NFT: I was 100% wrong about Jaun Soto

Munson was still the one that stirred the drink. Reggie was just fabulous. Reggie wanted to be the preeminent force in the Bronx. He wasn't. Thurman was. (And I loved Reggie)

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...

In comment 16519131 section125 said:

Quote:

Munson was still the one that stirred the drink. Reggie was just fabulous. Reggie wanted to be the preeminent force in the Bronx. He wasn't. Thurman was. (And I loved Reggie) 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%

To this day he is the best clutch hitter I have ever watched.

I saw him @ a Cubs Nats series in DC back in '19. He was a machine.

At his age, there isn’t a realistic number they can pay him where I’d think “that’s too much money”

I love watching him. You can see it before your very eyes that he's falling in love with his teammates, the coaching staff, the fans, the Stadium, the whole Yankee atmosphere. It's so fun to watch.

and it was a move they had to make once they paid Judge.

My. Favorite player of all time. Just comparing the attitude.

Pay. Him.

By all accounts wasn't the San Diego Soto. I don't think anyone anticipated what a positive force his attitude would be. If, say Donaldson, had the same production I don't think the team would be close the juggernaut they've become. I think they keep it up and once Soto plays at YS in October a deal to stay gets done, ala Judge.

Scary what he’s accomplished at such a young age, and has already won a ring by teeing off on Verlander and Cole in World Series before he could legally buy a drink. Even his name is awesome - sounds like a superstar from a bygone era.

In comment 16519189 HBart said:

Quote:

By all accounts wasn't the San Diego Soto. I don't think anyone anticipated what a positive force his attitude would be. If, say Donaldson, had the same production I don't think the team would be close the juggernaut they've become. I think they keep it up and once Soto plays at YS in October a deal to stay gets done, ala Judge.

That's exactly how I feel and what I was trying to convey in my initial post. Nice to see you posting, Howard

I am here to eat crow on this.

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.

in addition to everything you guys are saying about both his abilities and energy, Oswaldo Cabrera said in an interview back in April (paraphrasing) that Soto being comfortably bilingual has made him essentially a bridge as a clubhouse leader for both the English and Spanish speaking players.

Never really occurred to me before that how meaningful that probably is for young Spanish speaking guys who haven’t yet mastered English

I would rather the Mets get him but he’s a perfect fit with the Yanks. Any other team would have to blow him away with a megadeal. I don’t see him leaving.

But y’know, it’s a loonnngg season.

Last year because my buddy was placing large bets on them like a moron. Something looked off with Soto. He just looked miserable for at least the last half of the year. The guy the Yankees got is a completely different player than the guy playing for the Padres last year.

The only thing they have in common was hitting home runs. Reggie got off to a very bad start. He was striking out. He was booting balls in the outfield. He antagonized Munson, Nettles, Billy Martin and perhaps others. At one point he was suspended by the team for intentionally ignoring a "swing away" sign after originally being told to bunt. He really didn't pick it up until late June.

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.

you mean in spelling his first name?

:-). hey margi, hope all is well

12 years $1B, I wouldn’t bat an eye.

you were 100% right on Juan Soto.

you are what your numbers say you are.

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.

In comment 16519131 section125 said:

Quote:

Munson was still the one that stirred the drink. Reggie was just fabulous. Reggie wanted to be the preeminent force in the Bronx. He wasn't. Thurman was. (And I loved Reggie) 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%

In comment 16519131 section125 said:

Quote:

Munson was still the one that stirred the drink. Reggie was just fabulous. Reggie wanted to be the preeminent force in the Bronx. He wasn't. Thurman was. (And I loved Reggie) 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.

Boras will let him become a free agent to get more money. Cohen wants him in a Met uniform.

In comment 16519785 joe48 said:

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Boras will let him become a free agent to get more money. Cohen wants him in a Met uniform.

Good luck getting Soto to waste the entire rest of his prime with a team that is beyond bad.