CHICAGO -- Alfonso Soriano was called a lot of things in his Chicago Cubs career.

Savior, All-Star, enigma, the hottest hitter in baseball, overpaid, really overpaid, the guy who jumps before he catches a fly ball, veteran clubhouse leader, #SoriTime.

Alfonso Soriano launched 181 home runs with the Cubs, but, to many critics, his production didn't match his salary. Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

But the one word that should be used to describe the outfielder now that he's been traded to the New York Yankees is simple: professional.

Soriano is a pro's pro. A role model.

That might not be the Soriano you think you know, but to the guys who played with him and the people who worked around him, it's a simple description of the 37-year-old ballplayer with the 7-year-old's smile.

If you're laughing at this, you don't know Soriano. You know what Bob Brenly used to say about him when he thought Soriano was dogging it. You know what smart alecks who don't go into the clubhouse say about him. You know what your own biases about millionaire athletes tell you about him.

But for those who got to know Soriano, his professionalism is how we'll remember him.

No, he wasn't perfect. But who among us is? Soriano had his weaknesses and he had his strengths, and, although he never lived up to the many commas in his deal, that's not quite his fault.

Soriano signed an eight-year, $136 million contract that is every player's dream, but one that is nearly impossible to live up to. Of course, no one should feel sorry for the burden of expectations. Soriano didn't.

Because it's still $136 million, and Soriano seemed to understand -- better than most athletes -- that getting booed, even by your home crowd, and getting criticized aren't the worst things in the world.

Yes, he got mad when it got back to him that someone called him selfish on the radio or TV, because that's not him, but he never let criticism get him down. That's admirable for a Chicago athlete.

Because Chicago, especially the North Side, has been known to devour those who aren't mentally tough enough to handle it. Some whine about it for years. But Soriano was cool with it.

Just part of the game, he'd say.

Now, he's not some kind of hero for coming to work every day as a multimillionaire and never complaining about booing fans and media gibes. But mental toughness is a skill. And yes, the guy who got ridiculed for hopping to catch fly balls had it in spades.