Talk about getting no respect. Luis Sojo might as well have been the Invisible Man with all the attention he garnered at the beginning of last season. Even in the media capital of the world, Sojo couldn't buy 30 seconds of a reporter's time.
Soon enough, though, everybody discovered what he was all about. Mariano Duncan faltered at second base, and Sojo was the man designated to pick up the pieces. Before breaking his forearm on August 15 against Kansas City, Sojo exceeded everybody's expectations at second base, silencing the critics who once asked, "Luis who?" when he took the job.
In a stretch of 11 starts prior to June 12, Sojo batted .442. Overall, he sported a .307 average at the time he was injured, which was impressive considering he started the season 0-for-16. Of course, Sojo was the one person not the least bit surprised by his production.
"A lot of people are surprised because they haven't seen me play everyday," Sojo said. "I've always been a good hitter. Every time I got a chance to play everyday I have proven I can hit."
Now healed, Sojo may no longer be a surprise big-time performer, but he is determined to prove that his '97 stats were no fluke.
