The
season is over. So, let’s get the elephant out of the Yankee dugout.
Juan Soto told Newsday Sports yesterday: “I don’t have any doors closed or anything like that. I’m going to be available for all 30 teams.”
Wow. Don’t give it a
rest on the same night your team just lost the most important game in baseball.
Nah, just throw it out there that the money train is on the track.
Does this
sound like a guy ready to keep his gear in the same locker?
Obviously,
Soto is available; the question to all of us is should the Mets dive in
here.
Mark C. Healey @MarkCHealey
I think Juan Soto wants to go to a team and spend the rest of
his career there. I think he wants to play for a winner, and I know he’s going
to ask for a huge deal. There’s only so many teams that fit that bill
I agree
with Mark 100% here. Soto is not the kind of player that wants to flit around,
team to team, during the rest of his career. He wants the whole enchilada this
time, with both money and financial advice to insure he is set for the rest of
his life.
It’s not
just a baseball salary here. It’s also commercial endorsements that can only be
obtained in big market cities.
Can Steve
Cohen compete here? Is the Pope a Catholic?
Will
Steve Cohen compete here? Frankly, he won’t be able to help himself from
avoiding this.
Everything
Cohen has done so far in his life has been top notch. How could he possibly
pass on trying to secure one of the top players ever in this game?
Me?
You put
this guy in right field and you won’t have to worry about it for eight years
(and then he still will be only 35-years old).
You have
to go after this guy with everything you got, have, whatever.
I thought his comments were pretty classless. They were a middle finger to the Yankee fan base and org. Those are the questions you dodge when you were literally just eliminated.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with Mark. I think his primary interest is money and that VASTLY outweighs loyalty, winning or what club he plays for or anything else. I think his actions have shown that. Frankly its the main reason he is in play for the Mets.
But should the Mets sign him?
DeleteI see way too much Anthony Rendon in him. I don’t think you blow up your salary structure for any one player, especially one that is all about himself,
ReplyDeleteMack,
ReplyDeleteIf the Mets can fit him into their salary schedule without putting them over the salary balance that means we lose 10 places in the draft each year or unable to sign the pitchers we need, then yes go for it. He will be our Beltran of the next 10 years.
Mack -
ReplyDeleteGood question. For what you will pay for one Soto, you can get two quality players. I know, I know, I proposed signing him yesterday. For Soto money, can you sign Walker (1st), and sign Santander (RF) and trade for Rooker (DH)?
I think everyone would like him. I dont think they should necessarily pay 600-700million just because the media says so. The Rendon caparison is my literal fear, I made that same comparison last night with someone. Angels are paying 38mil a year to a guy that doesnt like baseball and could care less now that he got his money.
ReplyDeleteI know Cohen has a lot of money but if they think the penalties in draft compensation and international draft money is going to perpetually be killed for one player I dont know if its worth it. I do not think he is worth 60-70 a year. I think they can better allocate that money. David Stearns got us 2 wins away from a WS and gave out ZERO big contracts in his first offseason. Had our pitchers not ran out of gas in the last week we probably sit as WS champs right now.
Obviously Soto is a special player but he isnt without his warts. He can barely field. Do we know how he is in a club house? His work ethic? His love of baseball? I assume Stearns and team will do their homework on all of this and make the right choice.
Yes, I am on the Soto bandwagon. Stay tuned for a Tuesday morning Remember's Rambling piece for my detail thoughts.
ReplyDeleteFinally someone said a clear yes
DeleteI can't believe most of you wouldn't want this kind of 26 year old
Like I said yesterday, I want Soto and Pete
DeleteMack, it’s not that he isn’t a good player, it’s that he will be a large part of your payroll structure and has some red flags. I wanted Bryce Harper like crazy because I saw the leadership and the drive. Soto’s drive is $$$; I never heard of leadership from him. His comments on the night his team was eliminated from the World Series…. does that sound like a player that cares?
ReplyDeletePlus, he will be a DH soon, and even Ohtani as a full DH was worth 8 WAR with the best season in MLB history.
ReplyDeleteFine
ReplyDeleteSign Danny Muno
Somehow I see the Mets signing Soto the way I see the Mets bringing back Alonso, a mistake. Had Soto hit in the WS, the Yankees would have gone farther.
ReplyDeleteSoto, like Alonso, is a DH in the making at 26.
Mets are better off with multiple high end players for the money it will take to sign Soto.
I want Soto. I think he'll still be motivated by additional money he can make via endorsements and continuing to build his personal brand by being an elite player. He won't get that if he decides to be a bum. I know he can afford to be a bum with his upcoming contract but I just don't see him resting on his laurels.
ReplyDeleteAs for his fielding. I think we can make it work for a few years and then we push him to DH or 1B. We could even have Alonso back and he could move to 1B after Pete's next contract is up.
He is just such an elite hitter and he would lengthen our lineup more than pretty much anyone you can see signing externally for the next 10 years. Everyone one of our hitters will be better because of him (making the entire lineup deeper, seeing more pitches, the entire dynamic changes).
Give the man 3 bags. We can afford it and slip below the final luxury tax without a problem. Or Uncle Steve says screw it and we just keep adding :)
Dallas, what a wonderful lead-off comment. I could not agree with you more.
ReplyDeleteIf I were the Yankees, there would be zero chance I would re-sign him. That was the most classless, self-centered comment that I have ever heard. This is what he says 10 minutes after they lose the series.
I have said this more than a few times on this site. I want no part of this guy. He is a below average outfielder (destined to become a DH in a few years). His numbers, while quite good do no justify $50M a year. If they sign him to this figure, they will screw up the payroll for the next 10 years.
Look, I agree he's a very good hitter but is he the best hitter in baseball....no.
288 average....meh, 109 RBI....ok, 40 HR's a product of the short porch in Yankee Stadium.
Sign a top tier starter, another hitter, and 2 stud relievers.
BUYER BEWARE
Soto? A big YES.
ReplyDeleteBut do you remember that Macks Mets writer who was clamoring for shortened fences, with an eye towards eventually acquiring Juan Soto? Mike Vaccaro wrote this:
"Tradition, history and a ballpark custom-built for him hint that the Yankees should still be the front-runners here for Soto. They should be favored to win Sotovember. Still, eff-you money is eff-you money."
As I see it, Steve Cohen will have to spend even more F-U money to get Soto than otherwise, unless he promises shorter fences in right. I was just trying to save Steve some $$.
If I am Soto, too, I see Judge fail in the post season AGAIN, realize Judge turns 33 in April and look elsewhere. I sincerely hope "elsewhere" isn't LAD. If Steve wants to win this one, he needs two Brinks trucks.
JoeP, don't forget he scored 128 runs. Huge.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't forget guys who can hit in the post season. Consider his post season. 16 hits and 14 walks in 14 games. You need that to win rings.
And Gus, there was an infield tapper I saw Soto try to beat out. They just got him at first. He showed excellent speed. I do not see DH for him for several years.
Paul, if you see this comment, why not do an article on how much a deep post-season run netted for the Mets. All we hear about is luxury tax...what about playoff net income? Not to mention increased franchise value.
ReplyDeleteHi Tom,
ReplyDeleteValid point about the runs scored. You forgot to mention Judge hit 50+ HR's in front of him. He's still a poor outfielder and a classless man for his horrible comments about money.
With all this said I would still take him for the right price like 10 years 40M a year...lol. I may be against him at a ridiculous price but I'm not crazy.
JoeP, I wonder how many Home runs. Judge would’ve hit without Soto? I do agree Sotos timing was a little off with his status in the future, but I think he would be a lineup Magnifier for many years with the mints. No one‘s getting it for 10 years 400 million. that I believe is what Judge got, the difference being his contract started several years higher in terms of age. Anyone that signed Soto gets him in super prime years for probably five or six years I have no problem ending a superstar and then trying to build around Soto and Lindor .
ReplyDeleteIf we want to compete with LA, or even Philly, SD and Atlanta, we need to revamp the middle of the order and sign an ace. I don’t care if we lose 10 spots in the draft and lose international money the draft is a crapshoot and the future is now. A player of Soto’s ability at 26 will never happen again. If he goes to LA or worse(Philadelphia) we. Will always trail these teams. Except for Sproat who like every other Met pitching prospect hitt the AAA wall and got bombed, every one of our top prospects were either hurt or had subpar years. Williams, Reimer and Gilbert are floundering in the AFL. We have no minor leaguers to use as trading chips, so we are forced to go the free agent route. It’s Burnes and Soto or bust. I’m very leary of an intern commitment to Manea based on 1 year at age 33. Fried and Beuhler are better options. So while I may be sitting in my $2000 seats eating a $100 hot dog at Citi Field, this is the only way to go.
ReplyDeleteIt is fun watching this debate, especially knowing that it will go on for weeks because Soto will not sign on the first day no matter what the offer is. I say we should try for him to at least drive up the price. In the meantime, see what kind of team you can build up without him and then you can make a value decision.
ReplyDelete