worse can things get? "It's been that way repeatedly," manager Trey Hillman said. "Sometimes, it's been defense. More often than not since the break, it's been when we've gone to the bullpen. Hasn't mattered. You know? Hasn't mattered. "We've tried to mix and match, utilize numbers. Unfortunately, more often than not, we've been nonproductive out of the bullpen. It's a difficult reminder that just when you think you've seen it all, you haven't seen it all." The question arises as ..."

Soria throws off flat ground

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May 20

MLB.com

"Royals closer Joakim Soria did some throwing on Tuesday for the first time since he went on the disabled list May 10. Soria loosened up on flat ground, throwing from various distances, and didn't take the mound for the test of his strained right rotator cuff. "It feels pretty good. I just played catch and it feels good," he said. Soria said he'd wait to see how his shoulder felt on Wednesday before deciding on his next step. He is eligible to come off the disabled list Saturday. "He's moving along and not having the usual soreness with the weight resistance in his exercises, so that's a good sign," manager Trey Hillman said. Shortstop Mike Aviles was held out of the lineup for the fourth ..."

Closer Soria placed on disabled list

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May 11

MLB.com

"The Royals placed closer Joakim Soria on the 15-day disabled list after Sunday's game because of lingering soreness in his right shoulder. Pitcher Luke Hochevar was recalled from Triple-A Omaha to take Soria's place on the roster and Sidney Ponson's place in the starting rotation. Hochevar will start on Tuesday night at Oakland, moving Ponson into the bullpen. Hochevar had a 5-0 record in six starts for Omaha with a 0.90 ERA. There was no immediate estimate on how long Soria might be sidelined. He last pitched on Thursday against Seattle in a rocky but successful 29-pitch outing. His DL stay is retroactive to Friday. "We've been going day-to-day as you know. It's a little bit of a strain ..."

Soria goes on DL and Hochevar is called up

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May 11

Kansas City Star

"Joakim Soria's continuing shoulder soreness prompted the Royals to say enough Sunday afternoon and place him on the 15-day disabled list. The club then replaced Soria on the roster by recalling right-hander Luke Hochevar from Class AAA Omaha. Hochevar will start Tuesday night at Oakland, while veteran Sidney Ponson shifts from the rotation to the bullpen. Manager Trey Hillman announced the moves before the Royals headed to the Bay Area after Sunday's 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. "We've been going day to day (with Soria) as you well know," Hillman said. "It's a little bit of a strain in the rotator cuff that he's going through." The decision came after Soria reported renewed soreness ..."

Soria's shoulder status uncertain

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May 10

MLB.com

"Uncertainty continues to hang over the availability of Royals closer Joakim Soria because of stiffness in his right shoulder. "We probably don't have Jack [Soria]," manager Trey Hillman said before Saturday night's game against the Angels. "He was a little sore yesterday -- too sore for my liking to feel real comfortable. We'll probably go day-to-day." Other than Soria's right shoulder being stiff, Hillman said he had no further information and that all medical tests had checked out OK. "It's kind of new territory for me," Hillman said. "I felt he was a little bit behind to start [the season] and I'm still hopeful that that's what it is. I just don't know. Anything beyond that would be ..."

Royals notebook: Soria rusty against Mariners

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May 8

Kansas City Star

"Maybe we're all just spoiled. That's what Royals manager Trey Hillman thinks. We're used to seeing Joakim Soria come in, used to "Welcome to the Jungle" blaring around the stadium, and used to the ninth inning being over quickly. So when Soria comes in to pitch for the first time in four days and shows a little rust - Hillman says that's all it is - there tends to be an overreaction after the Royals' 3-1 win Thursday over Seattle. That's what Hillman thinks. "(Rust) is exactly what I'd attribute it to," he said. "Everybody's so used to him coming in and doing it in nine or 10 pitches, and one-two-three. He's had some inconsistencies, so I'd say that's exactly it: rust." Maybe so. But the ..."

Soria says he's ready to return

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May 2

Kansas City Star

"Joakim Soria flashed a grin Friday afternoon as he walked through the Royals' clubhouse toward the door leading to the Metrodome playing surface. "Good," he said and emphasized the point with thumbs-up sign. It's good indeed if the Royals have their All-Star closer available again for this weekend's three-game series against the Minnesota Twins. Too bad they had no chance to test his recovery in Friday's 7-5 loss. So he got an extra day of rest. That test, of course, won't come until Soria sees whether his sore right shoulder can handle the full-speed urgency while warming up in the bullpen _ and then display his Mexicutioner efficiency once he enters the game. But his evident confidence ..."

Royals closer Soria sidelined by sore shoulder

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April 25

Kansas City Star

"The Royals expect to be without All-Star closer Joakim Soria throughout their weekend series against the Detroit Tigers at Kauffman Stadium. And maybe longer. Soria was diagnosed with a sore right shoulder late Thursday after undergoing a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) exam, but the Royals see no reason, at this point, to place him on the disabled list. "There is no structural damage," manager Trey Hillman said. "He's on special medication, and he's doing some exercises." Club officials now acknowledge Soria has been nursing a sore shoulder for several days. That explains why Soria went eight days without pitching before working a scoreless inning in Wednesday's 2-0 victory in Cleveland. ..."

It's a whiff of frustration for Wedge; Soria has Tribe talking

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April 15

Cleveland Plain Dealer

"Manager Eric Wedge doesn't get too upset when his players strike out. When they do so with runners in scoring position, his view changes. The Indians entered Tuesday's game hitting .186 (11-for-59) with runners in scoring position. Of those at-bats, 36 percent (21 of 59) have ended in strikeouts. "We've struck out way too much with runners in scoring position," said Wedge. "You have to put the ball in play in those situations." Grady Sizemore, hitting .200 (1-for-5) with runners in scoring position, leads the Tribe with four strikeouts. Uncle Charlie: The Indians were still talking about the curve Joakim Soria struck out Jhonny Peralta on to end Monday night's game with runners on ..."

Hard to argue Soria shouldn't remain a closer

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April 13

Kansas City Star

"There has been a lot of talk - lot of talk the last couple of years - about what to do with Royals pitcher Joakim Soria. It's understandable. Here was a gift that seemed to fall out of the sky, a right-handed pitcher with three devastating pitches, preposterous control and an unnatural calmness. It is still a quirky story; teams will spend hundreds of millions of dollars and countless hours looking for a pitcher like Soria, and then the Royals find one in Mexico when they least expected it. Ever since they found Soria, the argument has raged: starter or closer? There are arguments to be made both ways. A starter is significantly more valuable than a closer; a starter pitches three or four ..."

Royals' Aviles, Soria, Greinke recognized for achievements

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November 11

Kansas City Star

"This latest rebuilding effort by the Royals is starting to gain some traction. Three young cornerstones were honored Monday for their achievements last season by the Kansas City Chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Rookie shortstop Mike Aviles, 27, is the Les Milgram Player of the Year after batting .325 with 10 homers and 51 RBIs in 102 games following his May 29 promotion from Class AAA Omaha. Closer Joakim Soria, 24, is the Bruce Rice Pitcher of the Year after converting 42 of 45 save opportunities, compiling a 1.60 ERA in 63 appearances and contributing 1 2/3 scoreless innings to the American League's victory in the All-Star Game. Pitcher Zack Greinke, 25, was ..."

Royals' Joakim Soria wins pitching award

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October 6

Kansas City Star

"Royals closer Joakim Soria reaped an individual reward Monday for his role in the club's strong September by being selected as the DHL Delivery Man of the Month. Soria was 1-0 with nine saves in September while not allowing a run in 10 1/3 innings over 10 appearances. The award is chosen by a panel, in conjunction with Major League Baseball, and seeks to recognize the game's best reliever for each month throughout the regular season. The award caps a breakthrough season for Soria, 24, in his first full year as a closer. He was 2-3 with 42 saves and a 1.60 ERA in 63 games. "It's pretty nice," he said, "but I never set goals. I just try to do my best every time I come on the mound. If I get ..."

Soria and Royals cool with nickname, T-shirt

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July 22

Kansas City Star

"If there were any questions about whether Joakim Soria’s nickname “The Mexicutioner” might stick, all you have to do is observe the popularity of those “Mexicutioner” T-shirts being distributed by WHB (810 AM). WHB’s Kevin Kietzman said the station will have unloaded 5,000 of them by the end of the week (they are free, though a $5 donation to charity for each one is appreciated.) The T-shirts also are very popular in the Royals’ clubhouse. Numerous Royals wear them under their jerseys during batting practice."

Royals’ Soria doesn’t pitch to form

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July 16

Kansas City Star

"The world did not see Kansas City’s Mexicutioner, not the one who has turned even Royals fans confident with ninth-inning leads. Oh, this wasn’t necessarily the stage to thumbs-up-or-down Joakim Soria, Gladiator style, but it will nonetheless have to do for however many people stayed up late enough Tuesday night to see the Royals’ gem for the first time. He didn’t show it, but somewhere beneath that ice cold demeanor Soria had to be feeling some nerves. Whole different thing here, in front of a sold-out Yankee Stadium, millions more on TV, starting the 11th inning of the All-Star Game and following Mariano Rivera’s “Enter Sandman” routine."

Soria closes All-Star deal

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July 7

Kansas City Star

"Call it one-plus invitations. Royals closer Joakim Soria is heading next week to the All-Star Game in New York, and outfielder Jose Guillen might be. Guillen is one of five candidates for the 32nd and final spot on the American League team. The winner will be determined this week in an online vote. There is no question regarding Soria; he's going. AL manager Terry Francona of the Red Sox picked Soria, who has a 1.22 ERA in 35 appearances with 23 saves in 24 opportunities. "He's been outstanding," Royals manager Trey Hillman said. "He's been so good that he's spoiled us." Major League Baseball announced 31 of the 32 selections for each team Sunday afternoon in a national cablecast on ..."

Royals traveled far to find a sure thing

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June 29

Kansas City Star

columnist Joe Posnanski

"Here is a fun little baseball story. You obviously know all about Joakim Soria now. He has emerged as one of the premier closers in the game. He has given the Royals something they have lacked for a long time - a sure thing. For years, the problem with the Royals wasn't so much that they were bad, it was that they didn't do much good. There was no one to count on to break a losing streak or get the big hit or make the dazzling catch. Soria changes that. The Royals know now that if they can get the game into the ninth inning with a lead, they're going to win. Wow, that's a good feeling."

Closer Soria shuts 'em down

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June 22

Kansas City Star

"Nearly 30,000 fans rose to their feet in the ninth Saturday evening at Kauffman Stadium, eager to see the Royals bring some of their recent road magic back to Kansas City. It wasn't pennant-race pressure, but there was some pressure on the Royals after they blew a four-run lead and lost Friday night. But you wouldn't know it by watching closer Joakim Soria perform. Like he's done so often this season, Soria protected the Royals' 5-3 lead without any anxious moments. He struck out the first two Giants and ended the game with a harmless fly ball that center fielder Joey Gathright easily caught. "It's very impressive," Royals manager Trey Hillman said."