I never took into account how much he loves playing the game and how infectious his presence would be. He is a consummate ball player and his desire to win and dominate attitude were lost on me. He reminds me of Reggie when he said he was the straw that stirred the Yankees' drink. A true pro. I hope the Yanks can keep him. He's a complete difference maker. I was dead wrong.
Soto is a different beast. He is not pretentious. Reggie was scarry smart and just an egotistical a$$hole. Soto is a guy loving baseball who does not want to stir the drink. He is part of the drink. He's not looking to overstep his bounds. Aaron Judge is the Captain and Juan is not stepping on his toes.
This guy was made to be a Yankee...
Soto is a different beast. He is not pretentious. Reggie was scarry smart and just an egotistical a$$hole. Soto is a guy loving baseball who does not want to stir the drink. He is part of the drink. He's not looking to overstep his bounds. Aaron Judge is the Captain and Juan is not stepping on his toes.
This guy was made to be a Yankee...
This. 100%
That's exactly how I feel and what I was trying to convey in my initial post. Nice to see you posting, Howard
Right after the trade this winter, I'd never really seen Soto play, but I entered a BBI thread to wonder about all the hype over a .280 career hitter. I got e-slammed in the proverbial package for it, and rightfully so. Yes, the starting pitching with Gil and Schmidt has been money thus far, but the addition of Soto has brought an energy to this team that had been missing since the late 1990s.
Munson was my favorite Yankee growing up. Someone mentioned that '78 Game 3 of the playoffs a day or two ago, where George Brett hit the three home runs but it was Thurm's monster HR late that won it. I was at that game as a little kid with my MacGregor™ Control Grip® Thurman Munson catcher's mitt on. I still have that mitt in a box in the closet, and the missus suggested a year or two back that I should sell it on the popular auction site.
Never.
When I'm gone some day, our now-12-year-old daughter can sell it.
Never really occurred to me before that how meaningful that probably is for young Spanish speaking guys who haven’t yet mastered English
But y’know, it’s a loonnngg season.
Soto despite being younger immediately adjusted to New York. He immediately hit for average and power and made game saving plays in the outfield. Not only that, but according to both Volpe and Cabrera his instruction and example have elevated their games. I having trouble thinking of a big name player that came to the Yankees in the off season and had such an immediate impact.
Ironically Reggie had a rep as a good outfielder in Oakland. In fact he was a butcher in 1977 who never rose above adequate when he was here.
Soto came with the rep as a below average outfielder when in fact he has made every play since he got here.
:-). hey margi, hope all is well
Reggie had 140 career postseason plate appearances as a Yankee. Here’s his slash line… 328/417/672. Those numbers are as good as it gets.
We like Soto because he puts up numbers. Soto is going to get half a billion dollars because he puts up numbers. Let’s not make it into more than that. A well liked guy who doesn’t hit is just a Roughned Odor.
Soto is a different beast. He is not pretentious. Reggie was scarry smart and just an egotistical a$$hole. Soto is a guy loving baseball who does not want to stir the drink. He is part of the drink. He's not looking to overstep his bounds. Aaron Judge is the Captain and Juan is not stepping on his toes.
This guy was made to be a Yankee...
This. 100%
Soto is a different beast. He is not pretentious. Reggie was scarry smart and just an egotistical a$$hole. Soto is a guy loving baseball who does not want to stir the drink. He is part of the drink. He's not looking to overstep his bounds. Aaron Judge is the Captain and Juan is not stepping on his toes.
This guy was made to be a Yankee...
Thank you.
Good luck getting Soto to waste the entire rest of his prime with a team that is beyond bad.