Elliott: Soto salary (and story) has legs the size of stilts

Free-agent OF Juan Soto is with the New York Mets and a record-breaking contact

December 10, 2024

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

DALLAS _ The lobby talk at the Hilton Anatole on Monday afternoon was not fresh.

The talk was still of the New York Mets, the poor second-class cousins of the New York Yankees outbidding the 27-time World Series champions, signing free-agent outfielder Juan Soto.

Soto, in case you missed it, signed a record-breaking 15-year deal worth $765 million -- $51 million a year -- and if he does not opt out it could be worth $805 million

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Soto-nomics: He turned down a $440 million contract offer two years ago ... His total package is more than Shohei Ohtani’s 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers ... More than the Miami Marlins paid its players in 2024 ... More than Athletics and Pirates have paid their players combined in the past 10 seasons ... More than the combined career earnings for both Tom Brady and Peyton Manning ... More than Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs roster the last three years combined.

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So, the question of the day was ... will the sheer size of Soto’s contract draw more young players to the game? Scouts are continually bemoaning the fact that players are lost to football or basketball and to a lesser degree hockey?

Ruben Amaro, former Philadelphia Phillies GM, who played eight years with the Phillies, Cleveland and California Angels, now a broadcaster for MLB Network and the Phillies: “Juan Soto’s deal should not be the only example of where the money is ... players are getting to the majors faster than ever before. There are less minor league levels to climb as organizations are using colleges to develop their drafts picks. Baseball is the way to go if you are looking for deep pockets.”

Chris Buckley, former Toronto Blue Jays and Cincinnati Reds scouting director, now Reds assistant to the general manager: “I hope people will re-think the equation. The raw numbers are eye-opening. I was shocked at the deal. We may have been losing some kids to other sports in the United States, it should make people re-think things. But baseball is played so well all over the world now. We talk about losing athletes to football, but in many countries (the Dominican, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, even the Far East) baseball is No. 1. Baseball is different than basketball, where in hoops there are so many Europeans and Canadians. Soto comes from a pure baseball country. When I started with the Blue Jays 35 years ago, the late great Bobby Prentice (former head of Canadian scouting) would tell me to ask a player what position he plays, instead of saying ‘third base’ he might say ‘left wing.’ Years ago, Canadian kids wanted to be hockey players first. Now young kids come to the United States each year for showcases. I think hockey is losing players to baseball in Canada.”

Former scouting director: “We went to the NFL combine once. Football players have a different mentality than baseball players. We tried to sign a guy once who went to Georgia ... He said to us ‘You’ll never understand the feeling until you run between the hedges.’ Then there was Chris Weinke, who signed with Toronto, didn’t make it, reached triple-A and gave it a big effort made it to triple-A, then went to Florida State and won the Heisman Trophy.”

Anthony Giordano, agent, who represented closer Billy Koch, the Jays No. 1 pick, the first in franchise history to be clocked at 100 mph on the stadium radar gun: “It’s guaranteed money, there isn’t any deferred money and his signing bonus is $75 million. I would think that might change some minds.”

Adam Jones, a five-time all-star, who played 14 years with the Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners and the Arizona Diamondbacks: “I can see where parents might want to tell their children baseball is a better option. There are a reduced number of injuries -- sprained ankles and sore arms compared to concussions. I’m living in Spain, so my kids aren’t exposed to baseball or football. They play soccer and hoops. Why Spain? We like to travel and I thought it might be somewhere different. Joey Votto has been over to Barcelona, I helped set it up. We like it. Soto may have the largest contract (15 year deal for $765 million (an average of $51 million per year), but Lionel Messi signed for just under $674 million over four years (roughly $168.5M a year).”

Stan (Skates) Kasten, president of the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers: “You want to talk about the PWHL (Professional Women’s Hockey League)? That is something I know about. Oh the Soto contact. I can’t believe it will have a giant effect.”

Charlie Kerfeld, who pitched four years in the majors with the Houston Astros, now a super scout with the Philadelphia Phillies: “Money always attracts folks.”

Edwin Rodriguez, agent: “I hope so. The final reward is impressive and unlike football it is all guaranteed. Internally in North America, I think it will make a difference.”

Ed Sprague, former Blue Jays’ first round pick (25th overall) in 1988 from Stanford University, who played 11 years in the majors with the Jays, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox and Oakland A’s and coached at Pacific University: “The cost of travel ball is so expensive nowadays, but there is going to be a bump in college scholarships down the road to 34 (up from 11.7 in NCAA Division I). The advantage football has is that there aren’t any minor leagues to work your way up to the NFL.”

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Five reasons why I thought Soto would stay with the Yankees:

1. He would have Aaron Judge hitting behind him. He does not have that with the Mets.

2. The right field porch for the left-handed hitter.

3. The Yankees were in the World Series.

4. His worst tool is fielding and Yankee Stadium has the shortest ground to cover.

5. And ... because they are the Yankees.

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Two reasons I never thought Soto would sign with the Jays

1. Toronto finished last in 2024.

2. Their best player (Vladimir Guerrero) is a year away from free agency, if you had your pick of any place and were in Soto’s position would you pick Rogers Centre?

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Faces in the crowd: Former Junior National Team star INF Ivan Naccarata (Montreal, Que.), who played at LSU and three seasons in the New York Mets system and OF Marc Bourgeois (Granby, Que.), who played at Chipola and spent two years in the Arizona Diamondbacks system, are at the meetings with their Mark Lumber Company. Mark Lumber produces maple bats for all ages ... Tristan Pompey (Mississauga, Ont.), who played at Kentucky and three years in the Miami Marlins system, has had a pair of interviews as a job seeker.