ANGRY MIKE SYNDICATE: SAMURAI OF THE DIAMOND

ANGRY MIKE

ANGRY MIKE SYNDICATE

In Japan, baseball (known as yakyū) is often likened to war, because the Japanese are enamored with baseball’s intense, disciplined, and strategic nature that aligns with traditional values like bushidō (the way of the warrior). This perception stems from the sport’s emphasis on teamwork, sacrifice, and unyielding focus, where games are viewed as battles, and players are viewed as modern-day samurai warriors. 

 

Giving rise to what I like to call, the “ballplayer-samurai”…

 

Despite growing up as a Mets fan, my favorite player, was Ken Griffey Jr. Griffey Jr. was the original member of the “Angry Mike Syndicate”, the template to be used for all future players I have found myself gravitating towards rooting for. He was all business on the field, at the batter’s box, and on the base paths. The fact he debuted as a teenager and immediately established himself as the best player on the field, added that rare unique wrinkle of having a great personal story, humanizing his god-warrior skills on the baseball diamond.

 

Juan Soto is a generational talent, and despite only being ranked as the 25th prospect among the his I.F.A. class, his prodigious offensive skills were undeniable. Enabling Soto to became the 1st player from his class to make his MLB debut as a teenager, just like Griffey Jr.. Coaches and front-office personnel described Soto as having a “cyborg”-like focus and an extra gear rarely seen from prospects in the minors. 

His level of maturity and unparalleled level of dedication was far beyond his years and he never seemed overmatched or overwhelmed no matter how much older the competition was. That’s why he only spent one-hundred and twenty-two games in the minors, and like Griffey Jr, Soto made his debut with the Nationals as a teenager. Unlike Griffey, Soto helped the Nationals to a World Series title during his rookie season, while hitting second in the batting order.

 

One of the more fascinating stories I heard about Soto was during his rapid progression through the minors, after he was promoted to AA and was living with his manager. After he got there, his manager apologized because the only sleeping arrangements he could offer, was a sofa-bed in the living room, to which Soto replied:

 

“Esta bien, de todas formas no planifico quedarme aquí tanto tiempo.”

 

 Which translates too:

 

“It’s okay, I don’t plan on being here that long anyway…”

 

After only 8 games, Soto was promoted to the Nationals. On May 21st, he started his first game against the Dodgers, only to homer in his 1st at-bat as a starter (2nd career at-bat). The fact he only needed one-hundred and twenty two games in the minors is absurd, as it is a fewer number of games in a full season in the upper minor leagues. 

Prospects being promoted to the majors after logging that limited number of games in the minors is unlikely to be duplicated any time soon. For a rookie to duplicate Soto’s rookie season numbers, while leading them to a World Series Title, unlikely to be seen ever again.

 

Teams don’t risk promoting young phenoms as teenagers because they don’t want to risk shattering their confidence and not being able to recover. The risk simply doesn’t outweigh the reward. That’s why prospects spend on average three hundred to five hundred games in the minors to make sure they develop their skills properly.

 

Soto only needed One-hundred and twenty-two. A number so absurdly low, it needs to be repeated.

 

Stories of Soto’s childhood are as unique as they are mind-blowing, something you’d expect from a movie script. He came from a modest upbringing, his Father a local league catcher, used a variety of innovative training methods to help his son develop his super-human hand-eye coordination. He used a bottle or a stick as a bat, training his son to hit everything from bottle caps, rocks, and crumpled pieces of paper. 

Despite being naturally right-handed, Soto taught himself to hit and throw left-handed to give himself a competitive advantage. It was this “samurai-like” strive for perfection that allowed Soto to eventually land a 7-figure signing bonus with the Nationals as a sixteen year-old international free agent. Even though Soto was only ranked as the 25th best prospect for his class, and despite not receiving anything remotely close to the bonus figure Vlad Guerrero Jr received that year or what Elian Pena received this year, Soto quickly established himself as the best player from his class. 

 

That’s why you root for players like Soto, even after he was traded from the Padres to that other team from the Bronx. His exceptional work-ethic and strive for perfection facilitated his rise to becoming arguably the best hitter of his generation. 

 

When Soto signed the largest contract in professional sports history this past winter with the New York Mets, it didn’t make it easier to root for him, it just made it easier to rock his jersey in public. 

 

Okay, maybe it made it a little easier to root for him. Thank you Uncle Steve!

“Esta bien, de todas formas no planifico quedarme aquí tanto tiempo.”

Juan Soto

Ballplayer.

Ballplayer-Samurai.

Angry Mike Syndicate.

aka "THE CHAIRMAN"