Chicago Cubs: Five MLB Outfielders Outperforming Alfonso Soriano but Making Less

Chicago Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano will be receiving $18 million a season for this year and the next three years. His total contract was for $136 million over eight seasons.

At times, Soriano has shined. More often though, the Cubs outfielder has been an example of failure.

Soriano was actually not a bad player before he arrived in Chicago. Before his first season in Chicago, Soriano batted .277 with 46 home runs, 95 RBIs and 41 stolen bases during his single-season stint with the Washington Nationals. No wonder he received the contract he did.

I don't think Jim Hendry initially was making a mistake when he signed Soriano. He was a heavily sought-after free agent, and one could only assume that he would have continued to put up big numbers. The thing is, the contract was just too big and for too long, and fans are starting to lose it.

Soriano has yet to produce at this level in Chicago, averaging 26 home runs and 69 RBIs while totaling only 54 stolen bases over basically five years with the Cubs.

Everyone knows the Cubs struck out on this one. 

These five outfielders are not only outplaying Soriano, but they are making much less then he is.

Hunter Pence

The former Houston Astros and current Philadelphia Phillies right fielder is starting become one of the elite outfielders in the game.

Pence has a career batting average of .291 and has averaged 78 RBIs a season. He has done this all within his first five seasons in the MLB. Pence doesn't exactly bat for power, but he is becoming one of the biggest threats in the batters box.

This season, Pence has hit .312 between both squads. He also has 77 RBIs and 16 home runs on the season.

Pence has been becoming a threat on the base paths. He has accumulated 61 stolen bases over his first five seasons. His numbers did dramatically drop—from 18 last season to only seven so far this year—but he has shown the potential and he is still very young.

Pence is only making $6.9 million this season. He is in the last year of his contract, and he is likely due to make big money.

Still, at this moment in time Pence is outperforming Soriano and is making much less.

Matt Kemp

The Los Angeles Dodgers' big center fielder Matt Kemp has been making strides over the years.

Through 133 games so far this season, Kemp has already broken 100 RBIs. Not only that, but his game is just starting to peak. Kemp has also managed to put up 31 home runs, a .319 batting average and has tallied 35 stolen bases on the season.

His career batting average has dipped to .291 due to a 2010 season batting .249, but Kemp has certainly been as consistent as anyone else since becoming a starter for the Dodgers. In 2009, Kemp put up a .297 batting average with 101 RBIs, 26 home runs and 34 stolen bases. He looks to be making a push to make this his best season yet.

Kemp is also only making $6.95 million this season. That is a whole lot less then Soriano's $17 million.

Matt Kemp is another one of those guys who are poised to make big money. His numbers certainly show it, and he may be due Soriano money.

Ryan Braun

I know the Milwaukee Brewers just signed left fielder Ryan Braun to a huge extension, but that doesn't change the fact that he is currently playing for less than $12 million until 2015.

This season, Braun is making $4 million, and while doing so, he is batting .334 with 88 RBIs and 25 home runs. He has also managed to steal 30 bases.

Over his short five year career, Braun has a career batting average of .311 while averaging 102 RBIs, 31 home runs and 93 total stolen bases per season.

The scary thing about Braun is that he is only getting better each year.

Ryan Braun is a tough one to swallow for Cub fans because he is killing it within the same division.

Braun is going to be in Milwaukee for a long time, and for the time being, they got a great player for nothing.

The downside is that they gave him a huge contract until 2021. We will have to see how that pans out for Milwaukee.

Josh Hamilton

The Texas Rangers' slugging outfielder Josh Hamilton has made huge strides following a controversial early career.

After bouncing around MLB ball clubs, Hamilton finally found a home in Texas. Boy, were they lucky.

Hamilton is currently playing for $7.25 million and will be receiving $13.75 million the following year. What follows that is what everyone figures to be a big pay day.

He is due for this because currently he is batting .298 with 18 home runs and 74 RBIs. He has missed some time this year due to injury, but he still is putting up mostly better numbers than Soriano.

Last season, Hamilton batted .359 with 32 home runs and 100 RBIs. His contract? $3.25 million.

Hamilton has only been around for five seasons, and as long as he stays healthy, people assume he will continue to put up big numbers.

Shin-Soo Choo

The Cleveland Indians outfielder has not had his best season this year, but that is partly due to injury.

Shin-Soo Choo though has been a consistent piece to the Indians outfield. Last season, he batted .300 with 20 home runs and 90 RBIs. He was also getting paid $461,100. No, that is not a typo.

Since joining the Indians in 2006, Choo has a batting average of .295 and had consecutive 20-steal, 20-home run seasons in 2009 and 2010.

Choo is making $3.98 million this season. He certainly received what he deserved after a few good seasons, but even those numbers are better then Soriano's. He still isn't seeing $18 million though.

All stats were provided by http://www.baseball-reference.com/