by Paul Semendinger
October 14, 2023
***
In 2019, the Yankees made a colossal mistake by failing to sign Bryce Harper.
There is word that Juan Soto could be available this offseason by trade. If he's not extended, he will be a free agent next year. The Yankees, absolutely, 100%, have to be all-in on Juan Soto whether they get him by trade this year (and then give him an extension) or by signing him after next season if he reaches free agency.
Juan Soto fills many needs.
He is a lefty power bat (averaging 33 home runs over 162 games).
He is an on-base machine (leads all of active MLB in OBP).
He hits for a high batting average (.290+ three times, .300+ two times).
He is young. He will be in his age-25 season next year, his seventh big league season. At the age when many prospects are just starting, he's already a seasoned and proven veteran.
He is durable (averaging over 150 games played every year).
I believe his star will shine even brighter in New York. He is THE player the Yankees need to get.
The Yankees passed on Bryce Harper. In many ways, Juan Soto is as good, or better, than Bryce Harper was after six seasons. Take a look:
Through 6 Seasons:
Games: Soto 779, Harper 768
Hits: Soto 768, Harper 785
Runs: Soto 527,Harper 507
Doubles: Soto 148, Harper 149
Triples: Soto 11, Harper 18
Home Runs: Soto 160, Harper 150
RBI: Soto 483, Harper 421
Batting Average: Soto .284, Harper .285
On-Base Percentage: Soto .421, Harper .386
Slugging Percentage: Soto .524, Harper ..515
OPS: Soto .946, Harper .902
OPS+: Soto 157, Harper 140
WAR: Soto 28.7, 26.0
Juan Soto is a once-in-a-generation type player. (To be fair, there are usually a few once-in-a-generation players playing at any time, but he's in that rare group of young superstars. Might Ronald Acuna be better? Sure. But Acuna is not available. Was Mike Trout better than Bryce Harper? Yes, but Mike Trout wasn't available. The general point stands.)
Juan Soto is a player who the Yankees have to pull out all stops to acquire. To me, this isn't even a question, at all. For the Yankees to get back to being the Yankees, they have to play big. Getting Juan Soto is playing big. He will still be in his prime when Aaron Judge starts his decline. If it takes a few years for the Yankees to get back, time is still on Juan Soto's side.
To be clear, Juan Soto will not solve all of the Yankees' problems and needs, but he will go a long way to making the Yankees better in 2024 and for the next decade after.
and you continue to pound Soto's prewess with the bat and ignore his failure to thrive as an outfielder.
not a question as to whether Soto can and does hit excellently and consistently excellently.
not a question about whether he has and will provide more offense than Bellinger
the questions are about
1) why Soto fails to field well.
2) the cost of acquiring one season of Soto's service....and then the cost of securing additional seasons
my contentions ARE that
1) Soto is worth less than Ohtani and will cost more than Ohtani, but that if Ohtani is not obtained, Soto is a good second prize
2) Bellinger is not as valuable a hitter as Soto, but is far more…
To think, the 2018 Nats had Bryce Harper, Juan Soto, and Trea Turner....
Thanks for the comments... sorry I didn't respond, yet. I was at a wonderful celebration for Tim Kabel who recently got married.
CONGRATULATIONS TIM!
Paul we all should be able to agree that the Yanks spend money just on the wrong players. What that tells me is that the input they are getting from these so called experts is not worth it. Hal and Cashman are either not listening or the baseball people like those 2 recently Signed GM ‘S are just plain stupid . I vote for the former. Unless Hal changes his ways theYanks are doomed to be mediocre. I have stated before that SOTO is a terrific generational ballplayers and Cashman should be calling the Padres every day and convince them that they should trade SOTO to them. Persistence pays off . They give the prospects they want. Their Only reques…
We all know why the Yankees didn't go after Harper (or Machado). So, any other comparisons, or debates or what should've been with Harper is just stupid & pointless in my honest opinion.