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‘YANKEES-METS…WHO WON THE DEAL
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Juan Soto stole the spotlight in the Winter Baseball Meetings, signing his mega contract with the Mets, just hours before the Hot Stove League officially opened for business.

A record contract, 15-years..765M in total value and an all time high 51M-per year, with no deferred money and an Opt Out Clause after the fifth season.

But there is more to the story to consider.

A coup for the Mets to steal the power hitting slugger from the cross town Yankees?  Definitely.  Put the Mets on the front page of the NY tabloid papers for at least a day.

But what about the team he has gone to?  What about the team he left behind?  And what are the next moves out there for both New York teams to make?

A review of all things Soto.

His baseball card will show you a career average (.285) batting average and 201-career home runs.  Impressive.

A budding star with the Washington Nationals, who turned his back on a (440M) package in Washington, forcing a trade to the Padres.  1-really strong half season in San Diego, sandwiched around alot of disappointments.  An off the charts season with the Yankees-ending in a World Series appearance.

Impressive credentials?  Sure.  But there are other things to consider, on the field, off the field, in the clubhouse, in the front office.

Soto’s baseball card should also show you seasons in which he hit (.236 and .246).  It should show you his defensive liabilities in both left field and right.  It should show you an erratic throwing arm.  It should show you a lumbering base runner too.

In the clubhouse there is history too.

Do you know Soto has not spoken to any Yankees teammate since their final World Series game loss to the Dodgers.  Not one.  Not one to say great season.  Not one to say wait till next year. Not one to congratulate him on his record contract, or wish him good luck on his next challenge.

And Soto admitted he had clubhouse problems in San Diego, with the other big personalities with the Padres, Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis.  His final year saw a crap collapse in the pennant race, and toxic infection within the clubhouse that led to Bob Melvin quitting as manager.

I found Soto a distant interview, full of generic quotes that had little depth.  It was as if he was pre programmed by his agent Scott Boras.  I viewed him as self-centered, worried only about his at-bats and pending free agency.  There never  seemed to be any real emotional linkage to the Padres, the fans, the logo, his teammates and the late Peter Seidler.  He was at the opposite end of the spectrum to guys I liked being around, Joe Musgrove, Chase Headley, and Tony Gwynn back in the day.

Fast forward to where we are at this hour.

Soto told the Mets beat writers he chose the franchise because it was about to win a championship.  Excuse me?

A Mets team that has not re-signed its only other power hitter Pete Alonso.  Is trying to trade Starling Marte.  A Mets team that currently has a starting rotation of Kodai Senga, David Peterson, and Clay Holmes, one coming off surgery, another a converted closer as the front of their rotation.  And the 3-lefthanders, who helped get the Mets to the NLCS, are out there unsigned with no offers from New York yet.

Soto may like owner Steve Cohen and his checkbook.  Has he really studied the roster of what might be around him?

And as for cross town, has Soto thought about the fact there will be no Aaron Judge hitting behind him?   Who protects him in the Mets batting order?

He doesn’t really believe the Mets rotation is better than the New York front line starters, Gerritt Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, Luis Gil and newly acquired closer Devin Williams?

The Yankees may have lost the back page for 1-day in the newspaper war in New York.  But they went to Plan B hours after Soto turned their offer down.

In a 6-day span they took Soto’s money, and added Fried, Williams, and now the trade for Cody Bellinger.  And they are going to talk to Pete Alonso about leaving the Mets and crossing the bridge coming this way to Yankees Stadium.

Wonder what happens if the Mets don’t add more around the slugger?  Wonder how he copes with the NY media if he is hitting (.226) as he did for months with the Padres?  Wonder how hostile it will be if he can’t become the leader they want.

His baseball card won’t tell you about shortcomings, but I wonder if ‘Mr. Me-Myself-I’ will be happy with the decision he made to go to the other New York team?  Maybe it doesn’t matter because he’s always been about himself and his next payday.

Looks like the Mets might have won the bidding war, but the Yankees won the off season of players acquisitions.

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