staten island advance.

yankee second baseman hits home run with fans.
over 200 line up to get a picture and a handshake from alfonso soriano at hilton garden inn.
9.26.2003

Playoffs, shmayoffs.

You'd never guess Alfonso Soriano of the New York Yankees was a few winning games away from the World Series.

The second baseman made his first-ever trip to Staten Island last night to appear at "An Evening with Alfonso Soriano" at the Hilton Garden Inn, Bloomfield.

He was surprisingly friendly and composed for a man who has the hopes of a city riding on his proven abilities.

"I don't worry about the pressure," the native of the Dominican Republic said through a Spanish translator. "We just have to continue to work hard and take one step at a time."

Over 200 New Yorkers, mostly from Staten Island and Brooklyn, lined up for over two hours to get a picture and a handshake from the .291 hitter, who is in his third starting year and getting ready for his third playoff series with the team.

Soriano's 34 stolen bases, combined with his 36 home runs this season (bested by last season's 41 steals and 39 homers), make him one of the franchise's greatest commodities, and certainly an improvement over the goose-armed Chuck Knoblauch, whom he replaced in his position.

Gino Pazzani of New Springville is 71 and has been a fan of the pinstriped stars for more than 60 years, but Soriano is the first Yankee he's ever met.

"I've seen them all play at Yankee Stadium, all the greats," he said. "This guy (Soriano) has the best and fastest swing of anybody I've ever seen."

The event was sponsored by Stars and Stripes Forever, Inc., a sports memorabilia company that has a merchandising deal with Soriano.

Attendees could bid for or buy portraits and items autographed by Soriano as well as sports equipment and art signed by the late great Joe DiMaggio, Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter, all of the Jets and the entire 1986 Mets team.

The asking price, for example, for a 1997 bat signed by retired slugger Mark McGwire was $4,000.

Soriano left the event early, but had a word for the devoted Staten Islanders before he went.

"Keep following the Yankees," he said, "and hopefully this year we'll win the World Series."