You've been waiting since dawn? Please win with 1.1044 trillion big gunsSoto is finally here

Feb 17, 2025

Juan Soto arrives at the New York Mets spring training camp in Clover Park, Port St. Lucie, Florida, on the 17th (Korea time) to train for batting at the batting cage. Photo = New York Mets Club Official X Account

"Welcome to Mets." Bring us glory!"

The New York Mets spring training opened on the 17th (Korean time) at the Clover Park Complex in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Hundreds of fans lined up around the ballpark and shouted at someone who was stretching in the outfield. When he entered the stadium, numerous reporters and officials followed him in a large group.

Juan Soto, who signed a 15-year, 765 million-dollar (about 1.1044 trillion won) FA contract last winter, the largest in global sports history, finally appeared at the Mets camp.

MLB.com reported Soto's joining in the Mets spring training, saying `presumably, it may have been at least 10 years, 20 years or more since Port St. Lucie's arrival at Clover Park, where the cameramen who had been waiting at the scene since 6:30 a.m. (local time) welcomed Juan Soto out of his car.'

The media then said 'A few hours later, when Soto opened the clubhouse door and walked to the outfield ground, about 20 reporters, photographers and team staff followed him. Soto's agency Boras Corporation staff protected him like a shadow all day, and hundreds of fans lined up across the ballpark's fence and watched it while Soto was stretching.

Juan Soto leaves the clubhouse and heads to the playground.Photo = New York Mets Club Official X Account

It's understandable. If you pick the most notable player in this major league spring training, you can never leave out Soto along with Loki Sasaki of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Mets plan to achieve their dream of advancing to the World Series, which failed last year, by recruiting Soto.

Mets owner Steve Cohen, who led Soto's contract, said at his joining ceremony on Dec. 13 last year, `I hope we win the World Series many times during Soto's time"I mentioned my expectations directly.

Coach Carlos Mendoza said of Soto's joining on the day, `We've had a lot more cameras than ever before. I could see that while Soto came out to the ground and approached the batting cage"When Soto entered the batting gauge, all the players turned their eyes to that direction. It was like, "He's finally here." expressed his feelings.

Not only fans but also Mets clubs and media officials moved along with Soto's every move. When Soto made a frown by hitting a hit over the fence after hitting a hit in the direction of center field, hitting coach Jeremy Barnes exclaimed "He's a monster as well."

Juan Soto is watching the players' training with coach Carlos Mendoza. Photo = New York Mets Club Official X Account

MLB.com says 'If you look back on recent history, there has never been so much focus on the Mets. When Francisco Lindor came in 2021, it was during the COVID-19 pandemic, and when Yoenis Cespedes came in 10 years ago, it wasn't like this. The training on the first day of this hugely successful camp will be Johan Santana, who moved to the Mets through a trade in 2008. With Soto on its own, the Mets should be better than last year.

But in an official press conference that lasted 20 minutes after training, Soto said "I don't think I should be the main character (to lead the championship). I won't try to do more than I did before. I'm just going to do what I've been doing every year in the same way."

He then said "I'm really happy to be here as a team to be with for the next 15 years. I'm really excited to be here with the players. I've only heard good things about the Mets. Let's see what happens."