Newly acquired Washington Nationals slugger Alfonso Soriano had his salary arbitration case heard yesterday in St. Petersburg, Fla., and a ruling is expected today. Soriano asked for a $12 million salary, tops among the 44 major leaguers who filed for arbitration this winter. The Nationals countered with a $10 million offer, a $2.5 million raise of Soriano's 2005 salary with the Texas Rangers.