Yankees announcer: Juan Soto‘s free agent show is ’unseemly’

While money is the ultimate perk of being a marquee free agent, there is much more to the decision than signing on the dotted line. Owners, front office members, managers and players make pitches for why their team and city are the best for a free agent’s long-term future.
The sweepstakes for New York Yankees free agent outfielder Juan Soto is not only epitomizing the bonanza that comes with being a one-of-a-kind free agent, but Soto also is likely embracing it — because he needs to. His next team and city are going to be his home for at least the next decade. And likewise, suitors need to show Soto they want him. What better way than to meet face-to-face?
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But that doesn’t mean that people respect the process — and that includes YES announcer Michael Kay and fellow ESPN radio show host Don La Greca.
“I don‘t know, because what it probably just is a glorified dog and pony show,” La Greca said on Tuesday’s Michael Kay Show. “Let the jump, jump for me, dance for me, clown. That’s probably what he’s doing.”
“This is the thing that bothers me, and maybe I’m just too sensitive about it,” Kay said. “I think it’s unseemly. Now I believe that he should get as much money as he possibly can. He should break every record if he can. You know, you should have teams bidding against each other, but having them make presentations to you like this. And somebody told me that, you know, (agent) Scott (Boras) has put out like a dossier of over 100 pages. He’s not telling any GMs or owners anything that they don’t know. … So again, having the Yankees, who you know more about than any team other than the Nationals, fly out there to do what? ”
According to reports, Soto will meet with the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox and Yankees over the next week or so. The Mets’ meeting is going to include owner Steve Cohen, while Yankees manager Aaron Boone will join general manager Brian Cashman and owner Hal Steinbrenner for theirs.
Many reporters expect Soto to sign somewhere by the Winter Meetings on Dec. 9-12, meaning teams could be making formal offers to Soto within a couple of weeks and this process won’t be drawn out.
The 26-year-old hit .288/.419/.569 with 41 home runs and 109 RBIs this season as he thrived in New York, which has an owner in Steinbrenner who has made it clear from the beginning he wants to keep Soto for the rest of his career … though he‘s also acknowledged he can’t back a payroll of $300 million again.
“So again, I just think he‘s a good guy. He handled himself in a really great way all year,” Kay said. “Why do this? Why make why make people dance for you? Again, some professional athletes like LeBron (James) never got the chance to be seduced by a college, never got recruited, so I think they want to feel the love. But if I‘m the Yankees and I knew that I’m going to offer the most money — I‘m not saying that that’s the case — I‘d say, ’Yeah, you kind of know what we’re about,’ but you can’t, because if you don’t get him, then your fanbase will jump all over you. ’Why didn’t Hal fly out? I don’t understand. Why did the Yankees play hardball?’ But it’s unseemly. It really is.”
Soto is expected to sign a contract of at least $600 million for 13-15 years, making this a decision that would tie him to a team and market for the remainder of his career. And even though money likely will play the determining factor, Soto is still making the biggest choice of his life.
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