Extend Soto

[nfotiu]

I was just thinking about the story behind my avatar, and didn't realize there was another Nat's connection in Juan's previous life...

By 1860 14-year-old Juan was working as a vaquero on Daniel Murphy’s cattle ranch some 30 miles south of San Jose. At 19 Soto weighed 200 pounds and presented a terrifying figure, with wildly crossed eyes and a heavily bearded, badly pockmarked face. Nick Harris, later sheriff of Santa Clara County, described Soto as “a perfect type of desperado, over 6 feet high, well proportioned and quick as a cat, with a countenance the worst I ever saw in a human face.”

https://www.historynet.com/juan-soto-human-wildcat.htm

He was also done in by Sheriff Morse:

Paying no heed, Soto kept running, Sepulveda close behind him. As Soto increased his lead to 150 yards, Morse took careful aim and fired. The .44 ball tore through the outlaw’s right shoulder. Realizing he could not escape, the enraged bandit wheeled and charged headlong at Morse, a revolver in each hand. At a range of more than 100 yards Morse again squeezed the trigger. The heavy slug struck Soto just above the eyes, tearing off the top of his head.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I was just thinking about the story behind my avatar, and didn't realize there was another Nat's connection in Juan's previous life...
https://www.historynet.com/juan-soto-human-wildcat.htm

He was also done in by Sheriff Morse:

All the Federales say, they could have had him any day.  They only let him slip away out of kindness I suppose.

[imref]

bump.  Soto > Trout

[Smithian]

Why do I already hate this thread. There will be optimism for next couple years, then same anger about MASN, then bargaining about what they could making for Nationals Park naming rights, then I don't want to think about it.

[rbw5t]

bump.  Soto > Trout

Soto hits his bomb, but Trout answers with TWO!

Soto is the more desirable asset now because he's younger and makes a pittance compared to Trout's (well deserved) high salary.  But Trout is by far the better all around player -- baserunning, fielding, etc, in addition to higher OPS.

That said -- I LOVE Juan and hope we keep him here forever.

[Slateman]

Yea, Trout vs anyone is laughable.

Soto is David Ortiz with halfway decent defense. Trout is prime greatest of all time.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Yea, Trout vs anyone is laughable.

Soto is David Ortiz with halfway decent defense. Trout is prime greatest of all time.

Funny you say Ortiz, because that's exactly who he reminds me of in terms of affability, but TBH, it took Ortiz until he was 28 to hit like Soto does now.

[Elvir Ovcina]

Funny you say Ortiz, because that's exactly who he reminds me of in terms of affability, but TBH, it took Ortiz until he was 28 to hit like Soto does now.

Modern medicine is fantastic when you're an end-of-the line DH, I've heard.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Modern medicine is fantastic when you're an end-of-the line DH, I've heard.

Mike Easler.  He was the hitting coach that fixed the hole  in his  swing. 
 

[zimm_da_kid]

Funny you say Ortiz, because that's exactly who he reminds me of in terms of affability, but TBH, it took Ortiz until he was 28 to hit like Soto does now.

if ortiz hit bombs like soto at 20, then he'd have the HR record

[Elvir Ovcina]

Mike Easler.  He was the hitting coach that fixed the hole  in his  swing. 
 

Did a nice job on the hole in Manny Ramirez's medicine cabinet too, I suppose.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Did a nice job on the hole in Manny Ramirez's medicine cabinet too, I suppose.

Manny never had a hole except between his ears.

In truth, there were a lot of  players from the Caribbean popped at that time ('03) when they were taking over the counter  stuff sold in their countries.  Ortiz wasn't an A-Rod or a Manny.   Those guys all had multiples even after '03.  Ortiz played 13 years with full testing protocols and did not test positive again.  the idea that he was a regular user / abuser is less credible than say, Ross Grimsley, Raffy Palmeiro, or Miggy Tejada.

[WashingtonWizards23]

280 OPS+ locked him up

[HalfSmokes]

Too early. They'll start negotiations, but only when it's too late to have any realistic chance of him saying yes before hitting free agency

[imref]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/08/17/juan-sotos-already-absurdly-good-he-might-be-getting-better/

[zimm_da_kid]

What year do you guys think he'll break Mike trout's home run record?

[Natsinpwc]

From Baseball Reference.  NL OPS leaders  Once he qualifies he will move on up.

On-Base Plus Slugging

1.   Winker • CIN   1.196
2.   Harper • PHI   1.165
3.   Blackmon • COL   1.152
4.   Smith • NYM   1.116
5.   Realmuto • PHI   1.071
6.   Yastrzemski • SFG   1.064
7.   Tatis • SDP   1.060
8.   Soto • WSN   1.450   **
9.   Betts • LAD   1.035
10.   Castellanos • CIN   1.033

A ** by the stat's value indicates the player had fewer than the required number of at bats or plate appearances for the BA, OBP, SLG or OPS title that year. In order to rank the player, the necessary number of hitless at bats were added to the player's season total. The value printed here is their actual value and not the value used to rank them, therefore some numbers may appear out of order.

[Natsinpwc]

What year do you guys think he'll break Mike trout's home run record?

2040. 

[DCFan]

2040. 

I was going to say never.

[Natsinpwc]

I was going to say never.

We will both be dead. So doesn’t matter.

[DCFan]

We will both be dead. So doesn’t matter.

Medicare takes care of all that.

[Natsinpwc]

Medicare takes care of all that.

Two years and half years for me. 

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Speaking of Trout, how on earth are the Angels staying below the luxury tax?? 

Granted salaries drop off rapidly after Upton and Teheran, but still, Albert the Albatross and now Tony Two Bags...

[Slateman]

Speaking of Trout, how on earth are the Angels staying below the luxury tax?? 

Granted salaries drop off rapidly after Upton and Teheran, but still, Albert the Albatross and now Tony Two Bags...

They have four big ones (Trout, Rendon, and Pujols) that take up 115 million, and then they basically have the rest of troster being 9 million or less. The top of their rotation is less than 10 million, combined. Tehran makes their three top starters less than 20 million. Simmons luxury tax is only ~8 million.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Probably some creative accounting too.