Joakim Soria

Infobox MLB player
name=Joakim Soria


width=150
positionplain=Relief pitcher
team=Kansas City Royals
number=48
bats=Switch
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1984|5|18
birthplace=Monclova, Coahuila, Mexico
debutdate=April 4
debutyear=2007
debutteam=Kansas City Royals
statyear=July 27, 2008
stat1label=Win-Loss
stat1value=3-5
stat2label=Saves
stat2value=46
stat3label=Earned Run Average
stat3value=2.11
stat4label=Strikeouts
stat4value=124
teams=
*Kansas City Royals (by|2007-present)
awards =
*All-Star Selection (2008)
*100th major-league player to have been born in México.
*Most Saves by a Mexican Born Player

Joakim Agustín Soria Ramos (b. May 18, 1984 in Monclova, Coahuila, México) is a right handed closing pitcher with the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball. He has been nicknamed The Mexicutioner.

Mexican Pacific League career

Soria has played for his country's Diablos Rojos del México (in the Liga Mexicana de Beisbol) and Yaquis de Obregón in the Winter League. He played for the Class-A Fort Wayne Wizards as well. On December 9, 2006 in the Mexican Winter League, Soria threw a perfect game against the Naranjeros de Hermosillo.

Major League Baseball career

2006

In 2006, Soria was drafted at the age of 22 by the Kansas City Royals in the Rule 5 draft out of the San Diego Padres organization.Kaegel, Dick. [http://kansascity.royals.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080706&content_id=3076168&vkey=news_kc&fext=.jsp&c_id=kc Soria heading to All-Star Game] "MLB.com", 6 July 2008.]

2007

Soria debuted for the Royals in the 2007 season, and had a record of 2–3 with 17 saves and an ERA of 2.48.

2008

Soria has had a breakout season in 2008 with the Royals and was selected to play in the 2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Through 35 games, Soria has 41 saves in 44 chances and a 1.63 ERA. Soria was selected to be the Royals' lone representative in the All-Star Game. He becomes the first Royals closing pitcher since Mike MacDougal was selected to 2003's game.

Soria opened the 2008 season with 13 straight saves, breaking Al Hrabosky's club record of 11. He was scored on in just two of 35 outings. He went 16 1/3 innings before giving up a run this year and in one stretch retired 24 straight batters.

On May 17, 2008, Soria signed a 3-year, 8.75 million dollar extension to his contract with the Royals, following his impressive performance as the team's closer in the first quarter of the season. Associated Press. [http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3401545 ESPN - Royals pitcher Soria agrees to 3-year, $8.75M extension] , "ESPN.com", 17 May 2008.]

All-Star Game

Joakim Soria was selected as the Royals only representative to the 2008 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in New York. He pitched 1 2/3 innings, striking out Florida Marlins all star Dan Uggla and New York Mets all star David Wright. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080714&content_id=3135002&vkey=news_kc&fext=.jsp&c_id=kc&partnerId=rss_kchttp://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080715&content_id=3139084&vkey=news_kc&fext=.jsp&c_id=kc&partnerId=rss_kc

Nicknames

Kansas Citians affectionately dubbed Soria 'The Mexicutioner' during the 2008 season and a local sports radio station (810 am) http://www.810whb.com made up shirts to sell for charity.

As for if Soria likes the t-shirts? "He likes it," Bob Dutton (kansas city star)said. "He wears the T-shirt and so do a lot of other Royals." http://overthetop.kansascity.com/?q=node/126

The t-shirts have been a big hit and almost 5,000 went in just the first week.

References