1 Billion Dollar Bulgaron Launched by Soto, HOF Third baseman If Ohtani Signed One Year Late

Dec 18, 2024

Juan Soto posing with the city field in the background at the New York Mets joining ceremony. ImagesYonhap News

LA Dodgers Shohei Ohtani might have received $1 billion if he had signed later than Juan Soto. AFP Yonhap News

Atlanta Braves legendary third baseman Chipper Jones was told in an interview with the local podcast 'Foul Territory' on the 18th (Korea time) that Juan Soto is a batter across generations. Soto is a very, very well-organized typewriter, but we are putting out too many ways to cover generations. In my view, the representative hitter for generations is the player who signed last year. "I'm talking about Ohtani, a batter who doesn't come out once in a generation."

He emphasized that the player representing this era is Otani, not Soto. It can be said that Ohtani, the myth of pitching and hitting that appeared in more than 100 years since Babe Ruth virtually gave up the pitcher after 1919, was evaluated as a player that encompasses all generations.

Jones continued "I'm sure if Soto had signed for $765 million first and Ohtani had signed a year later, he would have received $1 billion."

Because of Soto's astronomical contract, the '1 billion contract' is finally starting to be mentioned. If so, will a player appear to accept a $1 billion contract based on a single contract.

In this regard, Yahoo Sports said on the same day that 'Who will be the first major league player to be worth $1 billion?The possibility was explored in an article titled '. In conclusion, it is difficult to get a $1 billion contract in this era.

Juan Soto and agent Scott Boras hold a press conference at the New York Mets joining ceremony on the 13th (Korea time). ImagesYonhap News

Soto signed a 15-year contract with the Mets and was granted the right to trigger the opt-out exercise five years later. If he maintains his skills of hitting 41 home runs and 109 RBIs with the New York Yankees this year for five years, he will surely exercise that right. Then you become an FA again. However, the Mets also had a safety device in place. If the average annual salary is raised to $55 million for the remaining 10 years, the opt-out right can be extinguished. In this case, the total amount for 15 years will increase to $805 million.

Soto's detailed provisions allow his family to use the Citi Field Suite, the Mets' home stadium, at any time and take a private jet with his family on the road. Analysts say that if all of these and other benefits are included, the total amount of 15 years could reach $900 million.

Two conditions are needed to receive a contract worth more than $700 million like Soto. First of all, the age at the time of FA should be around mid-20s. That way, like Soto, he is guaranteed a 15-year contract period up to the age of 40. The second is to show off the best skills that no one can deny in the six years before qualifying for FA. Unless it's a top-notch combined pitching and hitting job like Ohtani.

Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Weit Jr. AP Yonhap News

Baltimore Orioles shortstop or Henderson. EPA Yonhap News

Bobby Wit Jr. ($288.7 million for 11 years), Julio Rodriguez ($29.3 million for 12 years), Fernando Tatis Jr. ($340 million for 14 years), Jackson Churio ($82 million for 8 years), and Corbyn Carroll ($11 million for 8 years) are considered players who can satisfy these two categories, but the possibility has virtually disappeared as they have already signed long-term contracts between the late 20s and 30s.

Among the remaining players in their early 20s, Yahoo Sports picked Pittsburgh pitcher Paul Skinns, Baltimore shortstop Ganna Henderson, Cincinnati shortstop Eli Delacruz and San Diego outfielder Jackson Merrill as candidates.

Skins is a pitcher with a high risk of injury such as elbow and shoulder, so few clubs will sign a long-term contract for more than 10 years. Yahoo Sports said that if Skins wants to sign a $1 billion contract, he should go back to college and turn into a hitter.

Henderson, who is 23 years old this year, is an agent with Scott Boras like Soto, but he is two years older than Soto, who is now in the FA market. And it is hard to say that he has built up his batting skills as much as Soto.

Delacruz seems the most likely of these to be in the spotlight as a '5 tool player'. Boras is the agent too. However, as Delacruz gets older, it becomes difficult to use all five tools at the top level. In the case of Meryl, it is difficult to say that he has yet to show the best batting skills like Henderson, and he cannot enter the FA market until he is 27 years old.

Yahoo Sports says, `Who will sign the first $1 billion contract? It's probably impossible, but no one expected Soto to be a $800 million guy when he debuted. The possibility exists.

jhno@sportschosun.com