SURPRISE, Ariz. – The same qualities that first jumped out to Dale Sveum on video are all still there. The Cubs made Jorge Soler a top priority during the first weeks of the Theo Epstein administration, scouting him heavily, putting together a nine-year, $30 million major-league contract and getting input from their handpicked manager.
Fired after 197 losses combined in 2012 and 2013, Sveum never got a chance to work closely with Soler in Wrigleyville, though he did reestablish his reputation as a hitting guru after helping the Kansas City Royals teams that won a World Series title and back-to-back American League pennants in 2014 and 2015.