Extend Soto

[Slateman]

If we let him walk and win a WS the next year, do we care?

[bluestreak]

We think that’s happening? I don’t think you can be a GM and have essentially first right of refusal and let him walk.

[zimm_da_kid]

 I’d advocate for a 15 year/$400 million deal with heavy incentives.  $2 million for all star appearances.  $2 million for silver sluggers and gold gloves.  $10 million for MVP.

[WashingtonWizards23]

No. Winning the WS requires 3 very good starting pitchers. I’d rather invest it there than putting everything on just 1 player.

[Slateman]

No. Winning the WS requires 3 very good starting pitchers. I’d rather invest it there than putting everything on just 1 player.

Lol, no it doesnt.

[Natsinpwc]

No. Winning the WS requires 3 very good starting pitchers. I’d rather invest it there than putting everything on just 1 player.

Actually the Nats had four good starting pitchers when they won.  Problem with pitchers is they get hurt or performance slips. Of the 4, only one is now pitching and pitching well.

[nfotiu]

We think that’s happening? I don’t think you can be a GM and have essentially first right of refusal and let him walk.

First right of refusal means nothing to boras.   He’s all about getting every last cent and year out of these tentpole contracts to set the market for everyone else.   Unless there are some changes in the new cba, we’ll be bidding for Soto with everyone else.

[hohoho]

Who better than to make the cornerstone of the Nats? If they let him walk, they are doomed for at least 5 years and they would alienate the fan base and suffer in attendance. Open the wallet, Lerners, it will pay off!

[Natsinpwc]

Who better than to make the cornerstone of the Nats? If they let him walk, they are doomed for at least 5 years. Open the wallet, Lerners!

Yea.  They passed on Harper because they had Soto but with no one really taking up the slack for Rendon’s bat they really need to do this. I know the offense has continued to be good but I can see some backsliding next year.  And teams will just continue to pitch around Soto.

[hohoho]

They let Harper go, then Rendon. Soto is even better and losing the auction will do nothing but alienate a dwindling fan base.
Attendance per game
2018 31,230
2019 27,899
2021 17,192
Three strikes and the Lerners are out.

[hohoho]

If we let him walk and win a WS the next year, do we care?

No chance.

[SkinsNatFan21RIP]

I’d advocate for a 15 year/$400 million deal with heavy incentives.  $2 million for all star appearances.  $2 million for silver sluggers and gold gloves.  $10 million for MVP.

Heavy incentives for your best player who’s potentially the best player in the entire league? Lmfao okay.

[aspenbubba]

Soto only needs two HR’s for 100 for career. That puts him in rarified air with HOF’s for that many HR’s by age 22. He would have surpassed that much sooner if not for the truncated season  of 2020. Very special player.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

looks like we've been light on the Soto

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/juan-soto-your-favorite-hitters-favorite-hitter/

[varoadking]

looks like we've been light on the Soto

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/juan-soto-your-favorite-hitters-favorite-hitter/

Unless he can learn to pitch, he won't be with us for much longer...

[UMDNats]

We're just so lucky that all that goodwill between Boras and the Lerners is going to finally pay off!

[SkinsNatFan21RIP]

This thread will go well with the extend Harper/Rendon/Turner/Scherzer threads when Soto signs with the Dodgers for $500M. Then the extend Ruiz thread can start. I just can’t imagine if they weren’t willing to pay Harper that they’ll pay Soto.

[varoadking]

This thread will go well with the extend Harper/Rendon/Turner/Scherzer threads when Soto signs with the Dodgers for $500M. Then the extend Ruiz thread can start. I just can’t imagine if they weren’t willing to pay Harper that they’ll pay Soto.

Rizzo was quoted last season as saying he'd love to offer him 10 years & $180MM but knew Boras would turn it down.  Duh...

Juan's time in DC is is tied exactly to when his trade value will be the highest in these next 3 years...or as soon as he wins an arbitration...

[imref]

This thread will go well with the extend Harper/Rendon/Turner/Scherzer threads when Soto signs with the Dodgers for $500M. Then the extend Ruiz thread can start. I just can’t imagine if they weren’t willing to pay Harper that they’ll pay Soto.

Welll, we did extend strasburg and Zimmerman

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Juan's time in DC is is tied exactly to when his trade value will be the highest in these next 3 years...or as soon as he wins an arbitration...

Well, his trade value is highest this offseason.  We would be trading 3 years of team control at arbitration-level pay.  The thing is, I'm not sure even the Dodgers could offer fair value.  Mariners have one of the best systems and are a marginal playoff team so maybe that is the type of team you deal with. 

[Slateman]

Well, his trade value is highest this offseason.  We would be trading 3 years of team control at arbitration-level pay.  The thing is, I'm not sure even the Dodgers could offer fair value.  Mariners have one of the best systems and are a marginal playoff team so maybe that is the type of team you deal with. 

At this point, you will simply never get the value that Soto is worth. I dont think anyone even has the farm system/cost controlled talent AND is in a position to say that they are a Juan Soto away from a WS.

The top 5 systems in baseball are the Orioles, Mariners, Marlins, Pirates, and Royals. The amount they would have to give up would reset everyone but the Mariners.

In terms of young, cost controlled talent and prospects, only teams I can think of are the Braves, Brewers, Blue Jays, Padres, Rays, and White Sox. Maybe the Guardians and Tigers too. But I just dont see any of the blowing up their team for one player, no matter how good he is.

And I dont see the Lerners approving a trade that basically kills any attendance at the park over this rebuild. Soto playing next season for a 90+ loss team is more valuable to them than whatever he brings back in prospects.

If we're moving Soto, I dont expect it to be a realistic option until the 2023 deadline

[JCA-CrystalCity]

More stats on Soto's season and where it stacks up in history.  Hint - expect to see many of the usual comparables, like Bonds, Williams, Ruth / Gehrig / Dimaggio, Ott & Eddie Matthews, and, sadly of course, a mention of Tony C.

https://www.mlb.com/news/juan-soto-having-historic-2021-season?partnerId=zh-20210928-476029-mlb-1-A&qid=1026&utm_id=zh-20210928-476029-mlb-1-A&bt_ee=NtJl7LOJn47yDEtR79L4N1WJoBRhAYEqgpoYaqPVkLO0kGzRS0nJyzEgR1NMtRdA&bt_ts=1632835923634

[zimm_da_kid]

Mariners would have to give up Rodriguez, Marte, and Kirby —their top 3 prospects and 3 of the top 35 in baseball plus some low level upside guys like milkar Perez, Gabriel Gonzalez, and Alberto Rodriguez.  All those guys plus also taking corbins contract

[aspenbubba]

The issue I see is that the Lerners will not exceed 450 M because that is what they paid for the franchise. This is not a hobby for them and they will continue to run it as a profitable business. Yes they enjoy the benefits of owning a team but the bottom line is they do not make emotional decisions like Snyder.

[nfotiu]

The issue I see is that the Lerners will not exceed 450 M because that is what they paid for the franchise. This is not a hobby for them and they will continue to run it as a profitable business. Yes they enjoy the benefits of owning a team but the bottom line is they do not make emotional decisions like Snyder.

That seems pretty arbitrary to have a cap based on what they paid for the team years ago.

Rizzo and the Lerners both are willing to spend money when it makes sense.   It's not necessarily a slam dunk that signing Soto or anyone for 40-50 million for 13 years is smart for the team's on field success.

Boras is bad for baseball, and I hope the new CBA can do something about it.  Boras's approach just leads to most of the star players leaving the cities where they are popular to go play out their career on a crappy team and get their 40 million a year for years past their prime.

It's counter intuitive, but maybe it's time to lower free agency age by 2-3 years and cap contracts at 10 years.