'Otani + Soto = $1.4 billion' No matter how much money you have, are you serious? LAD-SOTO to hold talks near LA tomorrow
Nov 19, 2024
|
|
According to local media, the Dodgers are expected to meet with Soto and agent Scott Boras near Newport Beach, California, on the 20th (Korea time) to explore the possibility of a contract.
Starting with the Boston Red Sox on the 15th, Soto continued relay negotiations with the New York Yankees on the 19th, following the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Mets. In the order of negotiations revealed in the local media, the Dodgers will be the fifth club. After the Dodgers, the San Francisco Giants are waiting.
Clubs called big markets are all gathering in Southern California with a time difference. At this rate, it may be concluded before the Major League Winter Meeting in Dallas, Texas early next month.
An NL official told MLB.com "As we all know, Boras is famous for leading FA at snail speed. But for a superstar like Soto, such slowness doesn't happen"If a Soto contract is not made before leaving Dallas (where the Winter meeting will be held), it will be a surprise."
|
What is certain is that all clubs are making all their efforts by visiting where Soto is staying, with owners, presidents, general managers and even managers. What Soto wants is not only money, but also confidence in his winning power.
An AL official told MLB.com "Soto will stay with one team for at least 10 years, even with the opt-out clause, it's the next four to five years. "Whatever club you go to, you'll get a lot of money, and if you're a team with a high chance of winning, you'll be able to show a big difference."
The Dodgers are known to be a team that Soto does not like very much, but they are expected to listen to the fact that they won the World Series against the Yankees, who played as their main guns this year.
Local media outlet New York Post reported on the 19th that the negotiations between Soto and the Dodgers are 'Juss is located on the West Coast, so I don't think he's a strong candidate in the Soto scramble, but according to a person close to Soto, geographic location is not an important factor that some people think it is.' In other words, it means that there is no disadvantage in the western district.
|
|
In other words, the Yankees will be more advantageous in buying Soto's heart than the Dodgers. Still, the biggest variable is the terms of the contract. If it is a team that can challenge to win the championship with similar power, it should be considered that the team that calls more money gets Soto.
The NYP said the Mets and Toronto could emerge as the most threatening teams with the biggest terms given that the Dodgers have reasonable and even great contracts with fielders like Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, but lost in the FA race like Corey Seager and Gerrit Cole.
An official said, "I've rarely seen Steve Cohen lose the money fight.'
Then, does the Dodgers, which poured more than $1.1 billion into Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and Teoscar Hernandez last winter, have money to bring Soto. However, some analysts say Ohtani has financial leeway thanks to his offer to receive $680 million of the total $700 million in 10 years.
ESPN reported 'Otani dispelled all financial prospects during his first season with the Dodgers. 'Thanks to Ohtani's suspension of payment, it can help the Dodgers in terms of flexibility in recruiting Soto.'"
Soto's ransom is believed to have soared to at least $600 million. It is not known how many clubs will participate in the final offer, but in some cases, it could be close to $700 million. If the Dodgers want to be the winner, they have to live with that. It remains to be seen whether he will produce '700 million man' for the second consecutive year after Ohtani.
|
jhno@sportschosun.com
